SDSU Imperial Valley students win big at 2025 Border Entrepreneurial Challenge

Eric Curiel, a student in criminal justice and public administration at SDSU Imperial Valley, never expected to step into the world of entrepreneurship. But present with the opportunity to attend the 2025 Border Entrepreneurial Challenge, a regional innovation conference hosted by Northern Arizona University, he went beyond his legal aspirations to pitch a business idea.

Curiel teamed up with students from NAU and Mexico's CETYS University to pitch a rechargeable, wireless thermal cup capable of heating and cooling. This concept opened Curiel’s eyes to the complexities of manufacturing, sustainability and the economic implications of turning an idea into a viable product.

“As I have a perspective that is mainly focused on the legal field; it was interesting to dive into a business idea and gain a better sense of the manufacturing and economic perspective,” said Curiel. 

Curiel and his team placed second. 

“It was fascinating to see how our backgrounds and unique perspectives that came from our respective fields were reflected in our project,” said Curiel. “I also saw it very beneficial to collaborate with students from other universities as I felt I created strong connections and better public speaking skills.”

Jordan Salyards, an SDSU Imperial Valley senior studying public administration, also participated in the conference. From a previous startup business course, she took years prior, she had a preliminary business plan and canvas model in place. Her passion project, called “DeTrees,” was inspired by her family’s decades-long business in tree trimming and tree retail in Imperial Valley. 

Her idea focused on selling trees tailored for the desert climate and offering services to help customers maintain them, especially those unfamiliar with local tree care.

“I’ve seen entrepreneurship my whole life,” said Salyards. “I was inspired to see my grandparents have the independence and leadership within their own business to grow their network and clientele.”

Though initially uncertain of how to pitch her idea, Salyards says she left with a more refined plan, valuable feedback from mentors and a new network of peers. After presenting her business plan to the judges, she won second place in the second track.

“I was surprised to win,” said Salyards. “The ideas were all so different, but we each brought something strong to the table. A lot of the mentors and students helped me develop ideas for tree licensing and investment that helped me gain more knowledge and confidence overall. I feel like everyone brought their insight that helps create a stronger foundation to a plan.”

Liliana Vizcarra Noble, director of the SDSU Imperial Valley Professional Skills Development Center, guided and sponsored the students through the conference, and praised both students for seeking the value of the cross-border collaboration. 

“What they’ve gained goes beyond business plans,” said Vizcarra. “These are lifelong networking, cultural and professional skills that students carry forward, personally and professionally. It’s all intercultural skills that I saw as our students developed within the conference.”