Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI)

Empowering Innovation. Accelerating Impact.

The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) at Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Business is a dynamic ecosystem where big ideas meet bold action. As a hub of creativity and collaboration, CEI cultivates entrepreneurial talent, supports emerging ventures, and fosters meaningful partnerships that drive innovation across the region.

Whether you’re a student dreaming of launching a startup, a faculty innovator looking for support, or a community member ready to spark change, CEI offers the resources, mentorship, and network to turn vision into venture.

Executive Summary

CEI is a vibrant platform for developing entrepreneurial leaders and catalyzing business growth. Rooted in experiential learning and real-world impact, the Center connects students and stakeholders to innovation pipelines, startup incubation, growth acceleration, and commercialization opportunities. With an emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and economic mobility, CEI is poised to become a regional leader in entrepreneurship education and innovation support.

Our Mission & Our Vision

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Our Mission

The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) at Cal Poly Pomona College of Business empowers students, faculty, and the broader community to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and accelerate innovation and business growth. Through experiential learning, mentorship, strategic partnerships, and access to funding, we transform ideas into viable investment-ready ventures—advancing inclusive economic development and social impact.

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Our Vision

To be a premier hub for entrepreneurial excellence and business growth acceleration in Southern California—empowering the next generation of innovators to accelerate impactful ventures that drive sustainable economic and social progress.

Our Mission

The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) at Cal Poly Pomona College of Business empowers students, faculty, and the broader community to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and accelerate innovation and business growth. Through experiential learning, mentorship, strategic partnerships, and access to funding, we transform ideas into viable investment-ready ventures—advancing inclusive economic development and social impact.

Our Vision

To be a premier hub for entrepreneurial excellence and business growth acceleration in Southern California—empowering the next generation of innovators to accelerate impactful ventures that drive sustainable economic and social progress.

What We Offer


Structured support to transform early-stage ideas into investor-ready ventures. From business modeling to pitch refinement and market validation, we help startups scale strategically and sustainably.

Immersive, hands-on environments that empower students and founders to ideate, prototype, and problem-solve in real-time—bridging classroom knowledge with real-world impact.

Access a powerful network of successful entrepreneurs, industry veterans, corporate partners, and faculty experts who provide guidance, industry insights, and growth-oriented collaboration opportunities.

Dynamic, high-impact programming that hones entrepreneurial skill sets, sparks innovation, and opens doors to capital, mentorship, and visibility.

Accelerate your venture and your career through targeted training in business strategy, leadership, investor relations, and startup scaling—delivered via interactive bootcamps and executive education modules.

Flexible, stackable credentials tailored for emerging founders, working professionals, and corporate innovators—developed in collaboration with Cal Poly Pomona faculty and industry partners.

Guidance and support to pursue seed funding, angel investment, venture capital, private equity, and grant opportunities—helping founders secure the resources they need to launch and grow.

Join the Movement

Be Part

Of a thriving entrepreneurial community that’s redefining the future of business and innovation in Southern California. Whether you're a student ready to launch your first venture, a professional eager to mentor the next generation of innovators, or a partner looking to invest in high-impact initiatives—CEI is your gateway to growth, connection, and change.

Stay Connected

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Contact Us

Faculty Director

Dr. Cervantes Lee

Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Phone: (323) 356-0628
Location: Building 164, Room 1070E
cerlee@cpp.edu
Website
Office hours: Click on above website

Biography for Dr. Cervantes Lee

Dr. Cervantes Lee Photo

Dr. Cervantes Lee serves as the Faculty Director for Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) at Cal Poly Pomona College of Business and leads efforts in advancing investment-ready venture creation, cross-disciplinary entrepreneurship, and fostering a collaborative ecosystem that connects academic research with industry application.

Since August 2024, he has also been the founding Executive Director of the Asia Innovation Hub, launched in partnership with the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, where he leads programs like Accelerate to Nasdaq, Asia Milestone Makers, and the Nasdaq IPO Bootcamp to mentor growth-stage CEOs on global expansion and IPO readiness. Known as the “Panda Professor” since his time at UNLV starting in 2022, Dr. Lee is an expert in multi-unit restaurant leadership and has coached CEOs of global chains operating 5,000–20,000 locations.

Before transitioning to academia in 2019, Dr. Lee spent two decades in principal investment managing over $100 billion in assets, with sector experience across hospitality real estate, location-based businesses, and consumer tech, and held roles at Beike Holdings (NYSE: BEKE), Redbridge Student House, Panda Express, Peking University Founder Group, CBRE Investors (NYSE: CBRE), AIG Global Real Estate (NYSE: AIG), and Arthur Andersen’s Corporate Finance division.

Dr. Lee holds a Global Executive Ed.D. in Restaurant Management from the University of Southern California (2021), an M.S. in Real Estate Development from MIT (2008), and both an MBA in Finance (2021) and B.A. in Economics (1997) from National Taiwan University. He served as President of the MIT Club of Southern California (2018–2019) and has supported undergraduate recruitment as an MIT Educational Counselor since 2021. In 2014, he became only the second professional globally to earn all five designations from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), where he also served on the faculty of ICSC University (2012–2015).


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