Tag Archives: san diego

TSG’s Highlights from the Connection Innovation Report: San Diego

TSG’s Highlights from the Connection Innovation Report: San Diego

CONNECT, a San Diego non-profit helping to create and scale innovation companies, assists entrepreneurs by providing resources that allow them to grow their business. Since 2005, they have measured the growth in economic innovation in San Diego. We highlighted the key findings of the report to showcase the advancement of San Diego’s entrepreneurial growth. We recommend that all San Diego entrepreneurs read the full Connect Innovation Report to stay up to date with startup trends and growth insight of the community!

San Diego Created 405 New Innovation Startups in 2015

Over 1,600 new jobs were created in San Diego by just innovation startups alone. The various industries include: Software (255), Life Sciences (82), Communication, Computer & Electronics (50), Aerospace, Navigation and Marine Tech (8), Environmental Technology (7) and Recreational Goods (3).

Ranked First in California For New Innovation Life Sciences Startups Created in 2015

According to the report, over 3,700 new tech and life sciences companies have been created between 2005-2015. San Diego also ranked second in the number of communications technology, recreational goods manufacturing and environmental technology startups in 2015.

Innovation Economy Grows To An All-Time High

2015 proved to be a historic year for innovation economy, creating nearly 149,440 high-paying jobs. That’s 11% of total employment in San Diego County with the city of Carlsbad arriving at number one, having the most new innovation startups created, a total of 63. Downtown San Diego (54) and Sorrento Valley (52) weren’t far behind.

Top Ten U.S. Metros for Startup Activity and Growth Entrepreneurship

San Diego ranked 7th using the Kauffman Index of Growth and Entrepreneurship, which gives equal weight to the rate of new entrepreneurs, opportunity share of new entrepreneurs, and startup density of a region.

VC Funding in Software Sector Surged in 2015

Invested in 28 deals, the total venture capital funding for the software sector was $240 million in 2015. This is an increase of 150% from 2014.

Mergers & Acquisition (M&A) Closed More Than $31 billion in Technology and Life Sciences Where a San Diego Company Was Either a Target or Buyer

The M&A area is dominated by life sciences companies. Medical devices sector accounted for 12 deals totaling $15.4 billion. This is almost half of all M&A deal value for San Diego’s innovation economy.

Research Grants

More than $1.29 billion in various grants were awarded to San Diego research institutes and companies. This ranks San Diego county 2nd in California behind Los Angeles County for NIH and NSF grant funding received in 2015.

We encourage all of the startup savvy founders in San Diego to read the full report on the CONNECT website.

The continuous growth and increasing number of startups in San Diego, calls for the need of a support structure and foundation crucial for success. TSG serves as an invaluable source of information into the startup environment, and in particular, the San Diego startup community. We take pride in providing critical information, tailored business plans and financial projections that propel companies forward to sustainable growth. Please continue to follow up with us on social media and reach out to us with your startup questions and inquiries of your business or idea!

6 Reasons You’ll Want To Attend This Year’s USD Legacy Entrepreneurship Conference

6 Reasons You’ll Want To Attend This Year’s USD Legacy Entrepreneurship Conference

On Thursday Oct 6 2016 The University of San Diego School of Business Administration and the Center for Peace and Commerce proudly present the annual USD Legacy Entrepreneurship Conference.

Here are some of TSG’s reasons why you’ll want to attend this annual event.

1. There is no cost to attend. It’s a very valuable and completely FREE event open to the community. You won’t find one like it! Space is limited and you’ll want to reserve your seat sooner than later. Sign up early to reserve your seat. Soak in as much insight as you can. Take advantage of this major local resource into the world of entrepreneurship, interaction and collaboration. In three hours you’ll hear from a diverse panel of thought leaders in the community.

2.The Financial Times recently ranked USD’s School of Business Administration’s MBA Program Number Three in the World for Entrepreneurship.
The esteemed ranking is based on criteria included the percentage of graduates who created their own company, the percentage of companies still operating at the end of 2014, whether it was their main source of income and how the school and the alumni network helped set things up.

3. The purpose of this USD event is to empower change makers through entrepreneurship.
The event is purposefully created to evolve and sustain a community of aspiring as well as seasoned entrepreneurs/business owners. Ultimately, bringing together students, alumni, investors and entrepreneurs for an interactive evening of coaching and collaboration. This event coincides with a larger perspective of what it means to be an entrepreneur and a strengthened sense of community.

4. Any entrepreneur, whether aspiring or seasoned, can benefit from attending the conference.
The USD Legacy Entrepreneurship Conference is one of the biggest events at USD for entrepreneurs. It is an incredible opportunity for anyone who has been inspired to be an entrepreneur to get the “real” behind the scenes stories from some of San Diego’s top entrepreneurs.

Participants will have the opportunity to engage with those who have done it before and can share their own startup stories stories. Topics like, “What I would tell my 21 year old self” can save anyone wasted time, energy and money of trying to figure it out on their own. Making mistakes as an entrepreneur can be very expensive, and an event like ULEC allows people the opportunity to ask questions, get feedback, and gather lessons learned from top successful entrepreneurs.

“It is also a great opportunity to meet our current innovative students and the thriving USD startup community. Social entrepreneurs who are changing the world and want to share their stories will also be on the panels adding a “changemaker” perspective” says Regina Bernal, Entrepreneurship and Experiential Learning.

5. Have your entrepreneurial questions answered from game changing panelists! You’ll collaborate with panelists like Stephan Aarstol, Author of ‘The Five-Hour Workday’ in a fireside chat setting. You’ll want to be sure to invite your boss for this part! Have those entrepreneurial questions ready. Those questions that browsing through countless articles on the internet just don’t answer.

Confirmed Fireside Chat and Panelists

Fireside Chat— Stephan Aarstol, Founder CEO Tower Paddle Boards, Author ‘The Five-Hour Workday’

Concurrent Panels “If I started my Business Today” “What I would tell my 21 year-old-self”

Warren Lorenz, TechMeetsTrader

Andy Altman, GigTown

Jessica Kort, Lacy

Gina Champion-Caine, American National Investment

Stephanie McQuade, Lacy

Cara Cerutti Holmes, Smarter Garter

Jeffery Adler, Serial Entrepreneur

Neil Resiman, Tavistock Group

Sioma Waisburd, Whole e Nature

Cody Cross, GreekLink

Ana Bermudez, TAGit

6. The networking. The conference offers the time and space to expand your network in the community. Let’s be honest, networking events alone can be costly to your startup budget and events like these offer the space to expand your network and exude your own value to the community. Don’t be shy! You’ll get the most out of it by getting involved in the conversation, asking questions, and leaving with a few valuable connections that you can continue to grow with on your journey as an entrepreneur in San Diego. Don’t miss out on this incredible FREE opportunity from USD and San Diego’s entrepreneurial community. Stay connected and get involved. Sign up today!

MintShow featured at TechCrunch Disrupt SF!

MintShow featured at TechCrunch Disrupt SF!

There is nothing more rewarding than being truly connected with a client’s vision and passion.
MintShow is the first social network that helps people maintain an uplifted state of mind by providing a community that’s dedicated to positivity and inspiration.

The Startup Garage has had the pleasure of working with MintShow and the company’s inspiring leadership team.

MintShow CEO, Michael Parker, was interviewed at TechCrunch Disrupt SF to talk more about his vision and the beta launch of Mint Show. Check out his interview and get inspired! The MintShow app is also available for download on their site.

TechCrunch Disrupt is the world’s leading authority in debuting revolutionary startups, introducing game-changing technologies and discussing what’s top of mind for the tech industry’s key innovators.

Top 5 Startup Tips from the 2016 SDVG Venture Summit

Top 5 Startup Tips from the 2016 SDVG Venture Summit

 

Last week, The Startup Garage had the pleasure of attending the fourteenth annual Venture Summit in San Diego, hosted by the San Diego Venture Group (SDVG). The event brought together more than 35 of San Diego’s ‘coolest companies’ as well as venture capitalist firms. The diverse audience included attendees from tech, software, consumer goods, life sciences, health, and other industries.

An array of valuable information was shared over the course of the event. Here are some of our favorite business tips for Startups shared during the Venture Summit:

1. Tell your story in a clear, concise, and passionate manner. Entrepreneurs are often so ingrained in their business that when they pitch their vision to potential investors, their message seems robotic and potentially unclear. It is crucial to investors that you tell your story with both passion and direction. Investors understand that your company is your baby, that you’ve invested an excruciating amount of effort, time, and finances to see it succeed. Be excited to share your baby with investors and really show them how passionate you are.

2. Target your story to your audience. The ability to tell your story effectively does not come easy. It is highly recommended to practice with as many investors that are willing to listen. From that practice, you develop a keen sense of understanding of their perspective and you will be better suited to modify your story to fit your target audience.

3. Keep your story organic and fluid. The ability to flex your pitch on the spot demonstrates mastery and confidence. Practice makes perfect. Practice your story alterations to yourself in the mirror to keep your story fluid and relevant. Being able to tailor your presentation based on your audience will allow you to connect more effectively with investors.

4. San Diego is a booming start-up community, leverage your “neighbor”. With the rising living costs in places like San Francisco, companies and employees alike are searching for other areas where exciting growth opportunity exists, and San Diego is rapidly become a top hub for Startups. We’ve witnessed a growing number of industries and companies calling San Diego home; CourseKey, CureMatch, eSUB, and Freetz to name a few. The blend of technology, sunny weather, and beautiful beaches has attracted entrepreneurs from all over the world, and will continue to do so for the coming years – so start building your network today.

5. Ask for constructive feedback. Oftentimes, entrepreneurs receive a “No” from investors, and are afraid to ask them for feedback. Don’t be afraid of asking them for a few words of advice or why they decided not to invest in your company. A simply phone call can go a long way in helping you develop the perfect pitch and, ultimately, finding the best investor for your company.

In a given year, a venture capitalist firm comes across 1,000 potential deals, 50 of which undergo the due diligence process, and only 1 of the 1,000 is invested in. Having the right tools, team and support system is critical.