APPLY FOR THE 2025 SOCAL OASIS™ CHALLENGE

Are you an Inland Southern California entrepreneur working to bring sustainable solutions to the market? UC Riverside's EPIC SBDC is giving away $100,000 in grants exclusively for early-stage sustainability entrepreneurs! Join the 2025 SoCal OASIS™ Pitch Challenge for a chance to move your innovation into the market and win cash grants for your company.

We are actively seeking applicants with business ideas in the following areas:

• Sustainable transportation and logistics
• Sustainable agriculture technology and food security
• Energy generation and storage
• Air quality improvement
• Recycling and circular economy
• Water management and purification
• Soil management and combating desertification
• Environmental health and wellness
• Addressing health disparities

Please refer to our Areas of Focus to see if you are a good candidate for this program.

APPLY FOR THE 2025 SOCAL OASIS™ CHALLENGE

Prizes

We are giving away $100,000 in grants. Selected applicants will present to a panel of experts at the 2025 SoCal OASIS™ Pitch Finals on Thursday, November 20th, 2025 for the chance to win big - click here for 2024's event.

To ensure the most optimal use of funds, grants will be awarded subject to the winning team's proposed budget.

Funds Can Be Used For:

• Prototyping and testing your product
• Securing intellectual property protection
• Participate in conference and events for customer discovery
• And other essential activities to propel your product towards commercialization!

Selected grant recipients will be supported by a team of business mentors from the UCR EPIC Small Business Development Center (SBDC). These experienced mentors will help you with crafting a go-to market strategy, connecting with potential customers, and discovering additional funding opportunities.

Review Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the following key factors:

• Quality of team: We are looking for passionate, driven teams capable of executing on their vision.
• Opportunity to address an unmet need: How well does your business idea tackle a sustainability challenge in a unique or impactful way?
• Innovation and market potential: Does your solution have the potential to make a significant impact?
• Readiness for growth: We want to see a clear path for progress and advancement within 12 months from receiving the award.

Eligibility Requirements:

To qualify for the 2025 SoCal OASIS™ Pitch Challenge, you must:

• Have a business idea within the sustainability sector (e.g., sustainable transportation, agriculture technology, energy, recycling & circular economy, air and water quality, environmental health).
• Be located in Inland Southern California: eligible counties include Riverside County, San Bernardino County, & Imperial County.
• Be a startup or small business (you don’t need to be incorporated yet, but incorporation will be required before receiving the award).
• Be willing to work with a mentor from UCR EPIC SBDC, who will guide you through refining your idea and strategy.

Applications for the 2025 program close on Friday, October 10th 2025 at 5 PM. Don’t miss the chance to move your innovation forward and win cash grants for your business!

To apply, please fill out the application below. Please note: You must sign in with your Google account.

APPLY FOR THE 2025 SOCAL OASIS™ CHALLENGE