Programs and Services targeted towards the Community
Central Valley Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (CVIEF)
CVIEF features five ventures that present to a panel of investors and compete for
the Investor Award. During the event, attendees also pretend to be venture capitalists
for the day and make pseudo-investments in 20 promising local entrepreneurs and startup
ventures that are competing to win the Audience Award. CVIEF is a collaboration between
the Office of Community and Economic Development, the WET Center and Central Valley
Fund.
Entrepreneur Support Group (ESG)
Modeled after the Entrepreneur Organization, ESG nurtures a peer-to-peer learning
environment where eight to 10 entrepreneurs learn from each other through monthly
meetings. These sessions emphasize confidentiality, personal responsibility and lessons
learned.
Startup Grind
The Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is Startup Grind’s first globally
recognized University Chapter. Startup Grind is the largest independent startup community,
actively educating, inspiring, and connecting 1,000,000 entrepreneurs in over 250
cities.