HS Alliance
IRVINE, CA. – Westcliff University today announced a partnership with Tech Coast Angels (TCA) Orange County. TCA is one of the largest and most active angel investment organizations in the United States. Since its founding in Orange County in 1997, members of the nonprofit organization have invested more than $255 million in more than 500 companies and helped attract $1.7 billion in additional capital/ follow-up rounds. Westcliff, which has earned a reputation for preparing students with the skills and experiences needed to thrive as business leaders and entrepreneurs, has long been committed to providing hands-on community and business engagement opportunities to support student success. The partnership will instill the entrepreneurial spirit inside and outside the classroom and create real learning opportunities for students, reinforcing the school’s entrepreneurial culture by instilling “business cases alive” in its programs.
TCA OC’s bi-weekly pitch sessions for startups seeking investment capital will be hosted on the Westcliff campus in its state-of-the-art meeting rooms. The sessions, which will be open to Westcliff students, provide exposure to the inner workings of business planning, proposal presentations and investor strategy through direct and up-close observation of these research studies. case. TCA will also welcome Westcliff students as potential interns as an extension of their educational training and will have an internal track to participate in Westcliff’s SMART program, which engages graduate students to help solve the real-time business challenges facing global business leaders.
“Our partnership with Tech Coast Angels will expose students to what it takes to build a bankable business and more, providing them with valuable insight into the process of developing a successful business operation, whether or not they decide to start a business of their own,” says Dr. Anthony Lee, President and CEO of Westcliff University. “As an organization that has always been dedicated to fostering an entrepreneurial spirit among students , this partnership will not only enhance their educational experiences, but also expose them to TCA members who bring vital breadth and depth of entrepreneurial knowledge.”
This new partnership reflects the growth of the university’s innovation hub, launched in 2021, which is home to many of Westcliff’s strategic programs, including the Westcliff Entrepreneurship Center, an alliance of initiatives that embed the principles of entrepreneurship into Westcliff curriculum and teaching so that students can develop critical skills. skills needed to succeed in their industries. Tech Coast Angels leaders will actively promote these initiatives as well as Westcliff’s IGNITE incubator, a hotbed for startups looking to grow their business, to its portfolio companies and the broader entrepreneurial community. TCA will also participate in current and developing entrepreneurship initiatives at Westcliff, including the Westcliff Alliance of Venture Entrepreneurs (WAVE), a student program that nurtures the next generation of entrepreneurs, and an upcoming entrepreneurship summer camp in high schools. There is also an opportunity for significant placement of WU graduates in regional TCA-related companies and there are plans for various collaborations, including dedicated pitch competitions, events and guest lectures in future classes.
“We are thrilled to be hosting our screenings at Westcliff University,” said Lisa Walker, President of Tech Coast Angels OC. “Being on-site with their incubator and innovation center creates opportunities for TCA to work with their students and faculty to identify potential startups for funding and support, while our analysis and due diligence process offers many learning opportunities for student entrepreneurs at Westcliff”.
About Westcliff University: Westcliff University is an innovative global institution of higher education, attuned to the international business landscape and the needs of today’s employers. Founded in 1993 and based in Irvine, California, it offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees covering 21 fields of study, including business, education, technology, computer science and engineering. – and more recently law with the acquisition of the Western State College of Law. Westcliff is a California Public Benefit Corporation that affirms its commitment to operating in the best interests of its students and the surrounding community. With over 4,000 students enrolled, its programs focus on both hard and soft skills needed to secure quality jobs in high-growth industries; it provides community and business engagement opportunities for the hands-on experience that today’s students need; it offers innovative and affordable programs live online and in classrooms around the world.
About Tech Coast Angels: Tech Coast Angels (TCA) is one of the nation’s largest and most active angel investor networks and a leading source of funding for start-ups and startups. The Angel Network consists of over 500 members in Southern California. Every member of TCA is an Accredited Investor, and the companies in which TCA invests are subject to well-structured, transparent and timely screening and due diligence. TCA members are founders and business leaders who possess an in-depth knowledge of the investment process and world-class business practices, and are therefore able to provide companies with more than capital; they also provide advice, mentorship and access to an extensive network of investors, clients, strategic partners and management. In December 2020, TiE named Tech Coast Angels the most active angel network in the world. Since its founding in 1997 by Luis Villalobos, TCA has invested over $255 million in over 500 companies and helped attract over $1.7 billion in incremental capital/follow-on rounds.
Featured Image: Kampus Production, Pexels.