East Los Angeles College (ELAC) proudly announces the Grand Launch of the Susan Rubio Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center, a first-of-its-kind, community-rooted innovation ecosystem designed to expand access to entrepreneurship, accelerate venture development, and strengthen economic mobility across the Los Angeles region.
While anchored at East Los Angeles College, the Susan Rubio Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center is intentionally designed as a regional hub serving entrepreneurs, small business owners, industry partners, investors, and community stakeholders not limited to campus-based programs.
The Center is designed to serve a broad ecosystem of participants including aspiring and established entrepreneurs, small business owners, industry partners, investors, and community stakeholders who are seeking to build, support, or invest in new ventures. The Susan Rubio Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center core goals are to expand access to entrepreneurship, accelerate venture creation and growth, connect individuals and organizations to mentorship, capital, and market opportunities, and strengthen regional economic mobility through inclusive innovation.
Built on an open innovation model, the Center is a first-of-its-kind ecosystem anchored at a Southern California community college and extending beyond traditional campus-based programs. This approach expands access to expertise, tools, and partnerships beyond what a single institution can provide and equips participants with practical, workforce-aligned skills to navigate and succeed in today’s evolving economy.
The Center supports entrepreneurs, founders, business owners, and partners at every stage from idea exploration to launch, growth, and scale while also creating opportunities for investors and organizations to engage, collaborate, and contribute to venture development.
“This Center is a platform for opportunity, innovation, and community impact,” said Dr. Monte Perez, President of East Los Angeles College. “By connecting individuals, entrepreneurs, and local businesses to practical programs, mentorship, and a strong ecosystem of partners, we are creating clear pathways for ideas to grow into ventures that strengthen our communities.”
“At some point, access has to stop being a conversation and start becoming infrastructure,” said Dr. Reyna Trujillo, Executive Director of the Susan Rubio Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center. “Whether you’re building from the ground up, growing an existing business, or investing in what’s next, this Center exists to create real pathways, so ideas don’t stall, they scale, and people don’t just participate in the economy, they own their place in it.”
Through year-round programming including entrepreneurship workshops, industry mentorship, incubation, and ecosystem partnerships the center creates a clear pipeline from exploration to launch, growth, and scale. This coordinated model not only supports entrepreneurs at every stage but also opens pathways for strategic partnerships, investment opportunities, and cross-sector collaboration.
This work is driven by a collaborative leadership model and made possible through the dedication of the Center team, including Dr. Tina Dominguez, Katya Chavez, and Thomas Torrez, whose leadership has been instrumental in advancing the Center’s vision and operations. The Center’s development is further strengthened through its strategic partnership with Workforce Innovation Labs (WIL), whose expertise in ecosystem design and workforce alignment enhances the Centers ability to connect talent, opportunity, and regional economic growth. The Center is intentionally community-rooted and equity-driven, designed to expand who gets to participate in entrepreneurship. By engaging individuals and organizations across the region, the Center fosters inclusive pathways for local founders to access opportunity, build ventures, and contribute to long-term economic growth.
Entrepreneurship is a critical driver of economic mobility, job creation, and community wealth-building. By expanding who has access to entrepreneurship and who participates in shaping it the Center is positioning the region for long-term, inclusive economic growth where individuals, businesses, and partners collectively contribute to a stronger, more resilient economy.
The Grand Launch brought together entrepreneurs, community leaders, industry partners, funders, and regional stakeholders to celebrate a shared vision: a more accessible, practical, and community-centered approach to entrepreneurship and innovation.
About the Center: The Susan Rubio Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center is a community-rooted, open innovation ecosystem designed to expand access to entrepreneurship, venture development, and economic opportunity. Through hands-on training, mentorship, incubation, and strategic partnerships, the Center supports individuals from early-stage ideas through launch and growth while also engaging industry partners, investors, and organizations in building a stronger, more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
About East Los Angeles College: Established in 1945, East Los Angeles College is one of the largest community colleges in California, serving more than 40,000 students annually. As part of the Los Angeles Community College District, ELAC is committed to providing affordable, accessible, high-quality education and supporting student success through innovative programs and community partnerships. More information about ELAC is available online at http://www.elac.edu/.
