Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators
About Us
The Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship prepares the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators. Our programs offer hands-on experience and practical education in the process and impact of entrepreneurial ventures. With a strong focus on the needs of ambitious visionaries, we provide the knowledge, tools, and resources to help you successfully launch and grow your business.
Stella Zhang New Venture Competition
Ready to turn your idea into reality? The UC Irvine Stella Zhang New Venture Competition (SZVC) gives you the chance to form a team, launch a startup, and secure funding—all in just seven months! Open to UC Irvine students, staff, researchers, and the community, teams compete for $100,000 in cash prizes and top-tier professional services. Let’s make your vision happen!
Faculty Director
Imran Currim
Distinguished Professor of Marketing
Imran Currim, faculty director of the Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and a distinguished professor of marketing at UC Irvine, is a world-renowned expert in product and service design and marketing. He has published over 50 articles in top journals, consulted for more than 100 companies, and was honored with UC Irvine’s Distinguished Faculty Leadership Award. Currim’s entrepreneurial roots trace back to his youth in India, where he launched startups in umbrellas and auto rentals. Under his leadership, the Beall Center has expanded curriculum offerings, including the UC system’s first Master of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, an undergraduate minor, and certificate programs. Previously associate dean at the Merage School, he holds degrees in engineering, business, and statistics from the University of Bombay, University of Wisconsin, and Stanford University, and has taught at UCLA, NYU, and Yale.
Advisory Board
We extend our deepest gratitude to Don Beall and Ken Beall for their significant contributions to the center. We also wish to formally recognize the following individuals for their generous commitment of time and resources in support of the center and its programs.
Executive Board
Founder & CEO
Personal Injury Navigators
Founder & Chair, Board of Directors
University of California, Irvine - UC Irvine Beall Applied Innovation
Chief Business Officer, Experian Consumer Services
Experian
Vp, Delphi
Toast
Director of Innovation, Entrepreneurship + Special Projects
Soka University of America
Board of Directors
Adjunct Professor/Lecturer, Entrepreneurship
UC Irvine The Paul Merage School of Business
Founder, Entrepreneurship Coach
Impact Innovator
Juiling & Shengfa Johnson
Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund
Director of Innovation, Entrepreneurship + Special Projects
Soka University of America
Fund Manager
Cove Fund
Fiza & Mansoor Shah
Emanuel Shaoulian, MD, F.A.C.C.
Shaoulian Cardiology
Partner
Baker & Hostetler LLP
President
Gehr Development Corporation
Chief Executive Officer and President
Genea
Active LP
Accelerated Venture Partners (AVP) Fund
Chief Executive Officer
Syntr Health Technologies, Inc.
Board of Advisors
Rahul Abhyankar
Director - New Ventures
UC Irvine Applied Innovation
Founder and CEO
Dandelion Global, LLC
Founder - Wiz-a-Witz™
CVO - IMPRINT Adtech
COO - Lyrid
West Region Sales Manager - Siemens
Executive VP, Research & Development
Sight Sciences
President & CEO
Avalon Mfg
Chief Ally - Delante Systems
Business Advisor and Executive Coach - GiftofTime.us
Honorary Board Members
Executive Director
EvoNexus
Executive Director, Innovation Incubator
California State University-Dominguez Hills
Continuing Lecturer
UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business
A vibrant entrepreneurial educational environment combined with an engaged business ecosystem is critical to creating a region which will deliver strong job growth and an innovative corporate community.
Ken Beall
Advisory Board Chair
Student Opportunities
Master of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The Master of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MIE) prepares students to launch startups or drive innovation within companies. Through hands-on learning and UC Irvine’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, students gain practical experience in opportunity discovery, lean startup methods, and business growth. Offered in 9-month or two-year formats, MIE is unique in the UC system.
Learn More
Undergraduate Minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The Undergraduate Minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship prepares you to launch startups or innovate within companies. Learn key skills like venture planning and lean startup, with hands-on experience through internships and the New Venture Competition. For course details, visit the Undergraduate Course Catalog.
Learn More
Undergraduate Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Eligibility
UC Irvine undergraduate in Business Administration or Business Information Management
Requirements
- Participate in the New Venture Competition
- Complete two approved Innovation/Entrepreneurship courses
We recommend contacting the Undergraduate Programs Office for information on enrollment limits and requirements.
Contact Us
MBA Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Eligibility
Merage School graduate students (FTMBA, Flex MBA, EMBA, HCEMBA, MSEM and MSBTM)
Requirements
- Participate in the New Venture Competition
- Complete two approved Innovation/Entrepreneurship courses
We recommend contacting your program office for information on enrollment limits and requirements.
Contact UsGet Involved
The Beall Center offers a wide range of opportunities for successful entrepreneurs and business leaders to share their insights, experiences, and expertise with the next generation of innovators. Through speaking engagements, mentorship, workshops, and special events, industry professionals play a vital role in shaping the educational journey of aspiring entrepreneurs and helping to foster a thriving innovation ecosystem.
Lead by Mentoring
As a mentor in the annual New Venture Competition, you guide a student team from February to May, offering structure, setting expectations, and fostering a path to success.
Share Your Voice
Business leaders and innovators like you regularly share insights at Beall Center events, including speaker series, workshops, and the New Venture Competition.
Invest in Our Future
Support the Beall Center by sponsoring events like the New Venture Competition and speaker series—helping us inspire and equip the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Collaborate with Us
Create opportunities and deliver valuable experiences to students and the entrepreneurial community.
Participating in The New Venture Competition gave my team and I the opportunity to experience all the highs and lows of bringing a startup to life. Not only were we able to gain real life skills in creating a pitch deck, conducting market research, and public speaking; we also learned how to better collaborate as a team and become leaders. NVC was the best catalyst Nutripair could have had to begin our journey into the market.
Catlin Tran '23
1st Place, Business Services Track
Stella Zhang NVC 2022
Recent News
Stay informed with the latest updates, achievements and breakthroughs from our faculty, students and alumni.
Contact Us
Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business
4293 Pereira Drive, Suite 2300
Irvine, CA 92697-3125
