Michael Panesis

Michael Panesis is the Steven Dorfman Professor of Practice and Executive Director of the Steven Dorfman Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at California Lutheran University, based in Camarillo, California. He previously served as the Chairman Emeritus of the Tech Coast Angels Board of Governors and was a founding member of the Santa Barbara Angel Alliance. In addition to his academic roles, Panesis holds board positions at early-stage ventures including Elite Robotics and Sensor Industries, while also operating the Hub101 coworking space. He earned an MBA in Marketing from Rutgers University and a BS in Computer Science from DeVry Institute of Technology, and has authored multiple articles on startup funding for the Pacific Coast Business Times between 2018 and 2021. His current focus centers on entrepreneurship education, new venture creation, and early-stage investment strategies across the Southern California startup ecosystem.