Trong Nguyen ’72 (Biology) would seem an unlikely student for Sacramento State’s Carlsen Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which was the epicenter of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) in the Sacramento region Nov. 8-12.
GEW, an international celebration of “makers, innovators, and job creators who bring ideas to life,” featured more than 30 events, a schedule that rivaled last year’s GEW. The Carlsen Center ranked fourth in the nation for number of activities run in celebration of GEW.
“Year by year, Global Entrepreneurship Week Sacramento has grown in size and reach,” said Cameron Law, Carlsen Center executive director and community organizer for Sacramento’s GEW. “I am proud of all the partners that have come together both on campus and in the community to make this a regional celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation.”
The event – and the Carlsen Center – has application for innovators young and those with plenty of experience. Nguyen, 72, is among the latter, a self-described “hacker, innovator, maker, and brewer,” with an impressive record of achievement.
Forty years ago, he parlayed his recipe for buttery French croissants into the La Bou Bakery & Café chain. Later came another culinary success, the popular upscale restaurant Lemon Grass. Nguyen also holds several patents for his inventions.
His latest startup is a product he developed while part of a Lean Innovator cohort at the Carlsen Center.
The “Champagneur” bottle stopper with its patent-pending flow-reducer, he said, prevents carbon dioxide from escaping bottles of sparkling water and champagne/sparkling wine so that future pours are as fizzy as the first – for up to a week.
“The Carlsen Center has helped me in many ways, teaching me about the entrepreneurial process and matching what the marketplace needs and wants,” Nguyen said. “And I learned how to pitch my product and present it in the right way. The Carlsen Center teaches all of these processes, which are very useful, even for an old man like me.”
GEW brought together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, researchers, and support organizations such as the Carlsen Center in more than 180 countries to advance and elevate the role entrepreneurship plays in economic development.
The four GEW 2021 themes were: ecosystems (looking at the support around an entrepreneurial scene); education (including workshops and knowledge transfer); inclusion (building an ecosystem that is equitable to all who want to participate); and policy (how to foster ways to limit barriers for entrepreneurs and start them toward success).
Among the high-impact events for GEW at Sacramento State were the GEW Sacramento Entrepreneurial State of the Union, a regional convening discussing the role innovation and entrepreneurship play in building a thriving region; Mentor Sacramento Office Hours Sprint, which is like speed dating for startup founders in need of expert advice; and the Spark Venture Competition, a regional pitch competition elevating notable early-stage companies that compete for a total of $20,000 worth of cash awards.
“I believe that this year we successfully created an abundance of on-ramps and entry points for emerging entrepreneurs with our over 30 events,” Law said. “A key to any successful entrepreneurial ecosystem is an ability to foster an environment where intersections and conversations took place. GEW did just that through over 100 speed mentoring sessions, 30 startups pitching, and regional leaders discussing the role entrepreneurship plays in building thriving economies.”
Western Health Advantage (WHA) sponsors Sacramento State’s GEW and gave the Carlsen Center a $1 million gift in 2019 to facilitate the event’s growth and success.
“WHA is honored to support the Carlsen Center and especially Global Entrepreneurship Week,” said Garry Maisel ’80 (Business Administration-Finance), WHA president and CEO.
“Entrepreneurs are the backbone of America’s economy and will no doubt lead us into a future of innovation and increased prosperity,” he said. “The Carlsen Center’s work in this area is outstanding and in a short time has become nationally recognized as an incubator for young entrepreneurs. I look forward to a robust GEW program in 2021.”
For more information, visit www.csus.edu.
Sacramento State is the region’s university and home to The Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, a regional hub and platform for providing approachable and accessible entrepreneurial education, community, and support to enable startup founders of all backgrounds to explore and launch their ventures.
