San José State University · SVCE

Fueling the Next Generation
of Silicon Valley Founders

ZinnStarter is a student startup accelerator at SJSU that gives ambitious teams funding, mentorship, and the tools to turn ideas into real companies — made possible by Ray Zinn.

Apply Now Learn About the Program
~10
Teams Selected Per Year
$2K
Funding Per Team
1:1
Dedicated Mentor Per Team
$20K
Distributed Per Cohort
About

A Real Accelerator,
Built for SJSU Students

ZinnStarter is run by the Silicon Valley Center for Entrepreneurship (SVCE) at San José State University. Each cohort accepts around ten student-led startup teams and puts them through a structured accelerator experience — bi-weekly sessions, a dedicated mentor, investor-ready pitch preparation, and a final showcase in front of Ray Zinn himself.

Any SJSU student can apply, regardless of stage. What we look for is passion, depth of thinking, and a committed team.

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📅

Bi-Weekly Sessions

Hybrid format — some in person, some on Zoom — held every two weeks throughout the semester.

🧭

Dedicated Mentor

Every team is paired with a Silicon Valley mentor who guides them one-on-one from start to final showcase.

💰

Real Funding

Teams that complete the program earn up to $2,000 in seed funding to put toward their startup.

🏆

Final Showcase

The program culminates in a formal pitch event. Business formal required — Ray Zinn attends in person.

Ray Zinn
Program Founder & Funder
Ray Zinn
Co-Founder & Former CEO, Micrel Semiconductor — Silicon Valley's Longest-Serving CEO of a Publicly Traded Company

"Doing the tough things first, and learning to love what you don't love doing are all part of building a company for the ages. This entrepreneurial discipline — like the discipline of a world-class athlete — is an essential ingredient too often missing in the forgotten companies in Silicon Valley's landfill."

— Ray Zinn, Founder of ZinnStarter

As the longest-serving CEO in Silicon Valley, Ray Zinn's mission is to guide the next generation of entrepreneurs. He co-founded Micrel Semiconductor in 1978 and served as CEO and Chairman for decades, leading one of the industry's most profitable enterprises and securing nine patents in analog and power management.

Ray personally attends the ZinnStarter Final Showcase each year and meets with every graduating team.

What You Get

Everything Your Startup Needs to Get Off the Ground

ZinnStarter gives selected teams a complete accelerator experience — not just money, but structure, guidance, and access.

🎓

Structured Curriculum

Eight sessions covering problem definition, market research, customer segmentation, go-to-market strategy, business model, and investor presentations.

🤝

Silicon Valley Mentorship

Each team is matched with a dedicated mentor from the Silicon Valley startup and business community for one-on-one guidance throughout the program.

💼

Investor-Ready Pitching

You will practice and refine your elevator pitch and final presentation, preparing for a real investor-facing showcase at the end of the cohort.

🌐

SVCE Network

Access to the full Silicon Valley Center for Entrepreneurship network — advisors, alumni, industry partners, and fellow founders at SJSU.

📋

Business Plan Competition

Every team participates in a business plan competition as part of the program requirements, adding a milestone to your startup journey.

💵

Seed Funding

Teams that fulfill all program requirements receive up to $2,000 in funding — real money to put toward your product, users, or operations.

Alumni

ZinnStarter Alumni

Companies founded by SJSU students during ZinnStarter — and where they are today.

Voize
Formerly Medixflow · ZinnStarter Alum

Purpose-built for skilled nursing and elder care. Nurses and caregivers simply speak naturally, at the point of care, and Voize structures the rest — connecting directly to EHR systems.

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Edvisor AI
Founded by Shariq Shah · Formerly Ambii

Raised $1.3M led by Draper Associates. Leading educators use Edvisor to drive up student engagement and get hours back every week.

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TransCrypts
Founded by Zain Zaydi

TransCrypts enables consumers to own verified employment and income credentials and share them instantly, free, and compliance-ready — saving millions of hours across the verification pipeline every year.

Visit Website ↗
ParkStash
Founded by Sameer Saran

Simplify parking operations and unlock new revenue. Digital permits, enforcement, and access control — all on one platform.

Visit Website ↗
See All Cohort Teams
Applications Open

Ready to Build Something Real?

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Bring your idea, your team, and your drive.

Apply on the SJSU Website Learn More First