FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 31, 2022
Contact: Mike Krenn, Connect CEO
Email: team@connect.org
Mobile: 858.964.1300
San Diego’s Innovation Day 2022
Connect, a non-profit innovation instigator, is announcing the largest regional innovation company gathering in San Diego history.
SAN DIEGO, CA On April 28, 2022, Connect is leading a takeover at Petco Park, open to the public from 4-8pm. One hundred life science and technology companies will be on display, showing off their cutting edge technologies and innovative business solutions. There will be arts and cultural installations integrated to celebrate the richness of diversity in our community.
Mayor Todd Gloria has declared April 28 as Innovation Day in San Diego.
“Innovation and entrepreneurship are at the heart of San Diego’s economy, with our top-notch universities and research institutions acting as a soil from which so many world-changing innovations have emerged and blossomed,” Mayor Todd Gloria said. “When you combine our world-class life sciences and technology sectors with our mature defense industry and the binational nature of our region, there’s no limit to the potential for entrepreneurs to thrive in San Diego.”
Connect has a rich 35 year history in San Diego. It’s founders include industry luminaries such as Irwin Jacobs, David Hale, Mary Walshok and Buzz Woolley.
It’s time the world started seeing San Diego for what it is,” said Mike Krenn, CEO of Connect. We are a powerhouse in both life sciences and tech. Only Silicon Valley, NY, Boston and LA raised more venture dollars than San Diego. It’s an astounding data point. We are a world-class hub for innovation. It’s not a goal, it’s not conjecture – it’s a fact.”
“We have such an amazing base of companies here,” Krenn continued. It still amazes me, and I’m in the middle of it everyday. We have genomics companies saving the lives of children. Therapeutics companies tackling cancer. And it just goes on and on – bluetech, cleantech, drones and defense, satellites and space dev, artificial intelligence, big data… It is all here everyday. It’s just so ludicrously cool! And this is an opportunity for our community to see it all, up front and in-person. It’s a way for our community to get involved, learn, and stay ahead of the curve on where technology is going.”
San Diego county’s startup community raised over $8.8B in 2021, reaching a new record high for venture capital dollars invested in the region. Additionally, companies that have participated in Connect’s Cool Companies and/or Springboard programs raised over $1.7B, or nearly 20% of San Diego county’s venture capital funding for 2021.
Each innovation job supports 2.78 other jobs across the region. The impact is meaningful. Overall, the innovation economy makes up 26 percent of San Diego’s regional GDP
Connect is calling the event Five.Ten.Thirty. The idea being that the decisions we make today, make an impact five, ten and thirty years out. Krenn outlined that ideal, “We have a real, tangible opportunity to build an economy here that embraces all of San Diego. An economy that is diverse, equitable and inclusive – led in part by the innovation sector. That is what we are driving forward to achieve. The Connect team is working everyday to bring the innovation community together, driving strategies and implementing plans to build a better economy ripe with opportunities for all, for our future generations.”
The event will have venture capitalists, angel investors, CEOs, and team members from the many innovation companies throughout the region. The jumbotron will be in use, and fireworks will end the night at 8pm.
For more information, please visit www.connect.org/five-ten-thirty.
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