ExCITE is organized for the purpose of facilitating the successful acceleration of startup companies engaged in entrepreneurial research and development of advanced technologies with the intent to create high technology jobs in the county of Riverside.
ExCITE will accelerate new technology businesses through facilities, networks, mentorship, management, and access to financial resources thereby creating diversified high paying careers in Riverside County.
Taj Ahmad Eldridge is currently part of the Steering Committee for the Highlander Venture Fund dedicated to investing in startups at the University of California Riverside. Taj is also a partner with the ExCITE Incubator also affiliated with the University of California Riverside. Taj previously served as equity partner and interim COO with Waraire Boswell and BoswellOfficial for Waraire Boswell Industries, an apparel firm based in Los Angeles under two brands – the modern luxury high end brand WaraireBoswell and the younger demographic athleisure brand BOSWELL. He is also working with wine curation start up I Like This Grape, owned by ILTG Media, Inc. He also mentors Voter and is a board member in Xtopoly, and FarmSense. Taj is also Advisor in Residence for the Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship as well as serves as a judge for the California Dreamin’ Business Plan Competition, the UCLA/Knapp Venture Capital competition, and Big Ideas Berkeley.
ExCITE is currently located in a 5,000 sq. foot ADA compliant facility with 5 office spaces, a teleconference/podcast room, 1 conference room, and a common break area. In partnership with the County of Riverside next door, ExCITE residents have access to printers, fax machines, copiers, and additional conference rooms. We also have a ping pong table to allow our entrepreneurs to showcase their other skills! Founders can spend less time worrying about the high cost of rent and focus on their innovations.
Currently ExCITE has business knowledge training sessions monthly via our Launch and Learn workshops that focus on 6 strategic core areas for startups post MVP. The subjects include:
Resident startups at ExCITE receive over $200,000 in valued free or discounted services from our trusted partners. In 2018, we plan on increasing our partnerships to provide our residents even more services. Some of our partners include these and many more:
ExCITE also serves as a hub of innovation activity in the thriving and supportive community, which help each other approach obstacles from different perspectives. This creation of an interdisciplinary environment contributes to our community norm of trust and information sharing. In order to achieve this, we host community focused events to encourage entrepreneurship within the community such as:
ExCITE is a new 6 - 12 month startup accelerator program and facility for technology startups, offering services and mentorships aimed at one goal - to accelerate the growth of successful new technology companies that will change their industries.
Every 6 months, ExCITE Accelerator selects the most innovative companies from Inland Southern California and supports their growth with access to liquidity opportunities, professional & strategic resources, mentorship, network, and community.
Through the ExCITE program, we provide access to a wide network of lab space, specialized equipment, business guidance, and other resources.
We seek to introduce startups to their entrepreneurial peers, and to established companies, in innovation clusters across the region, state and around the world. We seek to power a network of innovation networks.
Bold entrepreneurs and change agents bring their knowledge and ingenuity to bear on humanity’s great challenges every day. ExCITE seeks to help them on the journey from ideation to realization.
Social Media
Cybersecurity Analytics
Insect Monitoring
Website Design
Curriculum Analysis
Real Estate
E-Learning
Electricity Management
Education
