SDAC VIII Finale at San Diego State University — Eric headlines the keynote and joins an intimate fireside chat, followed by a book signing for Incorruptible. Six finalist startups pitch the SDAC Fund VIII investors for a $200K+ investment that same afternoon.
“SDSU 2026 SDAC Finale with keynote speaker Eric Ries, author of The Lean Startup” — Lavin Entrepreneurship Center, SDSU
“Eric's new book Incorruptible is just what the tech sector needs right now. Vidya and Eric covered a wide array of themes but the reality check was really about locking in the mission and forming principles of the company legally from day one.”
“Great keynote from Eric Ries (Author of The Lean Startup and Incorruptible) reflecting on founder mindset, fiduciary duty to customers and long-term company building.”
“It was so great to finally meet Eric Ries in person at his book tour for Incorruptible! ... Yes, it's THAT good that I made the time to show up while bootstrapping as a solopreneur.”
“Eric, of Lean Startup and now Incorruptible fame, shared a number of fascinating stories around why companies fail due to lack of governance structures and short-term profit focus while citing a few positive examples ( Costco Wholesale, Patagonia, Novo Nordisk, Cloudflare ) and some not so good ones ( Whole Foods Market ).”
“But he doesn't just name the problem. He shows us exactly what to do to protect a company's soul. Yes, soul. It sounds abstract. It's entirely structural. He gives us the playbook.”