Innovation Center Highlights
Here are some highlights of recent activities hosted by the De Anza College Innovation Center.
Click the yellow buttons to watch video recordings of the events.
Voices of Impact – Nonprofit Showcase: Spring 2025
Thursday, June 12: 3 to 5 p.m. - Media & Learning Center (MLC) 105
The Innovation Center hosted an inspiring afternoon with a panel of passionate changemakers who are making a real difference through environmental work, animal welfare, youth empowerment and family support. Each speaker shared their unique journey and the impactful work they’re doing in our community.
Featured speakers:
Doron Noyman – Sunday Friends Foundation
- As a board member, Doron discussed how Sunday Friends empowers families to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty through education, community building and financial literacy programs.
- More information: sundayfriends.org
Rhonda Berry – Our City Forest
- Rhonda spoke about urban forestry, sustainability, and how community-driven greening projects are changing our cities for the better.
- More information: ourcityforest.org
Ann Chasson and Mary Rubin – The Dancing Cat
- Ann and Mary explained how a creative take on animal adoption is giving cats (and cat lovers) a new lease on life.
- More information: thedancingcat.org
José Montesinos – Eden Youth
- A proud De Anza alum, José shared how his journey led to uplifting youth and building safe spaces through holistic community support.
- More information: edenyouth.org
For any questions, please contact Catherina Wong at wongcatherina@deanza.edu
Virtual Speaker Series: Winter/Spring 2025
This series was led by Rowland Chen, business instructor and CEO of The Silicon Valley Laboratory, who has worked with innovative start-up companies for more than a decade.
Topics included diversity, equity, and inclusion; ethical innovation; pivots for start-ups; and funding innovation.
Chen, who is also founder of the Center for Ethical Innovation, has an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and spent two years as a visiting scientist with the Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science, developing novel approaches to artificial intelligence. He is a published writer whose work has appeared in Harvard Business Review and the New York Times.
March 14: Innovation, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Innovation, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- Friday, March 14
- 9-10 a.m.
- Online via Zoom
Learn about innovation and the impacts of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The subject is timely and critical given recent changes in the United States at the federal level of government.
April 11: Ethical Innovation
Ethical Innovation
- Friday, April 11
- 9-10 a.m.
- Online via Zoom
What makes a company innovative? What makes a company ethical? Let's talk about the answers to these questions and others. We will look at some companies at the intersection of ethical innovation.
May 2: To Pivot or Not to Pivot?
To Pivot or Not to Pivot?
- Friday, May 2
- 9-10 a.m.
- Online via Zoom
Every company experiences setbacks, some bigger than others. Failure is just a large setback that can be dealt with. Pivoting, changing the direction of a firm rapidly, is one way to address a large setback. Come discuss how to know when it is time to pivot or not.
June 6: Funding Innovation
Funding Innovation
- Friday, June 6
- 9-10 a.m.
- Online via Zoom
Pre-money, SAFE, angel, series A, cap table. These are only some of the terms related to funding new ventures. Learn what these and other terms mean and where they fit in the overall innovation process. We will also talk about sources of funds.
Business Model Canvas Competition: Winter 2025
Thank you to our sponsor, KeyPoint Credit Union!
More than 75 students from a variety of majors had an opportunity to pitch marketing strategies and win cash prizes during a Business Model Canvas Competition hosted on Feb. 28 by the De Anza Innovation Center. The event was sponsored by KeyPoint Credit Union, which provided prizes and lunch for all participants.
Students competed in 19 teams to present their ideas for marketing to Gen Z consumers, who may be unfamiliar with credit unions and how they compare with banks and newer, online financial services. Each team prepared a “business model canvas” or one-page template that addressed customer segments, value propositions, revenue streams, resources, partnerships and other essential elements.
Five teams won a total of $1,300 in prizes, with the winning team taking home $500. First prize was shared by team members Carine Chan, George Huang, Leo Huang and Sylvia Nghiem.
Judges included faculty members John Francis and Sukhjit (Bob) Singh, along with Mehrdad Khosravi, dean of Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering, along with KeyPoint representatives Saul Coronado, LJ Grossweiler, Everardo Munoz and Doron Noyman.
Participating students and judges
First-place winners!
Working on ideas
Getting ready to pitch
Practical Small Business Hub: Winter 2025
Expert speakers from several business disciplines discussed topics that are critical to successfully launching and operating a small business. These talks are open to everyone – especially students who currently run a small business or are planning to start one (whether online or brick-and-mortar).
Click each red bar for details about each session. Learn more about the speakers below.
Tuesday, Jan. 28: Getting Started – Business Formation
- Date: Tuesday, Jan. 28
- Time: 3-4:30 p.m.
- Location: AT 202 (Business and Finance Village)
- Speaker: Steven Jackman
Learn about different business structures, registration and compliance. This session will cover LLCs, S corporations, sole proprietorships, and the legal aspects of purchasing a business and franchising.
Tuesday, Feb. 11: Contracts and Negotiation Techniques
- Date: Tuesday, Feb. 11
- Time: 3-4:30 p.m.
- Location: AT 202 (Business and Finance Village)
- Speaker: Steven Jackman
Master the art of contracts and negotiations. This session will cover the basics of commercial contracting – customer-facing and vendor-facing – and expert negotiation techniques to help you seal the deal.
Tuesday, Feb. 25: Accounting Essentials for Small Business
- Date: Tuesday, Feb. 25
- Time: 4-5:30 p.m.
- Location: AT 202 (Business and Finance Village)
- Speaker: Yacoub Moussa
Learn essential accounting tips from an experienced CPA. This session will explore tax considerations and strategies for using financial data to make smarter business decisions.
Tuesday, March 4: Effective Online Marketing
- Date: Tuesday, March 4
- Time: 3-4:30 p.m.
- Location: AT 202 (Business and Finance Village)
- Speaker: John Francis
Unlock the secrets of effective online marketing. This session will cover strategies for small businesses to grow – through search engine optimization (SEO), social media, content marketing and more.
Steven Jackman
Steven Jackman is general counsel at Salute Mission Critical, a data center service provider with
over 1,500 employees. With more than 25 years of experience as a commercial and M&A
attorney, Steven has an extensive background in the manufacturing and data center
industries.
After a clerkship with William H. Stafford, then-chief U.S. judge of the Northern District of Florida, Jackman spent five years in private practice before moving in-house. He has held senior legal roles at Benchmark Electronics, Sanmina Corporation, Flex and Digital Realty Trust. Jackman's expertise includes commercial transactions, M&A, compliance, and dispute resolution. He earned his law degree from the University of California Hastings School of Law (now UC Law San Francisco) and graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in Economics and French from the University of California, Berkeley.
John Francis
De Anza Business instructor John Francis is a seasoned marketing and communications executive with an MBA from Drexel University.
He brings over 25 years of experience in the dynamic entertainment and consumer packaged
goods sectors, including leadership roles in the movie, video game and toy industries.
Professor Francis possesses a proven track record of success in driving business growth. He excels in retail marketing, category management, and business analytics, having led teams, developed impactful retailer strategies, and implemented programs that have significantly increased sales and market share. As a dedicated educator, Professor Francis leverages his industry expertise to create engaging and relevant learning experiences for his students.
Yacoub Moussa
Yacoub Moussa graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2013 and began his career as an auditor at Deloitte
& Touche LLP, the world’s largest accounting firm. A licensed CPA in California since
2014, he earned his MBA from San Jose State University in 2020. Moussa has held various
roles in corporate accounting and finance, notably at Stryker, a Fortune 500 med-tech
company, and Stanford University.
He managed global financial reporting, partnered across departments, and presented financial insights to executive leadership. Moussa currently runs his own CPA firm, specializing in small business accounting, tax, and consulting. He has also owned multiple small businesses, giving him first-hand entrepreneurial experience.
Startup Boot Camp: Fall 2024
The free, noncredit Boot Camp was led by Rowland Chen, Business instructor and CEO of Silicon Valley Laboratory Inc.
- Eight teams were selected from across the campus, including CSIS, BUS, ECON, and COMM majors.
- All ventures selected had an element of technology and innovation, with an emphasis on social and environmental benefits.
- Six mandatory in-person workshops were held in October, focusing on value proposition, business modeling, funding, team building and pitching.
- $750 in prize money was awarded. Congratulations to the winning teams!
Video: Nathan Gold's Tips
During the Boot Camp, renowned "pitch coach" Nathan Gold gave a talk on mastering the art of storytelling and pitching.
We thank our esteemed judges who joined us for the pitch event, and our generous sponsors for the prize money. For more information, contact Rowland Chen, chenrowland@deanza.edu
Faculty Spotlight: Rowland Chen
Business instructor Rowland Chen gave a special presentation on "Ethical Innovation
in AI" to students and faculty members in November 2024.
Guest Speakers: 2024-25
Speaker: Catherine Lin
Catherine Lin has more than a decade of experience in advertising, specializing in online marketing of products and working with clients such as Apple and Cadillac. She is currently the associate design director at Leo Burnett, a leading global ad agency. She was formerly art director at Kettle, a premier ad agency that integrates technology and creativity.
Speaker: Kevin McClelland
Kevin McClelland is a financial adviser with over 30 years of experience. He is on the Board of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce and chairs the Small Business Committee. He has been honored as Business Advocate of the Year by the San Jose Chamber of Commerce and received a Star Award from the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce.
Business Model Canvas Competition: Spring 2024
