About CONNECT

CONNECT collaborates with scientists, engineers, innovators and the venture capital community, to commercialize technology and build successful companies.

Twenty years ago the University of California at San Diego, local San Diego businesses, and the city government created CONNECT to transform San Diego based institutional research into a center for technological innovation commercialization.

Over the course of the last two decades, we've worked with thousands of companies and played a leading role in creating a flourishing ecosystem that now consists of several thousand high tech, software and life science companies. San Diego is considered a world leader in wireless and one of the top centers for biotech in the world. CONNECT has become a model emulated in cities around the world seeking to develop innovation clusters.

Today, CONNECT and the CONNECT Foundation are independent organizations serving San Diego’s entire research and development community. We continue to help scientists and engineers to successfully commercialize technology while simultaneously generating jobs, creating wealth and accelerating innovation in the San Diego region. Due to its success the CONNECT model has been replicated around the world in countries like Scotland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, and Taiwan. UK Chancellor Gordon Brown recently adopted recommendations to model the UK’s science and innovation system on CONNECT, in an effort to create a more dynamic and innovative, knowledge based economy.

Our scope of work includes outreach to the regional universities and research institutions, helping innovators evaluate the commercial potential of their discoveries, negotiate licensing deals and launch companies.

CONNECT has developed and launched successful initiatives in clean technology, wireless-life science convergence, stem cells, Peptide Therapeutics and action and sports innovation.

To track the health of the innovation economy in San Diego, CONNECT has created CONNECT-track, a San Diego regional economic indicator that tracks the number of new technology companies launched each quarter.

In all, CONNECT delivers more than 300 events and programs each year that touch more than 1,000 CEOs and companies. None of our work is possible without the generous support of our 200 members and almost 2,000 volunteers who mentor companies and serve on our boards and planning committees.

The financial support and active, hands-on participation by CONNECT's premier partners, vendors and providers from all areas of high technology, life sciences, law, accounting, angel and venture investment, investment banking, marketing, and communications brings invaluable expertise to start-up companies.

Join CONNECT and become part of this unique and vibrant collaborative community. Put your talents to work to help us continue to grow San Diego's innovation economy.

Duane Roth

CEO

CONNECT