Press Releases & Media Archives

September 29, 2011 | The Daily Transcript
SDSI's CEO Dream Team series featured in The Daily Transcript; kudos for spawning innovation among SD sport businesses
Sports-minded CEOs are enjoying the new CEO Dream Team series, a program developed by SD Sport Innovators (SDSI) and sponsored by SDSI founding member Security Business Bank. The program creates a platform for sports-minded CEOs to gather to share successes, challenges, confidential business strategies and management techniques to overcome obstacles and accelerate growth. The most recent August 15th luncheon held at the Challenged Athletes Foundation brought together a panel of three sports companies in various stages of development - The People's Movement, ElliptiGO and Sanuk - to share insight. Panelists agreed that tapping into local scientific, research, media, marketing and finance communities is key to growth for all companies across the industry. Paul Rodeno, president and CEO of Security Business Bank applauds CONNECT and SDSI for introducing entrepreneurs to regional experts, supporting the growth of local businesses seeking to do things differently, shaking up the status quo and building better, safer and greener products.
Read the full article in The Daily Transcript.
Learn more about the CEO Dream Team here.

September 29, 2011
CONNECT Policy Director attends launch of "Innovation Lifecycle"
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) recently held a Washington DC launch of its "Innovation Lifecycle" website and video project. The event included screening of its new video trailer. In attendance was CONNECT Policy Director Timothy Tardibono. CONNECT partnered with GIPC to highlight San Diego start-ups and research institutions in the video that can be viewed under the "R&D" tab of the website.
Read about the Innovation Lifecycle here.
Watch the video here.

September 29, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
San Diego Quick Pitch: next Thursday
The 14 finalists at this year's San Diego Quick Pitch Competition, organized by the Tech Coast Angels San Diego Network, will be giving their two-minute pitch on Thursday, October 6. Started five years ago, this annual contest gives entrepreneurs a chance to showcase their business and convince investors to pull out their check books and invest in them. The event brings together more than 450 leaders of San Diego's business and investment community and is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to network with Tech Coast Angel investors, venture capitalists, business executives and other entrepreneurs.
Read more at the San Diego Business Journal.
For more information and to register, please click here.

September 29, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
CONNECT's Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators welcomes Bank of America as newest supporter; High Tech High gets more innovative
If you want to go into banking, a solid understanding of math and finance is critical. Bank of America is the latest in a growing list of benefactors of CONNECT's STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program this year. The Bank is working with various STEM programs all over the country including Daytona, Florida and Charlotte, North Carolina where it is partnering with the NASCAR Foundation to create teachable moments on the practical application of how science, technology, engineering and math can impact a student's future. CONNECT's Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators is designed to encourage San Diego middle and high school students to study engineering, science and math by bringing local CEOs with exciting technology products into classrooms to tell their stories, describe their companies, demonstrate the products they are creating and explain how science, technology, engineering and math classes can help prepare for college and rewarding careers in technology. This year, CONNECT has partnered with California GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) which is coordinating with local area teachers and classrooms in underserved communities for CONNECT's entrepreneur presentations and visits.
Read more here.

One of the schools involved in CONNECT's Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators program is High Tech High. Known for its 100% college acceptance rate among its graduates, the school is now taking an innovative approach and combining vocational training with academic studies. The rationale behind this approach is that hands-on experience working in teams is just as important as learning from books and that both components are needed for the next generation of workers. To accomplish this, students will be heavily engaged in projects because it "lets students understand why they're learning what they're learning," says Gary Jacobs, board chairman of High Tech High.
Read more at the San Diego Business Journal.

September 29, 2011 | 10 News
CONNECT CEO optimistic about San Diego job growth for the future
Add your voice to the new project, launched by the San Diego Foundation, titled "Our Greater San Diego Vision" which is a community wide outreach for individuals to provide input to help build a 50- to 100-year strategic plan for San Diego. The initiative intends to put together a road map on how to create an estimated 500,000 jobs that are needed to sustain the 1.3 million people San Diego County is anticipated to increase by in the next 40 years. CONNECT CEO Duane Roth is optimistic about economic growth in the region and points to competitive economies which are the key to future growth. While most regions only have one, San Diego has three competitive economies: military, tourism and innovation. According to Roth, "creating one job in a competitive economy translates into two jobs for the local economy, from attorneys to contractors to nurses; having a competitive edge in those competitive economies could become critical." However, "you have to have a plan or you're planning to fail." And that is what "Our Greater San Diego Vision" is all about.
Read more at 10News.com here.
For more information on Our Greater San Diego Vision project, click here.

September 29, 2011 | Xconomy
2011 Finalists announced: CONNECT Most Innovative New Product Awards
With a record number of nominations this year - a testament to the strength of San Diego's innovation economy - the MIP Awards continue to be the region's premier event recognizing and showcasing locally-developed technologies. More than 150 leading industry experts and business executives participated in the rigorous, multi-level evaluation process, and have narrowed the field to 24 Finalists. "This year's Finalists represent some of the strongest new products produced locally over the past eighteen months. These companies deserve to be recognized for their entrepreneurial spirit and the contributions their products are making to our city's economy," said CONNECT CEO, Duane Roth.
To see which innovations have been named as 2011 Finalists, click here.
To register to attend the December 9th luncheon announcing this year's winners, click here.
Read more at Xconomy.

September 29, 2011
CONNECT's Springboard graduates raise $27 million in first six months
Thirty graduates of CONNECT's flagship business mentoring program, Springboard, raised $27 million in capital in the first six months of this year, a big increase compared to the previous six-month period. The Virtual Reality Medical Center secured $5 million while Bump.com completed Series B-1 funding in the amount of $1.2 million and received $600,000 in private equity funding. Overall, 55% of Springboard graduates (110 companies) are still in business six years after completing CONNECT's program. According to CONNECT' s more recent Impact Assessment Report, companies who went through this program also reported that the number of employees had more than doubled from before they entered Springboard.
Read more the press release here.

September 29, 2011
Former President Clinton names San Diego "Center of Biotech in America" on CNN
In an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN's "The Situation Room," former President Bill Clinton cited San Diego as his first example when he discussed "centers of prosperity" in America. "Let's take San Diego, the center of biotechnology in America, more Nobel Prize-winning scientists than any other American city, no longer a Navy city. It's a biotech city" said Clinton. When characterizing San Diego's success, Clinton said, "... there are these centers of prosperity in America. Every one of them works because people cooperate, not because there's conflict."
To read a transcript of the full interview, click here.

September 29, 2011
California ranked 'Top 10 Best States to Do Business'
Results of a nationwide survey by Area Development magazine ranked California as one of the top 10 states to do business. The survey examined each state in 12 categories, which included business environment, labor climate, infrastructure/global access and economy. "Despite all the negative rhetoric, the fact remains California is still the nationwide leader in high-tech, biotech, green, venture capital and agricultural job creation," said Joel Ayala, director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development. Area Development magazine pointed out that California continues to be a world leader in the international market place, a fact supported by the golden state ranking #1 in the access to global markets category. It also highlighted that the Innovation Hub (iHub) program, managed by the California Governor's Office of Economic Development (GoED), is showing success in sparking innovation and new growth.
Read the press release here.
Read more about GoED and the iHub program here.

September 22, 2011
CONNECT CEO gives keynote on regional innovation at National Academies' workshop; Global CONNECT Summit scheduled for December 7–9
The National Academies held a three-day workshop this week titled Rising above the Gathering Storm: Development of Regional Innovation Environments. Held at the Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery and six years after release of a report with the same title, the workshop brought together experts and thought leaders to brainstorm strategies and innovative practices on how to "foster development of a thriving knowledge-based economy." CONNECT CEO Duane Roth gave a keynote presentation titled "Creating a Regional Innovation Environment," in which he outlined the challenges to innovation and several options for new partnering models.
For more information on this workshop, click here.

Catalyzing Growth through Regional Innovation Clusters is the title of the upcoming Global CONNECT Summit (GCS), scheduled for December 7-9, 2011. The three-day program will gather together 100 delegates from regional innovation centers all over the US and abroad to explore the successful stories and potential behind academic partnerships, private incubators, business accelerators, corporate venture funds as well as new financial business models and the critical role government plays in stimulating growth. In addition to high level interaction and presentations, attendees to GCS will be treated to the La Jolla Playhouse's Innovation Night on December 7 and to CONNECT's Most Innovative New Products Awards luncheon, December 9.
Learn more here.

September 22, 2011
Association of Independent Research Institutes meets in SD; Roth to present
The 50th annual meeting of the Association of Independent Research Institutes (AIRI) will be held here in San Diego on October 2 - 5. AIRI's mission is to enhance the ability of its members to improve human health and advance knowledge. There are ten AIRI institutes in San Diego, including La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, Salk Institute, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute and The Scripps Research Institute. CONNECT CEO Duane Roth will present a talk titled "The Landscape for Pharmaceutical Startups and the Future of Their Collaborations with Independent Research Institutes."
Read more here.

September 22, 2011
Three TCA Quick Pitch Finalists to be showcased in Digital Politics radio show
On September 27 between 12:00-1:00pm, Keith Mullin from Gamer Grub, Jonny Simkin from SwoopThat and Rob Logan from Human Centric Performance, three finalists of the fifth annual San Diego Tech Coast Angels Quick Pitch Competition, will be discussing starting their companies in San Diego with host Karen Jagoda.
To hear this show live, click here and click on the listen live button at the top.

If you are interested in hearing all the finalists present their two-minute pitches to a blue ribbon panel of judges and an audience of more than 450 leaders of San Diego's entrepreneurial community, join us at Quick Pitch on Thursday, October 6. Quick Pitch is a must-attend event for entrepreneurs looking to jump-start their ventures and for investors interested in learning about the latest innovations in Southern California. It is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to network, learn and compete for the investment capital that is so crucial to early stage companies. There will be ample time to network with Tech Coast Angels investors, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, all while enjoying gourmet food and beverages. Finalists will display their products and technology before and after the competition, giving you the chance to meet with these up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
For more information and to register, please click here.

September 22, 2011
STEM education: CONNECT's Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators receives boost from Qualcomm; San Diego Supercomputer Center expands its computer-sciences curriculum
Like many technology companies, Qualcomm has a vested interest in supporting activities that promote STEM education to help develop its future workforce, which is why the company recently provided financial support to CONNECT's Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators program. Through its Wireless Reach Initiative, Qualcomm supports other programs providing STEM support as well, including Project K-Nect designed to create a supplemental resource for secondary at-risk students to focus on increasing their math skills through a common and popular technology - mobile smartphones. CONNECT's STEM program called Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators is designed to encourage San Diego middle and high school students to study engineering, science and math by bringing local CEOs with exciting technology products into classrooms to tell their stories, describe their companies, demonstrate the products they are creating and explain how science, technology engineering and math (STEM) classes can help prepare for college and rewarding careers in technology.
Read more here.

Students in high school, community college and universities will be aided by a recent National Science Foundation (NSF) grant made to the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego and San Diego State University. The three year grant funds the expansion of computer-science curriculums to educate teachers in computer principles so the students will be better prepared for the heavily technology driven economy they'll be stepping into.
Read more here.

September 22, 2011
CONNECT partners with U.S. Chamber of Commerce to educate legislators and public
Today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC), partnering with CONNECT, launched a cutting edge interactive video to educate Congress, their professional staff, the Administration, state officials and the public on what exactly goes into innovation. This multimedia video is called "The Innovation Lifecycle." The project allows viewers to examine each stage of the innovation lifecycle: from the birth of an idea to research and development to production to commercialization to finally the benefits for the consumer and the community. The Innovation Lifecycle project is unique in that it provides its viewers the advocacy tools to write Congress directly, contact local media and tell their own story. CONNECT was proud to be able to feature some thoughtful business and community leaders among the voices included from across the country. The Innovation Lifecycle gives evidence on the need to promote sound IP policies and sustain strong IP enforcement effort here in America and abroad. We encourage you to check out the trailer here and The Innovation Lifecycle here. Join the conversation!

September 15, 2011 | San Diego Union-Tribune
Kudos to CONNECT expressed by business entrepreneur in UT feature article
Passionate surfer, entrepreneur and successful businessman, Jeff Kelley recently credited CONNECT in helping him secure startup funding for his company, Sanuk, a footwear company whose shoes fit like sandals and are worn by celebrities like Brad Pitt and Halle Barry. Kelly sold his company this year for $120 million.
Read more at The San Diego Union-Tribune.

September 15, 2011
SDG&E invests in expansion of CONNECT's STEM program
CONNECT's Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators program welcomes San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) as a new supporter this academic year. SDG&E is investing in the program to ensure that our region has a future workforce of bright and talented college graduates in the fields of science, technology engineering and math (STEM). CONNECT has developed its STEM program called Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators which is designed to encourage San Diego middle and high school students to study engineering, science and math by bringing local CEOs with exciting technology products into classrooms to tell their stories, describe their companies, demonstrate the products they are creating and explain how science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classes can help prepare for college and rewarding careers in technology.
Read more here.

September 15, 2011
CONNECT CEO keynoted at innovation economies conference
During his keynote at the recent Powering Innovation Economies conference in San Diego, CONNECT CEO Duane Roth shared his insights on the success San Diego has had in becoming a hub for research and technology and commented that new models are now needed to "grow local talent and to spur the creation of an even more diverse range of products that the world wants to buy." The conference, produced by the Urban Land Institute, brought together community business leaders to discuss the challenges urban regions face and what can be down to spur an economy based on innovation that at the same time takes into consideration emerging demographics. As reported in the San Diego Business Journal.

September 15, 2011 | Pomerado News
Cleantech Legislative Conference invites CONNECT CEO to speak
The San Diego North Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Cleantech Legislative Conference on September 16. The goal is to impress on regional officials the importance of developing a cleantech corridor in North County and to highlight the value of bringing new business to the region. Three panel discussions are scheduled to take place with business and community leaders. CONNECT CEO Duane Roth will take part on a panel discussing best practices and what can be learned from other clusters, infrastructure and resources.
Read more at Pomerado News.
To register for the Cleantech Legislative Conference, click here.

September 9, 2011 | PC Magazine
Comments from CONNECT policy director in PC Magazine on AT&T's purchase deal
AT&T's plan to acquire T-Mobile continues its path through the legal system as the Department of Justice reviews possible violation of U.S. anti-trust laws. Of major concern is that the proposed mega merger would "substantially lessen competition." CONNECT VP of public policy Timothy Tardibono, views the merger in a positive light, saying that "young and emerging tech companies, that are the driving engine for job creation and innovation, desperately need fast, reliable and ubiquitous wireless networks to thrive." Hearings are scheduled for September 21.
Read more here and here.

September 9, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
CONNECT CEO comments on San Diego job market
The slow-growing economy weighs heavily on everyone's mind these days as newspapers and media everywhere discuss the nuances of economic indices, continued loss of jobs and sinking consumer confidence. Ironically, the employment crisis has two sides. On the flip side, there continue to be shortages in the number of software programmers and computer engineers. In fact, "more than 4,000" job openings are not being filled at local companies large and small. While there is active debate on the actual number of engineering job openings, CONNECT CEO Duane Roth confirmed that the openings in San Diego "are indeed thousands." Finding the right talent and the right fit is challenging, but "supply and demand won't be out of sync forever."
As reported in the San Diego Business Journal.

September 9, 2011
Record number of nominees for 24th annual CONNECT MIP Awards
This year's Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards received a record 142 nominations – 35 percent more than the past three years – an indication of the tremendous number of innovative products launched into the market by San Diego companies in the last eighteen months. After rigorous pre-screening and finalist selection processes, the nominees will be narrowed to 24 finalists in eight categories. The 24 companies will receive a Finalist trophy and have the opportunity to meet the Distinguished Judges at a reception in October sponsored by SDG&E. On December 9, at the Most Innovative New Product Awards luncheon, eight products will be honored with the prestigious 2011 MIP Award. In addition, two individuals will be honored with Distinguished Contribution Awards – one in life sciences and the other in technology. The Otterson Award will also be given to a San Diego product that has demonstrated a significant positive impact on society or on our quality of life. Each year the luncheon attracts more than 800 of San Diego's top business leaders, researchers and capital providers. All 24 finalist products will be on display both prior to and after the luncheon – an excellent chance to see the most innovative new products launched this past year. CONNECT would like to thank Life Technologies, Provide-Commerce, AMN Healthcare, Barney & Barney, Bridgepoint Education, Cox, Enterprise Partners Venture Capital, Hughes Marino, Invetech, Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP, Merck, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Qualcomm, SDG&E and Security Business Bank of San Diego for their support in making the 2011 MIP Awards possible.
Register here.

September 1, 2011 | The Daily Transcript
Biomimicry economic index launched
Last week saw the launch of the Da Vinci Index, a new economic index designed to measure "human innovation inspired by biology" also known as biomimicry. Lynn Reaser, chief economist at Point Loma Nazarene University's Fermanian Business and Economic Institute and Randy Ataide, a professor and the executive director of the Fermanian Institute and the brainchild behind the Da Vinci Index, unveiled the new index during a reception held at the San Diego Zoo. While the term biomimicry and what it stands for is not yet widely known among the general population, CONNECT members Qualcomm and Biomatrica are both models for using biomimicry to drive innovative products. Now with the development of an index, a quantifiable measure of activity related to biomimicry developments will allow one to gauge the extent of its economic impact. Initial results already look very promising, with the Da Vinci Index jumping at a compound annual growth rate of 22% for the decade between 2000 and 2010. Biomimicry was also recently added as one of the innovation sectors to the San Diego iHub. 
Read more at The Daily Transcript.

September 1, 2011 | Surfer Mag
SIMA hosts fundraiser, Liquid Nation Ball
The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) Humanitarian Fund is holding its annual Liquid Nation Ball 8 on September 27. For one night a year, join friends, surf industry legends and surf stars for one of surf industry's cannot-be-missed events. The evening also features a live auction of high-value, one-of-a-kind items and amazing luxury packages and experiences, including tickets to a Lakers Game accompanied by none other than NBA legend and CONNECT SD Sports Innovators' Executive Chairman, Bill Walton. The event will be held at the ocean-front home of Fernando Aguerre, Senior Advisory Board of Directors for SIMA, President of the SIMA Humanitarian Fund and co-founder & former CEO of Reef, President- ISA (International Surf Association). Over the last seven years, Liquid Nation Ball has raised more than $1.5 million and distributed that amount to a variety of surf-related social and humanitarian non-profit organizations. Aguerre is an active supporter of CONNECT's SD Sport Innovators. CONNECT CEO Duane Roth and Bill Walton are members of the event's host committee. 
For more information and to buy tickets click here.
Read more about Liquid Nation Ball here and here.

September 1, 2011 | La Jolla Light
Upcoming presentation by CONNECT CEO highlighted in La Jolla Light
Scheduled for September 2 is the Powering Innovation Economies conference, hosted by the Urban Land Institute (ULI). The conference brings together community leaders to share insights on what an innovation economy is, how talent and location play a role and how regional economies are affected when they are designated a national hub for innovation and creativity. CONNECT CEO Duane Roth will discuss "The History of Innovation in San Diego and Growing Talent/Growing Business" and discuss why new models are needed to accelerate research and development discoveries as they transition from idea to commercialization. 
Read more at La Jolla Light.

September 1, 2011
CONNECT CEO co-authors article on proposed FDA changes
Will the proposed new levels of regulation on medical diagnostics which are being proposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) curb innovation just when personalized medicine is getting underway? In a Scientific American blog, co-authors CONNECT CEO Duane Roth and co-author Nicole Boice, president and founder of the R.A.R.E. Project (Rare Disease Advocacy Research Education), voice concern that the move "towards more enforcement will only harm a well-functioning system and the many needy patients who will find it harder or more expensive to obtain the clinical tests their doctors deem necessary." 
To read the article, click here.

August 25, 2011
Biomimicry Da Vinci index unveiled
This week saw the launch of a new index, the Da Vinci Index, which measures activity related to Biomimicry research and its commercial applications, now officially recognized statewide as an important sector of the San Diego iHub. Dr. Lynn Reaser, chief economist at Point Loma Nazarene University's Fermainian Business and Economic Institute, presented the new index during her presentation entitled, Biomimicry and Economics. This is the first index which aims to quantify Biomimicry activity and joins other leading economic indices such as the Consumer Price Index, the Index of Consumer Sentiment and the Index of Leading Economic Indicators, as well as the CONNECT Innovation Report which monitors early stage entrepreneurial technology growth and funding. The Da Vinci Index takes into account the number of scholarly articles, patents and grants as well as the dollar value of grants. Over the 10-year period 2000 to 2010, the Index experienced amazing growth, including a 14-fold increase in patents issued, a five-fold jump in scholarly articles, a three-fold rise in grants and a four-fold increase in grant amount. The event was presented by San Diego Zoo Global and the Biomimicry BRIDGE Council of which CONNECT is a member. 

August 19, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
Upcoming Tech Coast Angels' Quick Pitch Competition highlighted in SDBJ
Set for October 6, the Fifth Annual Quick Pitch Competition offers selected entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their company and ideas to a panel of venture capitalists and investors and be heard by an audience of almost 500 executives, business people and other entrepreneurs and professionals. The deadline for applications is tomorrow. Don't miss this unique networking opportunity which is open to all Southern California entrepreneurs. The San Diego Tech Coast Angels is locally managed by CONNECT. 
Read more at the San Diego Business Journal.
To be considered for the competition, click here.
To learn more about The Quick Pitch Competition and to register for the event, click here.
To learn more about the Tech Coast Angels, click here.

August 19, 2011
Planning to outsource? Look near first; Sheppard Mullin and D&K Engineering present a free Navy Gold Coast nearsourcing workshop
Plenty of examples abound on the pitfalls of outsourcing, as detailed in a recent article in the Economist. As a result, companies are starting to rethink where and how they outsource. CONNECT has created a new "Nearsourcing" program that can help you quickly access highly qualified local outsourcing companies and support you in determining the best fit. To access this new program and submit your needs/specifications, fill out the online application here. CONNECT will quickly pair you with Domain Experts who will develop a list of potentially qualified companies for your review. Then we'll assist you in interviewing and qualifying their capabilities at what we're calling a "Nearsourcing" Roundtable. CONNECT has CTOs, R&D, and Supply Chain Experts available along with legal experts in IP and outsourcing contracts who can lend their expertise to this process. 
You can access the portal on CONNECT's website here. 
Read the Economist article here. 

August 19, 2011
Recent iHub announcement continues to make headlines
News about the recent expansion of the San Diego iHub to include biomimicry was covered in a recent San Diego Business Journal article featuring CONNECT member Qualcomm, with its nature-inspired display technology called Mirasol, and CONNECT member Biomatrica, whose innovation with biological sample logistics was inspired by the tardigrade, a small water-dwelling animal that lives in the desert.
As reported in the San Diego Business Journal. 

August 19, 2011
Ethics Center begins "The Henrietta Lacks Series"
The Center for Ethics in Science and Technology (Ethics Center) begins a special nine month series of public forums that is part of "The Henrietta Lacks Project," an unprecedented regional array of events that will examine research ethics and diversity issues through the platform of the bestselling book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot. 

Spanning the 2011-2012 academic year, "The Henrietta Lacks Project" has been organized by a science and education alliance that includes San Diego State University, the University of San Diego, CSU San Marcos, Point Loma Nazarene University, Grossmont College, UC San Diego, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, and the Center for Ethics in Science and Technology. 

All participating institutions will stage multiple satellite events. As one example, the Ethics Center will devote nine of its monthly "Exploring Ethics" public forums at the Fleet Center to a special "Henrietta Lacks Series." A high point of the series, which is coordinated with CONNECT, will be a November 2 lecture at the Fleet by Skloot. "We are tremendously excited about this first-of-a-kind series and the opportunities it presents for dynamic public engagement about science," said Ethics Center Director Michael Kalichman, who also directs the UC San Diego Research Ethics Program. "San Diego is the perfect place, due to its more than 80 research institutions and collaborative culture, to stage such an ambitious series, and the story of Henrietta Lacks is the ideal catalyst for it." 

The first of the Ethics Center's series begins September 7 at which Dr. Laura Rivard, professor of biology at University of San Diego, will present: HeLa: Immortal Cells and Enduring Questions. As this newsletter went to press, the event has sold out and has a waiting list. Register early for our next event on October 5 where Dr. Jamie Gates, cultural anthropologist with Point Loma Nazarene will speak on The Politics of Race, Class, Gender, and HIV/AIDS in South Africa, using the ethical questions related to science, race, gender and inequality raised in Skloot's book as a lens. 
For more programs in The Henrietta Lacks Series, click here.
Registration for the September 7 event is already sold out; to be placed on our waiting list, please emailinfo@ethicscenter.net. 
Register now for the October 5 event here.
Read the press release about the Science and Education Alliance here.

August 11, 2011
Recent iHub expansion in the news; first biomimicry economic index to be released August 24
Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom recently unveiled a report meant to catalyze aggressive growth and economic development in the Golden State. The report entitled, An Economic Growth and Competitiveness Agenda for California, provides a comprehensive economic and workforce strategy to harness California's innovative and competitive advantages and help move "California back into the lead in sustainable growth and real job creation, regaining our leadership role as America's opportunity capital." The report builds on eight strengths or pillars that are part of the process to start taking action and reinvigorate growth in California. CONNECT was profiled in the report and recognized as a "global model for its culture of collaboration across industry, universities, researchers, inventors, entrepreneurs, capital and service providers." 
To read the press release, click here.
To read the report, click here.

August 11, 2011
CONNECT serves as model in Lt. Governor's growth agenda report
Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom recently unveiled a report meant to catalyze aggressive growth and economic development in the Golden State. The report entitled, An Economic Growth and Competitiveness Agenda for California, provides a comprehensive economic and workforce strategy to harness California's innovative and competitive advantages and help move "California back into the lead in sustainable growth and real job creation, regaining our leadership role as America's opportunity capital." The report builds on eight strengths or pillars that are part of the process to start taking action and reinvigorate growth in California. CONNECT was profiled in the report and recognized as a "global model for its culture of collaboration across industry, universities, researchers, inventors, entrepreneurs, capital and service providers." 
To read the press release, click here.
To read the report, click here.

August 5, 2011
Planning to outsource? Look near first!
If you are interested in outsourcing and would like to develop a list of locally qualified resources, here is how you can access this new program: Submit your needs/specifications to Ruprecht von Buttlar. CONNECT will quickly pair you with Domain Experts who will develop a list of potentially qualified companies for your review. Then we'll assist you in interviewing and qualifying their capabilities at what we're calling a "Nearsourcing" Roundtable. CONNECT has CTOs, R&D, and Supply Chain Experts available along with legal experts in IP and outsourcing contracts who can lend their expertise to this process.
You can access the portal on CONNECT's website here.

August 5, 2011 | North County Times
CONNECT CEO weighs in on new job creation committee
During a press conference held this week at La Jolla-based Sapphire Energy, Inc., Democratic speaker of the Assembly, John A. Perez, announced the appointment of Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego) as chairman of the new Select Committee on Job Creation for the New Economy. Fletcher commented that for companies to invest in San Diego there needs to be a competitive environment. One of the committee's tasks is to create processes which will confirm that California has a competitive edge over other states. As the state's government has an anti-business reputation, the committee will also set out to determine what can be done to attract and encourage innovative companies to come and invest in the Golden State. CONNECT CEO Duane Roth, who attended the press conference, hopes that the committee will also examine the permit and regulation processes which were created decades ago and "probably aren't relevant anymore. Technologies change, but the regulation hasn't changed."
Read more at The North County Times.

August 5, 2011
San Diego iHub expanded to include biomimicry cluster and the I-215 corridor in Riverside
The Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) held a press conference with CONNECT this week to announce the expansion of the San Diego iHub to include the region's emerging biomimicry cluster and a regional expansion to the Cities of Murrieta, Temecula and part of Riverside. The new iHub will encompass the University of California, Riverside. The iHub program was launched by the State a year and a half ago promote California's leadership in innovation. Deputy Director of GOED, Louis Stewart told the assembled group of iHub partners that he coordinates 12 Innovation Hubs across the State, each with multiple clusters of innovation. He said that California is the envy of the country and the world – many regions are lucky to have just one innovation cluster. The press conference was held at Biomatrica and included remarks by the Mayor of San Diego Jerry Sanders, GOED Director Joel Ayala, CONNECT President, Camille Sobrian Saltman and Biomatrica CEO Judy Muller-Cohn.

Until this week, the San Diego iHub has been comprised of 33 partner organizations including San Diego's leading research institutions, trade and economic development organizations and focused on mobile health, biofuels, energy storage and solar energy. CONNECT has been designated manager of the iHub and provides assistance to the group in coordination of federal grant proposals, and efforts to attract major corporate partners to the region and cluster acceleration. Recent iHub initiatives include:

• Biomimicry BRIDGE
• application for the federal SBA/EDA/ETA Jobs Accelerators grant with East County, South County and North County EDCs
• the San Diego Workforce Partnership and UC San Diego, application for the 2011 i6 Green Challenge grant with UC Riverside, UC San Diego and the San Diego Zoo Global
• application for the SBA Small Business Teaming pilot program with UC San Diego Rady School, and the East County EDC
• partnership with East County EDC and their Connectory database to encourage local companies to outsource in-region versus offshoring.

Said Helen Cheng, Conservation Finance Manager, San Diego Zoo Global, "As a conservation organization and member of Biomimicry BRIDGE, San Diego Zoo Global is very excited about the expansion of the iHUB. Biomimicry has the unique potential to result in products that are both environmentally friendly and economically viable."

According to Murrieta Mayor Randon Lane, "The Murrieta/Temecula Twin Cities area is already closely connected to the greater San Diego region and effectively functions as an extension of the San Diego economy. With Murrieta's well educated workforce, our pro-business climate and our location between San Diego on the south and UCR on the north, we believe that both the San Diego region and the Murrieta/Temecula area will benefit from our collaboration."

"The expansion of the San Diego I-Hub to include the I-215 Technology corridor aligns with the mission of the UCR School of Business Administration which is to develop diverse leaders, propel research-based innovation and promote the sustainable growth of Inland Southern California within the global economy. UCR's innovative research in biomimicry, solar and clean, green technologies will benefit from the I-Hub commercialization opportunities as we bring investors and other partners to the table through this initiative." said Carolyn Hock, Assistant Dean of External Relations, School of Business Administration, UCR.

August 3, 2011 | North County Times
Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher Heads New Committee on California Job Creation; CONNECT CEO attends press conference, comments on regulations on the permit process
Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R- 75th District) has been named chairman of a new committee to boost the ability of recession-ravaged California to create "new economy" jobs.

John A. Pérez, the Democratic speaker of the Assembly, announced Fletcher's appointment to the Select Committee on Job Creation for the New Economy Wednesday morning. He, Fletcher, and other political and business leaders spoke at the headquarters of Sapphire Energy, which turns algae into biofuel.

La Jolla-based Sapphire exemplifies the kind of job formation California needs, said Fletcher, a candidate for mayor of San Diego. His district (click for map) includes southern Escondido, Rancho Bernardo, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Sabre Springs, Poway, Mira Mesa, Carmel Valley and La Jolla.

"We want to encourage companies like Sapphire to invest and expand in San Diego, and a key part of that is having a competitive environment," Fletcher said.

As he often does, Fletcher worked in a reference to his service as a Marine in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I fought in two wars that have just a little bit to do with our energy policy," Fletcher said. "I'll never forget being in a firefight in Iraq and being shot at, and chuckling a little bit while we were down in the ditch. And my buddy said what's funny? And I said it's just funny that I'm funding both sides of this battle. I'm paying for both sides."

Sapphire is part of an emerging cluster of "clean tech" companies in San Diego that supporters ssay could provide badly needed, well-paying jobs here and a solution to environmental problems worldwide. The company has developed strains of algae that can be processed into fuels usable today in cars and aircraft.

However, biofuel companies face hurdles such as bringing their costs down, scaling up production to industrial levels, uncertain market conditions, and a state government with a reputation for being anti-business.

While these companies move ahead, California has been slow to recover from the recession. Its unemployment rate remains above 10 percent. The state has consistently ranked last in job creation surveys over the last few years, and a target for other states such as Texas that woo California companies.

Asked if California could match Texas' perceived advantages, Pérez said California beats the Lone Star State in research and innovation, but lags in translating that research into jobs. The committee will examine how to encourage this process, he said.

"California is the natural home for the most promising industries of the 21st century," Pérez said. "Fields like biotechnology and green manufacturing have the same transformative potential that high technology had for the Silicon Valley in the 1990s."

Also present were Assembymembers Marty Block of San Diego's 78th District; along with Assemblymember Kristin Olsen, a Republican who represents the 25th District. Business leaders included Duane Roth, CEO of Connect, a San Diego-based nonproft that encourages technology entrepreneurship; and James T. Waring, co-founder and chairman of CleanTech San Diego.

Pyle said the single most important thing California could do to encourage "new economy" job formation has already been accomplished, by forming the new committee.

"We needed a select committee that could actually address the problems that we're facing today," Pyle said. "There are real challenges deploying a scalable energy solution in this state. "What I promise you is that California will be a huge consumer of renewable fuels. What I cannot promise you today is that we can be a huge producer."

Roth said he hoped the committee would re-evaluate such regulations as the permit process.

"Some of the things that we put in place for good cause and good reasons 30, 40, 50 years ago probably aren't relevant anymore," Roth said. "Technologies change, but the regulation hasn't changed."

Read full article here.

July 29, 2011 | San Diego Union-Tribune
SDSI executive joins new UT community editorial board
Bill Walton, head of the SD Sport Innovators (SDSI), has joined a new editorial board at the San Diego Union-Tribune. The new editorial board is entirely composed of community leaders, coming from diverse backgrounds, political leanings and professional experiences, but all committed to engaging in a constructive dialog about issues that are important to San Diegans. Over the next several weeks the 20 members will introduce themselves through an essay where each one will write about what they think can be done to make San Diego a better place, and that will be published in the UT.
Read more at The San Diego Union-Tribune.

July 29, 2011 | San Diego Union-Tribune
San Diego tech startups double in first quarter
CONNECT's Innovation Quarterly Report continues to be cited in local news publications. Referencing the Report, a recent article in The San Diego Union-Tribune highlighted that 70 new technology startups were launched in the first quarter of 2011, twice as many as in the same quarter last year. Software firms and communications businesses made up the bulk of these startups. Together the 70 new startups created 130 new jobs. "It certainly appears that things are starting to percolate again for technology businesses," comments Kelly Cunningham, an economist and senior fellow at the National University System Institute for Public Policy Research.
Read more at The San Diego Union-Tribune.

July 29, 2011
CONNECT announces five new board members
New board members have been approved during the start of the new fiscal year for CONNECT. They are: Dave Bialis, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Cox California; Amanda Clardy, Chief Marketing Officer, Life Technologies, Inc.; Nicholas A. Leibham, attorney and partner at K&L Gates; Andrew Spector, VP for Technology at SAIC, and D. James Umpleby, president of Solar Turbines, Inc. CONNECT welcomes and thanks these individuals for their commitment and participation.

July 29, 2011 | The San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT CEO weighs in on new ERC
A new Engineering Research Center (ERC) is about to kick-off at San Diego State University (SDSU) thanks to a prestigious $18.5 million, five-year grant awarded by the National Science Foundation. SDSU, in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Washington, will establish an ERC for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering. The goal of the ERC, which will be based at the University of Washington, is to carry out cutting edge research to better understand how the brain processes information, especially as it relates to people suffering from spinal cord injuries or neurological disorders. While an ambitious goal, the ultimate goal is to develop a chip which can wirelessly communicate between the brain and the prosthetic or paralyzed limb. SDSU's contribution is to design and produce the microsensors and the wireless interface needed by them. CONNECT CEO Duane Roth considers this a big win for San Diego. He adds: "Part of the concept is that research and engineering eventually get to market. That's where we come in. We move things from discoveries and concepts to commercialization."
Read more at The San Diego Union-Tribune.

July 29, 2011 | La Jolla Light
CONNECT is looking for San Diego's most innovative new products
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2011 CONNECT Most Innovative Product "MIP" awards. According to CONNECT CEO Duane Roth, the awards "highlight top innovations by showcasing the best new locally developed products" in a variety of different innovation clusters. These areas include Action and Sport Technologies, Aerospace and Security Technologies, Clean Technology, Communications and IT, Hardware and General Technology, Life Science – Diagnostic and Research Tools, Life Science – Medical Products, and Software. Previous winners have included Qualcomm, ecoATM, Intuit and NeuroVigil. Nominations will be accepted until September 2. Eligible products must have been introduced between March 2010 and September 2011, generated revenue from sales, and must be a first-time product nominee.
Read the article by Steve Hoey, Program Manager, CONNECT in the La Jolla Light.
For more information on the CONNECT MIP Awards, please read here.

July 29, 2011
CONNECT Public Policy Director Tardibono speaks on IP Piracy panel
In an ongoing effort to raise Congress' attention to the job-killing impact of global intellectual property piracy and counterfeiting, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Intellectual Property Center hosted a Capitol Hill Briefing to discuss Senate bill S. 968, the PROTECT IP Act. The Global IP Center asked Timothy Tardibono, CONNECT's Washington D.C. Office Director, to join a panel for the Hill Briefing that included San Diego pharmaceutical leader Eli Lilly along with representatives from NBC/Universal, Rosetta Stone and Zumba Fitness.

S. 968 aims to give companies that face online IP theft new tools to protect their IP and brand against "rogue websites" dedicated to illegal activity. Tardibono explained to Congressional staff attending the briefing that a tech start-up's ability to succeed could be dramatically hindered by a rogue website that sells counterfeit products since those products are generally always inferior thus ruining a start-up's consumer confidence and market brand. The bill is gaining momentum in the Senate and could see floor action this year.
To read more about the briefing, click here.
To read more about the bill, click here.

July 29, 2011
Expansion of San Diego iHub to be announced Tuesday by the Governor's Office of Economic Development and Mayor of San Diego; Technology community invited
This Tuesday, August 2nd at Biomatrica in Sorrento Valley the Governor's Office of Economic Development will announce the expansion of the San Diego Innovation Hub (San Diego iHub) to include University of California Riverside and the "Twin Cities" of Murrieta and Temecula, Southwest Riverside County and the City of Riverside. The expansion announcement will recognize initiatives to expand the region's clean technology cluster into the growing field of biomimicry. The press conference and tour of Biomatrica will kick off Tuesday, August 2nd at 11:00 AM at 5627 Oberlin Drive, Suite 120. San Diego, CA 92121. Speakers will include Jerry Sanders, Mayor of San Diego, Joel Ayala, Director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GoED), Judy Muller-Cohn, Founder and CEO of Biomatrica Inc., Camille Sobrian Saltman, President of San Diego CONNECT, Manager of the San Diego Innovation Hub and Bruce Coleman, Economic Development Director, City of Murrieta, Economic Development Dept. Also in attendance will be representatives of San Diego's iHub, business leaders representing the Biomimicry BRIDGE Steering Group, and CEOs of biomimicry companies. If you are interested in attending the press conference please RSVP to: cssaltman@connect.org
For full story, click here.
For more information on California's iHubs, click here.
For more information about Biomatrica, click here.
For more information about the Biomimicry BRIDGE Program, click here.

July 21, 2011 | Xconomy
Xconomy features CONNECT Innovation Report: Articles focus on software industry dominance in SD and that region leads California in researcher employment
CONNECT's recently released Innovation Quarterly Report continues to gather media attention. Citing the Report, a recent article in Xconomy highlighted that the San Diego workforce in private research organizations has reached 31,000. Steve Hoey, project leader at CONNECT, calls this news "a testament to the strong R&D base we have in our region." Even though VC funding has dropped in San Diego, numbers like this are strong evidence that San Diego has become an innovation hub for life sciences and early stage technology companies.
Read more at Xconomy.

A second article in Xconomy highlighted the Report's findings about the dominance of the software industry in San Diego, which now has 28,300 local employees and surpasses the life sciences workforce which currently has 28,000. Despite this enormous powerhouse, the article goes on to discuss why there was not comparable presence by the software sector out of the $198 million second quarter VC investments in San Diego. It turns out that 97% of the capital invested in the 29 startups for that quarter was in the life sciences sector. The five non-life sciences deals were for web-based companies, not software start-ups. The top 10 venture deals listed in the article included CONNECT members Conatus Pharmaceuticals and Verimatrix.
Read more at Xconomy.

July 21, 2011
The Chairmen's RoundTable partners with SDSI
Leaders of sports companies just got another great opportunity to learn from the best with The Chairmen's RoundTable (CRT) forming an alliance with CONNECT SD Sport Innovators (SDSI). CRT is a non-profit, volunteer organization that is made up of more than 40 current and former industry leaders along with 20 sponsor organizations in the sports industry. With this strategic alliance SDSI is well positioned to help drive innovation in San Diego's growing sports industry. Bill Walton, Executive Chairman of SDSI, is enthusiastic about this new partnership and the opportunities it offers to SDSI members: "Their proven and long running success in mentoring companies is extremely impressive and inspirational. With this agreement, the larger SDSI members will now have another invaluable tool to help them succeed in today's competitive economic climate." CONNECT continues its participation with SDSI by mentoring early stage sports companies and providing administrative support.
Read the press release here.
To read more about the Chairmen's RoundTable, click here.

July 21, 2011
CONNECT CEO Presents Distributed Partnering Model to Milken Institute Financial Innovations for Translational Research Lab
Duane Roth, CEO, CONNECT and Stan Fleming, managing member, Forward Ventures, participated in a financial innovations think tank this week that brought together diverse stakeholders to encourage collaboration in devising and designing new business models, capital structures and financial technologies. Held in New York City and hosted by the Milken Institute and FasterCures, the program was a who's who of the leading thinkers in the innovation economy from around the country including Barbara Dalton, vice president, Pfizer Capital; George Golumbeski, senior vice president, business development, Celegene; Kathy Hudson, deputy director, Science, Outreach and Policy, National Institutes of Health; Lesa Mitchell, vice president, Kauffman Foundation; Catherine Arnold, health care sector leader, Credit Suisse; Joseph Boystak, president & CEO, Brightwaters Capital; and David Steinberg, Partner, PureTech Ventures. Six models were explored including the Distributed Partnering Model developed and presented by Roth. "Very interesting approaches were discussed," said Roth. "The Distributed Partnering Model was well received and is now referred to as the "CONNECT model."
Read more here.

July 15, 2011 | San Diego Metro, SignonSanDiego
CONNECT's Innovation Quarterly Report in the news
Media outlets continue to site recent CONNECT Innovation Quarterly Report, drawing attention to observed increases in number of technology start-ups, tech employment and granted patents in the first quarter of this year. Citing CONNECT's Innovation Report, stories are optimistic that this kind of activity could signify a revitalization in the technology sector. "This kind of patent density and growth serves as a good indicator of the level and pace of innovation in the region," says Steve Hoey, the report's project leader.
Read more in San Diego Metro here.
Read more in SignOnSanDiego here.
For the executive summary and full report, click here.

July 15, 2011
UC San Diego's resuscitation research to be featured at CONNECT's Frontiers in Science & Technology
On Wednesday, July 27, CONNECT will host "Back to the Brink: The Science of Resuscitation" highlighting life-saving improvements to standard emergency medical practices. The scientific lecture features Dr. Dan Davis, Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine and Director of the Center for Resuscitation Science at UC San Diego Medical Center.

Through the use of improved techniques and partnerships to create novel sensor technology, the Center has doubled survival rates both in and out of the hospital, representing one of the few bright spots in resuscitation science over the past several decades. This lecture is recommended for anyone in the life science or technology fields, particularly those interested in medical products, real-time data and monitoring sensors and the future of emergency medicine at large.
For more information click here.
For register click here.

July 15, 2011
CONNECT CEO to speak on nearsourcing and future of healthcare
There is less than one week left to register for CONNECT's July 20 workshop and networking event that will explore how nearsourcing is driving the future of healthcare. The event is hosted and sponsored by Nearsourcing Roundtable sponsor and CONNECT member, Invetech. Join Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT; Fred Davis, President of Invetech; Chad Green, Associate Director of Device Engineering and Manufacturing at ViaCyte; and Keith Murphy, CEO of Organovo as they discuss how the San Diego biotech industry is rich with capabilities and world-leading examples of technologies that are transforming global health. Attendees are invited to stay for a networking reception immediately following the presentations.
For more information or to register, please click here.

July 15, 2011
CONNECT supports the United States Patent and Trademark Office Examiner Training Program
Technical Training Program (PETTP) to help educate patent examiners on emerging trends and technical developments in the United States. Through this program, patent examiners will learn straight from experts in the field who have direct access to the country's new technologies and share their technical knowledge on prior art and industry standards with examiners. In a CONNECT interview with Wynn Coggins, Director of Technological Center 3600 and manager of the PETTP at the USPTO, Coggins reinforced the value of this collaborative program, stating "this initiative is the latest illustration of [the USPTO's] desire to collaborate with the stakeholder community to improve the patent system."

Opening the lines of communication between the innovators and patent examiners will not only provide informative training to the examiners, but also improve the patent office's customer interface with the innovation community it serves. Coggins explains "A well-trained workforce is a primary focus for us here at the Office; we feel strongly that by putting patent examiners together with the scientists and innovators doing the actual work in an educational environment where advances in the state of the art, emerging trends, and recent innovations in their fields can be freely discussed will result in more streamlined patent examination, fewer delays and quicker final decision."

Jessie Womble, CONNECT's Policy Manager, stated "CONNECT commends the USPTO for resurrecting the Patent Examiner Technical Training Program. This educational forum is the perfect setting to increase awareness and knowledge of technologies that only innovators themselves can truly explain. Once patent examiners are armed with the knowledge they have gained through these seminars, they will be better equipped to make informed decisions. We hope San Diego's innovation economy will take advantage of this opportunity."
To view the full interview with Wynn Coggins, click here.
To learn more about the program or to participate, please email Examiner Technical Training
To view the official Federal Register Notice on the PETTP, click here.

July 8, 2011
CONNECT CEO to speak at nearsourcing workshop
CONNECT, in partnership with Invetech, is hosting a workshop and networking event on July 20 to explore how nearsourcing is driving the future of healthcare. Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT; Fred Davis, President of Invetech; Chad Greek, Associate Director of Device Engineering and Manufacturing at ViaCyte; and Keith Murphy, CEO of Organovo will discuss how the San Diego biotech industry is rich with capabilities and world-leading examples of technologies that are transforming global health.
For more information or to register, please click here.

July 8, 2011
Number of San Diego tech start-ups doubles in first quarter 2011, new CONNECT Innovation Report released
CONNECT's newly released First Quarter 2011 Innovation Report shows the number of San Diego tech start-ups in the first quarter of 2011 doubled to 70 companies over the same quarter last year and was the highest rate for a first quarter in the last four years. The Report also showed that tech employment is on the rise, merger and acquisition activity has tripled and the number of patents granted rose sharply. Company merger and acquisition activity in San Diego nearly tripled in the first quarter of 2011 over the same quarter last year and was up almost 40% over the fourth quarter of 2010.
Read the press release here.
For the executive summary and full report click here.

June 30, 2011
Duane Roth and Hank Nordhoff present at the 2011 International Conference for Bioeconomy in Tianjin, China
Expanding innovation is a common drum beat in China as much as it is in the U.S. This past week, Hank Nordhoff, Chairman of the Board of Gen-Probe, and Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT, participated in a panel session titled Biotechnology Industry and Finance of Science and Technology at the International Conference for Bioeconomy in China. The conference highlighted the interests of China in expanding its innovation economy and included high level government officials that described their focus areas including intellectual property, finance, basic research, commercialization and workforce development. "They are focusing on market-based solutions to healthcare innovation and a more entrepreneurial approach to commercialization," said Roth. Roth presented the distributed partnering model for financing innovation and Nordhoff described the importance of diagnostic products to lowering overall healthcare costs.

In addition to CONNECT's core mission to accelerate innovation, the CONNECT Innovation Institute has been established to focus exclusively on innovation economy issues and to publish timely thought papers on innovation policy and competiveness in the global economy for San Diego leaders to use in addressing federal policy issues. As momentum and development build globally, Roth sees opportunities for new models of multi-discipline and international partnering. For a link to the program please click here.

For a link to the Distributed Partnering Model for Drug Discovery and Development, authored by Duane Roth and Pedro Cuatrecasas, published by the Kauffman Foundation, click here.

June 23, 2011
Connect with CONNECT was huge success
Yesterday's Connect with CONNECT – San Diego's Innovation Showcase at Mintz Levin – attracted more than 700 business leaders and featured 50 exhibitors from seven of San Diego's most innovative industries. Guests visited exhibitor "Zones" in Life Sciences & Mobile Health, Clean Tech & Energy, Digital Life, Action & Sport, Nearsourcing and Cyber & Robotics. Highlights of the night included interactive exhibits, networking, live music from a band led by VC Stan Sewitch of KI Investment Holdings and the Monarch School's Steel Drum performers, wine tastings from Vineagogo and a great beer selection from Mission Brewery. A special thanks goes to Platinum Sponsor Mintz Levin and Gold Sponsor Verizon Wireless for their support.

June 23, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
CONNECT members featured in SDBJ list of Largest Public Companies in San Diego
In a special edition of the San Diego Business Journal dedicated to public companies, the following CONNECT members were featured. Wireless giant Qualcomm ranks #1 and was highlighted in three feature articles. Sempra, which ranks #2, recently changed its strategy focus back onto utilities. Life Technologies ranks #3 as the top-ranked life sciences company in San Diego, and ranked #5 is CareFusion, a medical technology company that develops products to improve patient's well-being and reduce infections. According to CONNECT CEO Duane Roth, part of the CareFusion success story is focusing on their core products and building on the past successes. As reported in the San Diego Business Journal.

June 23, 2011 | Indy Star
CONNECT CEO comments on proposed Indianapolis tech park
Bush Stadium, named after major league baseball player and Indianapolis son, Donie Bush, originally came to life in 1931 as Perry Stadium, named after its owner and builder, Norm Perry. During its lifetime the Art Deco building was home to several minor league baseball teams, played host to the 1987 Pan Am Games, was used in the filming of several movies, and operated a short-lived auto racing venture. Since 2000, however, Bush Stadium did not have a future and fell into disrepair. Now, that is about to change. After eight years of planning, city leaders recently unveiled a vision for a life-sciences technology park, just northwest of the downtown area. The vision is supported by the proximity to medical research facilities at Indiana University, the presence of several huge life-science companies, and the conversion of Bush Stadium into loft apartments and almost 118,000 square feet of retail, office and commercial space. Ranked No. 9 nationally on the basis of bioscience employees (currently more than 24,000 talented workers), Indianapolis wants to attract more life-science companies in the next 10 to 20 years. CONNECT CEO Duane Roth says that it is the pool of existing talented workers which will be the draw for more technology companies to move into this area. Read more here.

June 23, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
CONNECT CEO underscores military importance to region's biotechnology explosion
They say timing is everything. Looking back at what has propelled San Diego to be a premier life sciences cluster today, CONNECT CEO Duane Roth lists three events which came together and ignited the region's phenomenal growth. San Diego is a navy town and the presence of defense contractors working on high-technology military research projects laid the foundation. With the establishment of UC San Diego 50 years ago and its emphasis on life sciences came the advent of biotechnology. And lastly, Roth points to the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences which helped elevate San Diego as a leader in biological research. It is no wonder then that 75% of the companies in the top 10 slots of the Largest Public Companies list as compiled by the San Diego Business Journal are in the life sciences industry. With 83 local research institutions and more than 600 biotech startups later, Roth marvels at the astounding growth San Diego has experienced and its expansion into other industry sectors. "And it's going to serve us extremely well for the next 30 to 40 years," he concludes. As reported in the San Diego Business Journal.

June 23, 2011 | San Diego Magazine
SDSI launches new website; GameOn! Featured in SD Magazine; visit SDSI at the innovation showcase of the year – June 29 – GET IN THE ZONE!
SD Sport Innovators (SDSI) has launched its new website, courtesy of Rouge. This is a fully functioning resource where you will learn about SDSI programs, keep up to date on SDSI and community events, find out about funding opportunities, and use the SDSI member directory to stay connected and discover available services. Visitors to the site will find an ease in accessibility to this information and much more. Be sure to sign up for the SDSI newsletter and be the first to find out what is happening in Southern California's vibrant sports economy. Feedback is welcome! To visit the new website, click here.

SDSI's premier networking event, GameOn!, took place at TransWorld Media Headquarters last month. The event brought together more than 300 sports leaders, movers and shakers for an evening of fun networking while getting a glimpse of new products from some of the region's most innovative sport companies. Featured in the July issue of San Diego Magazine is a 14-page spread on everything swanky in North County, including photos from this one-of-a-kind networking event. To see photos from this event, click here. For more information about GameOn! click here.

The biggest annual networking event, Connect with CONNECT, is just around the corner on June 29 and more than 750 business leaders and 50 exhibitors from all industry sectors will be in attendance. SDSI will have a presence in the Action and Sports Zone along with AquaLogix, Inc., Art Function Group of Companies & Sk8ology, Bessel Surfboards, ElliptiGO, Human Centric Performance, Pipe Board, Inc. and Skullcandy. Be sure to stop by and visit us! For more information about and to register click here.

June 16, 2011 | San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT CEO comments on relocation of biotech firm to San Diego
BioNanomatrix, a Philadelphia-based genetic technology company, has moved its operations to San Diego. A developer of next-generation genomics technology, the company plans to hire 15 new employees by year end. Duane Roth, CONNECT CEO was quoted saying this as a very positive reflection of the high caliber of research and innovation taking place in the community. Read more at the San Diego Union-Tribune.

June 13, 2011 | The Hill
Coalition of business, unions and others work to save patent bill; CONNECT's public policy director Tim Tardibono comments on bill
A coalition of tech firms, pharmaceutical companies, universities and unions is trying to keep a long-awaited patent reform bill from being derailed by claims that part of it is unconstitutional.

About 150 organizations signed a letter sent Monday to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) asking them to protect a provision that has stirred opposition from powerful House Republicans.

The provision would allow the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) to collect and keep user fees to fund its operations, which supporters say would allow it to pare down its backlog of pending patent applications. The letter argues the provision, found under Section 22 of the bill, is necessary and can stop "a hidden tax on innovation" and a "job-stifling patent application backlog."

The patent office has been reliant on Congress for funding. Supporters of the reform bill say that arrangement has led to delays for inventors and argue the PTO needs to control its own stream of revenue.

Prominent trade groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers signed the letter, as did brand-name companies like Intel and Pfizer. A number of labor groups also signed on, including the United Steelworkers and the National Treasury Employees Union.

The patent legislation was first introduced in 2005 and is close to passage after years of lobbying and committee work. The Senate approved the bill earlier this year. But if the user fee provision is axed from the legislation, K Street backing for patent reform could crumble.

"If Section 22 came out of the bill, it could potentially kill it," said Tim Tardibono, public policy director for CONNECT, a San Diego nonprofit group that helps startup tech companies.

"I think you would see all these companies and trade associations changing their position on the bill and coming out against it," said Tardibono, who supports keeping the fee provision as it is in the bill.

Read full article here.

June 6, 2011 | North County Times
Location makes proposed tech park viable; Duane Roth offers support
Escondido's plan to create a technology business park north of downtown has a great chance to succeed because of the site's prime location and because tech firms have begun targeting inland North County as an ideal area to cluster, city officials and regional business leaders said this week. Other strengths of the plan include the site's closeness to Cal State San Marcos and the city's control of the land earmarked for the new tech park, they said. Critics have asked why the new park would succeed when a similar park created seven years ago on the western edge of town has failed to attract any technology businesses and the high-paying jobs that come with them. But city officials say the new business park site, which was previously earmarked for a minor league ballpark, is in a much better location: It's near the Sprinter rail line and just southeast of the Interstate 15/Highway 78 interchange.

City officials said they've also been encouraged by a new focus on inland North County as a location for tech companies. The San Diego North Chamber of Commerce recently announced a new campaign to recruit companies for a "clean-tech corridor" along Interstate 15 and Highway 78.

Encouragement has come from Duane Roth, who has founded multiple life sciences corporations and leads Connect, a La Jolla firm that fosters biotech expansion across San Diego County. Roth said a series of recent meetings with city officials has convinced him that Escondido understands the opportunities available and how to capitalize on them. "They know they've got to plant the flag," said Roth, explaining that Escondido has done so by assembling 27 acres of connected land and declaring its ambitions to create a tech park. Roth said tech firms in Poway and the Torrey Pines areas need places to expand where land is relatively cheap and educated workers are plentiful, and that Escondido meets both criteria. He said Escondido probably won't get research and development jobs, which typically pay well over $100,000 per year. But Roth said companies want a place like Escondido for their data generation, assembly, product-testing and manufacturing jobs, which typically pay somewhere between $60,000 and $80,000. Research and development will stay in Torrey Pines, he said, but the companies want the lower-level employees relatively close by so top officials don't have to take an airplane to witness product tests or have other contact with workers. Roth said makers of medical devices and handheld technologies could target Escondido. Read more at North County Times.

June 2, 2011
CONNECT updates Web site to be a more user-friendly and intuitive interface
All of CONNECT's 26 programs have been categorized into eight buckets: Business Creation, Venture Capital, Educational Curriculum, Recognition & Competition, Innovation Policy and Convergence Clusters. Visitors to the site will find an ease in accessibility to CONNECT's Innovation Report, Nearsourcing Roundtable, Grants Portal, White Papers, Start-up Tool Kit and Investment-Ready Deals. To visit the updated site, click here.

June 2, 2011
CONNECT CEO to moderate President's Circle Event at Sanford|Burnham
CONNECT CEO Duane Roth will be the moderator at the Sanford|Burnham Medical Research Institute's President's Circle Event – Discovering the Future Now. This interactive panel discussion will feature distinguished panelists Michael Jackson, VP of Drug Discovery and Development at Sanford|Burnham; Gregory Lucier, Chairman and CEO of Life Technologies; and Anthony Tether, former Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
To view the invitation, click here.

June 2, 2011
CONNECT Association Board of Directors welcomes new members
Three new members recently joined the Board of Directors of the CONNECT Association: Nicholas A. Leibham, attorney and partner at K&L Gates; Andrew Spector, VP for Technology at SAIC; and D. James Umpleby, president of Solar Turbines, Inc.

June 2, 2011 | San Diego Union-Tribune, Xconomy
CONNECT CEO weighs in on generic drug-makers' pitch to FDA
Generic drug-makers are trying to convince the FDA to allow lower-cost generic versions of drugs to be sold to consumers. New challenges come from companies that are encouraged by a 1984 federal law meant to make more generic drugs available to consumers. "That could have a chilling affect on fundraising by drug developers" said Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT. As companies vie for investor funding, such patent challenges could change the landscape of future funding as investors may be more hesitant to invest in high-risk or long-term developments.
Read more at San Diego Union-Tribune.
Read more at Xconomy.

May 26, 2011 | La Jolla Light
La Jolla Light features CONNECT's Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators Program
With the future of the San Diego economy continuing to grow more in the direction of innovation, one of the problems facing the region is a shortfall of almost 10,000 engineers. To help remedy this emerging issue, CONNECT created the Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators Program in 2010. Steve Hoey, CONNECT Senior Program Manager, recently wrote a feature article describing this program and the positive effects they are already seeing within the first year of operation. With support from Biogen Idec and SDG&E, the program invites successful entrepreneurs into middle and high schools to emphasize the importance of an education in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). So far, over 900 students have participated in the program and experienced first-hand the fascinating creations and discoveries the entrepreneurs shared with them. As a result, 80% of students taking part in the program say they were directly inspired and plan to attend college. Kevin Dunn, who manages the program, sums it up nicely: "We have made it a goal to promote intellectual growth in the life science and technology industries by inspiring students to rethink their interests, and empowering them to believe in the possibilities of their future." With additional support, CONNECT plans to expand the program to more schools this fall. Joining Biogen Idec and SDG&E in the support of the YI Program are Wells Fargo and the Sophie and Arthur Brody Foundation. Read more at La Jolla Light.

May 19, 2011
CONNECT success story profiled on Regional Innovation Acceleration Network
Unveiled by the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA), a new web portal has been introduced to launch the Regional Innovation Acceleration Network (RIAN). This new initiative aims to advance Venture Development Organizations (VDO), which are partnerships or organizations around the country that are involved in accelerating the commercialization of new innovations. The portal intends to support peer-to-peer information sharing among the community of VDOs and to serve as a tool and resource center for those regions looking to establish VDOs. Biomatrica, a CONNECT Most Innovative New Product Award winner, Springboard graduate and Venture Roundtable winner is one of the first success stories profiled on the web portal.
Read more here.

May 12, 2011 | San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT CEO comments on repatriation tax
In a recent guest blog post by Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Solana Beach), the congressman weighed in on the bill he introduced which saves U.S. companies trillions of dollars that are normally kept in other countries due to the tax burden. Known as the Job Creation and Innovation Investment Act of 2011, the bill would be a huge tax relief to businesses by eliminating the 35% federal tax currently levied on foreign earnings. CONNECT CEO Duane Roth commented that "Not only is the repatriation tax a bad policy on its face, but the policy is anti-competitive as it encourages American companies to build new facilities and develop new products overseas to avoid the high tax rate, thus allowing jobs and innovation to be created outside the U.S."
Read more at The San Diego Union-Tribune.

May 6, 2011 | Xconomy
CEO Strategy Forum member Continuous Computing under new ownership
Provider of software technologies for the telecommunications industry, Continuous Computing has been acquired by Oregon-based RadiSys. The deal valued at $120 million brings together two companies with contrasting products that when combined, will converge on complementary sectors of network technology. Mike Dagenais, CEO of Continuous Computing and member of CONNECT CEO Strategy Forum, will remain as CEO once the deal closes.
Read more in Xconomy.

May 6, 2011 | Xconomy
CONNECT MIP winner closes seed-stage funding
NeuroVigil, a life-sciences startup and the 2010 winner of CONNECT Most Innovative New Product Award in Life Sciences, has succeeded in acquiring its first round of funding. The company has developed an innovative sensor and associated technology that can be used to study human brainwave activity and changes prior to symptoms becoming visible. Their novel approach has huge potential as it may catch neurological diseases at an early stage.
Read more in Xconomy.

May 6, 2011
Lead America conference leads entrepreneurs to investors and higher performance; CEO of CONNECT to speak on what investors are looking for now in leadership teams
At the Lead America conference, innovative entrepreneurs gain access to capital by building personal relationships with investors – going far beyond the traditional 10-minute "pitch." Entrepreneurs will also gain inside knowledge about what investors are really looking for in leadership teams. The conference is investor-driven -- led by members of Tech Coast Angels, InLab Ventures, CONNECT and local investors.

"The entire team at Intelliversity and our affiliated organizations are truly excited about this ground-breaking method of helping entrepreneurs," said Intelliversity president Robert Steven Kramarz. "We've been working around the clock on this program to make sure that attendees are thrilled and delighted with the results."

Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT, will be speaking on a topic important to him – entrepreneurial leadership. Roth is co-author of "The Distributed Partnering Model for Drug Discovery and Development" published by the Kauffman Foundation. This innovative paper describes a new way to structure and lead entrepreneurial companies, with a focus on drug discovery, but applicable across all industries. Roth also serves on numerous advisory committees and boards and has seen firsthand which leadership techniques succeed and which techniques do not. Lead America is the best and fastest way to develop personal relationships with investors and to benefit from inside knowledge that they can share. Entrepreneurs who register this week can participate in marketing and press coverage.
View full program and register here.

April 29, 2011 | UCSD News
Data explosion highlighted at recent CONNECT Investor Summit
In the three years since its inception, the annual La Jolla Research & Innovation Summit has offered a preview of groundbreaking research which has the potential to alter our lives in significant and unforeseen ways. This year was no exception. One of the presentations drew attention to the fact that digital information is increasing exponentially, now doubling every 18 months and thus poses new challenges for computer storage and processing systems. This is the beginning of a new era in computer architecture.
Read more here.
Read more in UCSD News.

April 29, 2011 | North County Times and KPBS
CONNECT CEO Roth testifies before House Oversight & Government Reform Committee
On April 21st, CONNECT CEO Duane Roth participated in a field hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee entitled "Federal Policies Affecting Innovation and Job Growth in the Biotech and Pharmaceutical Industries." The purpose of the hearing was to examine federal regulations and policies that impede innovation and the growth of jobs in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries.

In attendance were House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (CA-49), Rep. Susan Davis (CA-53), Rep. Brian Bilbray (CA-50) and Rep. Duncan Hunter (CA-52). Additional hearing witnesses included Dr. Marye Anne Fox, Chancellor, UC San Diego; David Gollaher, President and CEO, California Healthcare Institute; Joe Panetta, President and CEO, BIOCOM; Alex Lukianov, Chairman and CEO, Nuvasive, Inc.

During the hearing, Roth touched on his proposed FDA model which recommends bringing patient advocates into the drug approval process, making it a three-way conversation between FDA regulators, drug companies and patients. "The current regulatory system for approval of medical products creates a "no win" situation," said Roth. "The parties in the room negotiating approval cannot objectively assess risk and benefit; those directly impacted by the disease or impairment have a unique perspective in evaluating risk and benefit. It is their disease, not the industry's nor the FDA's; there is precedent for direct patient involvement in the regulatory process."
To view Duane Roth's full testimony, click here.
Read more here.
Read more at North County Times.

April 22, 2011
Personalized Medicine, Biofuels spotlighted at CONNECT Investor Summit
Nearly 120 local and out of town VCs attended yesterday's third annual La Jolla Research & Innovation Summit at the Estancia La Jolla. This one-of-a-kind investor forum, supported by founding lead sponsor Morrison & Foerster LLP, previewed groundbreaking research that will lead to revolutionary product breakthroughs in five to ten years. Five panels were presented, featuring some of the world's most creative scientists and engineers who are working on some of the region's most innovative research programs. Each panel focused on a well-funded area of research currently underway in San Diego, which has significant potential to translate into commercializable products, such as data, biophotonics, cyber Infrastructure, clean technology and regenerative medicine. A highlight of the meeting was the keynote presentation by Dr. Eric Topol, Director, Scripps Translational Science Institute and Chief Academic Officer, Scripps Health, on digitizing man and the future of medicine.

April 22, 2011
CONNECT partnered with San Diego ADT and FED to accelerate business in the defense sector
On Tuesday, April 19, CONNECT partnered with the San Diego Advanced Defense Technology Cluster and Foundation for Enterprise Development for an all-day small business training workshop and networking event to educate small businesses on how to build their business in the defense sector. Attendees learned about the defense acquisition framework and tech transition; SPAWAR SBIR/STTR overview and topic development process; coalition warrior interoperability and opportunities for participation; researching the federal market; San Diego resources to support small business growth in the defense sector; and general business practices such as developing a successful business model, IP protection, licensing and financing options. A special keynote presentation was made by Linden Blue, Vice Chairman of General Atomics. For more information about the SD ADT and how to participate in mentoring and education programs to accelerate your business in this sector, click here.

April 22, 2011 | San Diego Union-Tribune and The Daily Transcript
Biomimicry may become a "game changer"
Last week's two-day conference brought together over 250 people with interests in biomimicry and its potential for future collaborations, projects and business innovation. Hosted by the San Diego Zoo Global, the conference provided a venue to highlight how biomimicry is already happening in San Diego and the potential it has for new innovations and economic growth in this region. Todd Gloria, San Diego City Councilman said it nicely: "San Diego is on the cutting edge of this movement." The conference featured presentations by Qualcomm regarding the mirasol screen story and Nike's bio-inspired manufacturing innovations. With a focus on the economic value and potential of bio-inspired creation, the conference set in motion an exciting new collaboration involving CONNECT called BRIDGE that will form the initiative's foundational structure.
Read two articles at The Daily Transcript, here and here.
Read more at the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Read more here.

April 22, 2011
CONNECT Board member testifies to the California State Senate
Julia R. Brown, UC San Diego Foundation Chair, appeared last week before the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee regarding the importance of investing in developing the state's highly skilled workforce in order to better compete globally. Her remarks were made as part of the Business Leaders Panel on the impact of further budget reductions on education in California.
Read more here.

April 14, 2011
CONNECT and partners create the 1st National Center for Bioinspiration
Nature offers us the largest and best R&D lab in the world and taking cues from Mother Nature has resulted in many new and innovative technologies and products, including everyday products such as Velcro. Biomimicry can create energy efficiency, reduce cost and increase performance in everything from automobiles to insulation. A recent study by the San Diego Zoo Global and the Fermanian Business & Economic Institute, demonstrates that in 15 years biomimicry could represent $300 billion annually of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010 dollars. Biomimicry could provide another $50 billion in terms of mitigating the depletion of various natural resources and reducing CO2 pollution. It could account for 1.6 million U.S. jobs by 2025. Globally, biomimicry could represent about $1.0 trillion of GDP in 15 years. CONNECT has partnered with the San Diego Zoo, Qualcomm, UC San Diego, SDSU, and the City of San Diego to create a new entity and pave the way for San Diego to become the global hub in nature-inspired innovation. Called Biomimicry BRIDGE - Business, Research, Innovation, Design, Governance and Education, the organization is network that will bring together companies, researchers and students from science, engineering, architecture and design to further develop a vibrant and collaborative bioinspiration cluster and launch joint design projects. CONNECT will provide the Proof of Concept Center for the initiative and the group plans to launch the first National Center for Bioinspiration, here in San Diego.

The 3rd Annual Biomimicry Conference, which will highlight some of the new nature-based innovations, is currently taking place at the San Diego Zoo. For more information about the conference, click here.

For more information on Biomimicry BRIDGE, please click here.

April 14, 2011
CONNECT CEO to present Distributed Partnering Model via ShareVault Webinar
On April 27 at 11 a.m., CONNECT CEO, Duane Roth will discuss a new financing model for the pharma and biotech industry. This model outlines that major contributors to therapeutic innovations in the 20th century have been the pharmaceutical companies, with biotechnology companies adding significantly over the last 25 years. However, these models increasingly have failed in translating the advances of biomedical sciences into innovative products. Roth's key recommendation includes a modern-day paradigm for efficiently advancing new therapeutic products. This "distributed partnering" approach would involve four distinct, independent organizations to collaborate in a risk-adjusted manner to discover, define, develop and deliver innovative products.

The new model would feature the formation of companies called product definition companies (PDC), which would focus solely on advancing innovation through the initial definition research phase. PDCs would consist of a team of experienced professionals who would raise funds to manage several projects simultaneously. PDCs would acquire early stage discoveries from research institutions and invest in defining product applications with a goal of selling the successful ones to pharmaceutical companies for further development and delivery. To learn more about the Distributed Partnering Model, click here.

April 14, 2011
CONNECT director joined San Diego/Baja California Mission to Mexico VI delegation
Last week, Taylor Peterson, director, education programs at CONNECT, joined the San Diego/Baja California Mission to Mexico City– a four-day trip organized by Ruben Barrales and James Clark of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce to provide an opportunity for delegates from San Diego and Mexico to meet with top officials of the Mexican federal government on issues of concern to the border region, as well as with leading members of the Mexican business community. The purpose of the mission was to support Baja California initiatives, discuss border crossing issues and solutions, introduce proposed business development investment initiatives, acquaint San Diego business executives with government and Mexico City opportunities and match San Diego companies with investment possibilities in Mexico. CONNECT members ESET, Qualcomm Inc., Sempra Energy and SENTRE Partners were also a part of the delegation, along with a number of elected officials and business and community leaders. For more information about the Mission to Mexico, please click here.

April 14, 2011 | Xconomy
Recent CONNECT speaker interviewed in Xconomy
Dr. James Fowler, who was this week's presenter at CONNECT's Frontiers in Science & Technology, recently spoke with Xconomy about his take on the role social networks play in bringing about large-scale change. While critics have argued that connections made between people online are considered weak as opposed to the ties we have with family, neighbors and friends, Dr. Fowler points out that this view overlooks some critical links. "People do not just have countless weak ties online. Buried among all those weak ties are some strong ties. And they can make all the difference," said Fowler. Read more at Xconomy.

April 8, 2011 | Ontario Centres of Excellence
CONNECT President & COO joins founding board of the International Commercialization Alliance
Camille Sobrian Saltman, President and COO of CONNECT, has joined the board of directors of The Ontario Centres of Excellence's (OCE) Centre for Commercialization of Research (CCR), which recently played host to the International Commercialization Forum – the first meeting of the International Commercialization Alliance (ICA). The forum, whose mission is to help build viable companies that are based on publicly funded research, brought together experts and thought leaders from 18 countries to discuss best practice models and pave the way for improved global innovation. Forty-seven founding members signed a formal declaration of intent to create the organization and Forums are planned to convene annually.
To read the full press release, click here.
To find out more about the International Commercialization Forum, click here.
To find out more about the Ontario Centre of Excellence, click here.

April 8, 2011
Why an emerging company needs strong directors and advisors – Upcoming FrameWorks Workshop, April 14
Soliciting an expert Board of Advisors or building an expanded Board of Directors can be daunting. Let CONNECT help you learn more about this process at the upcoming FrameWorks workshop scheduled on April 14, titled "Getting What You Need from Boards of Directors and Advisors," where attendees will learn from a group of experts how to recruit and be recruited for a Board; the differences between a Board of Advisors and Board of Directors; important questions a potential Board member should ask before joining; how Board members should be compensated and incentivized and what makes a good Board member.
Read full article by Bruce I. Doyle, III, Ph.D. here.
Read calendar announcement here.

April 1, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
Gene Ray inducted into CONNECT Hall of Fame
Longtime San Diego businessman and founder of Titan Corp., Gene Ray was inducted into the CONNECT Entrepreneur Hall of Fame earlier yesterday. Among the 250 guests assembled to honor Ray were past honoree Linden Blue and distinguished guests, Betty and Mary Ann Beyster and Mary Walshok. Duane Roth, CONNECT's CEO said "Gene has played a groundbreaking leadership role in our community, building and growing the defense cluster while creating tens of thousands of jobs for San Diegans. We are honored to induct him into our Entrepreneur Hall of Fame."
Read more here.

April 1, 2011 | Phoenix Business Journal
CONNECT Director of Public Policy optimistic about SBIR awards for VC firms
It looks like the reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program may be en route to passage in the Senate. This in turn would potentially mean more federal funding for small businesses. The dispute over whether small businesses which are majority-owned by venture capital (VC) firms could compete for SBIR funds seems to have reached a compromise in the Senate bill: depending on agency, between 15 and 25 percent of SBIR funds could be awarded to companies which are owned by VC firms. Timothy Tardibono, CONNECT's director of public policy said, "Venture-backed applicants have already demonstrated a strong business plan by which to break into an industry sector; allowing for more VC-backed applicants will create new jobs and grow companies in a way that will generate new tax revenue."
Read more here.

April 1, 2011 | Xconomy
Sobering news in latest CONNECT Innovation Report
The CONNECT fourth quarter 2010 Innovation Report released this week shows that San Diego's start-up rate for tech companies dropped 13% and venture capital (VC) funding hit a seven year low, down more than 50% from pre-recession levels. In last quarter of 2010, San Diego start-ups attracted only 1% of VC investment. On a positive note, San Diego leads state in patent activity growth and federal research funding per capita, and merger and acquisitions doubled in value and number of deals from 2009.
Please find links to the full report and executive summary.
Read more at Xconomy.

March 28, 2011
Five winners selected to present at CONNECT's Digital Life! Venture Roundtable
On March 14, a distinguished panel of industry judges selected five digital companies to present their technologies to a group of VCs and angel investors on April 27 at the Digital Life! Venture Roundtable. The winners, selected from a group of 10 finalists, include Analog Analytics, Deal Current, Digital Group Audio, Finder Technologies and Innovega Inc. The judging panel was made up of industry experts including senior executives from Airgain, California MedTech, Calit2, Hewlett Packard, Kyocera Communications, Legend 3D, UC San Diego Rady School of Management, Volcano Corporation, Allen Matkins, Jones Lang LaSalle, Manpower Inc. and Security Business Bank. CONNECT would like to thank lead sponsor Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP, support sponsor Jones Lang LaSalle and event partners San Diego Software Industry Council (SDSIC) and San Diego Venture Group for their significant support and participation in the program. If you’re a venture capitalist or angel investor interested in attending the Digital Life! Venture Roundtable on April 27, please contact Orlee Dykan at odykan@connect.org.

March 25, 2011 | Phoenix Business Journal
CONNECT Director of Public Policy optimistic about SBIR awards for VC firms
It looks like the reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program may be en route to passage in the Senate. This in turn would potentially mean more federal funding for small businesses. The dispute over whether small businesses which are majority-owned by venture capital (VC) firms could compete for SBIR funds seems to have reached a compromise in the Senate bill: depending on agency, between 15 and 25 percent of SBIR funds could be awarded to companies which are owned by VC firms. Timothy Tardibono, CONNECT's director of public policy said, "Venture-backed applicants have already demonstrated a strong business plan by which to break into an industry sector; allowing for more VC-backed applicants will create new jobs and grow companies in a way that will generate new tax revenue."

March 22, 2011 | The Daily Transcript
Changing behavior, not developing software, critical to cyber security
The future of cyber security depends on awareness and education, not software solutions, according to local industry members who participated in a Daily Transcript executive roundtable. "The first line of defense is behavior, and we've got a long way to go," said Ruben Barrales, president and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. The chamber is a founding partner of "Securing our eCity," an ESET-led initiative to put San Diego among the most cyber-secure cities in America. Software can be made to the ceiling of current technological development, Barrales and others said, but can't prevent much if end users aren't adequately educated on safe Web practices.

Earlier in the week, it was reported that Health Net (NYSE: HNT) exposed nearly 2 million current and past enrollees, including 845,000 Californians, to identity theft when their personal records were lost in a cyber security breach. The second major ping in the last two years for the Woodland Hills-based insurer, the breach occurred when company hard drives containing unencrypted data went missing.

Too many potential targets of hackers believe they're safe from cyber threats, the panel said. While too many individuals believe the large companies they entrust their personal information with take adequate cyber security measures, it's also true that too many small companies believe they don't have anything of value to hackers. And then there's the problem of employees not knowing what online activities are safe to conduct on work computers. "If we were aware of all the threats out there, many of us wouldn't use the Internet," said Camille Sobrian Saltman, president and COO of Connect.

March 22, 2011
2011 DxMA Global Marketing Summit Session Topics and Speakers Announced; CEO of CONNECT to speak on Technologies Related to Personalized Healthcare
The Diagnostic Marketing Association has finalized the schedule of events and speakers for the 2011 DxMA Global Marketing Summit being held on April 27-28 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Diego.

"This year's conference lineup will give attendees insights into the device and diagnostic field from numerous perspectives," said DxMA President Brian Durkin. "We have industry leaders and federal regulators on the schedule and know that attendees will walk away with an arsenal of practical tools and examples."

On April 27, attendees will have the opportunity to attend lectures and forums on numerous topics moderated by featured speakers. The lineup for Day 1 includes:

Merging Technology to Drive Personalized Healthcare Closer to the Patient: Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT. Roth serves on numerous advisory committees and boards for life sciences organizations and companies. He will discuss early stage innovation and the integration of diagnostic testing, medical devices and therapeutics to benefit patients, healthcare professionals and third parties.

View full lineup here.

March 16, 2011 | San Diego News Room
Is the First-to-File Patent Reform Bill right for America?
The America Invents Act (S. 23), originally titled the Patent Reform Act of 2011, passed the Senate by a vote of 95 to five. The bill's author was Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and Chuck Grassley (Iowa) the Ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) were original co-sponsors of the bill. An amendment to strip S. 23 of its troubling grace-period provision by striking the section of the bill containing the conversion of America's first to invent patent priority system to a first to file patent system introduced by Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) was defeated 87-13.

The America Invents Act (S. 23), originally titled the Patent Reform Act of 2011, passed the Senate by a vote of 95 to five. The bill's author was Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and Chuck Grassley (Iowa) the Ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) were original co-sponsors of the bill. An amendment to strip S. 23 of its troubling grace-period provision by striking the section of the bill containing the conversion of America's first to invent patent priority system to a first to file patent system introduced by Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) was defeated 87-13.

When the bill was first introduced by the new Congress in January, Timothy Tardibono, CONNECT'S Washington D.C. Office Director said, "The bill makes it harder for inventors to perfect their invention before filing while ignoring a major Supreme Court case that will further exacerbate the patent application backlog and pendency time. There is no need to rush this bill through until it fully protects innovation instead of hurting innovation and killing job creation." This legislation he mentioned is Microsoft v. i4i patent infringement case, in which Microsoft is petitioning the U. S. Supreme Court to lower the standard needed to prove a patent invalid from the current standard of clean and convincing to preponderance of the evidence.

March 14, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
Home is Where the Talent is
Typically when company leaders think of prospective locations, they evaluate several fixed costs, including labor, transportation, utilities and real estate. There is also the incentive package that a local government can pull together. That is a variable cost. But it's an objective measure. The sixth factor swings the decision over into the subjective realm. That's quality of life. When evaluating the merits of a location, such as whether Denver is a better place than San Diego, different people will give different answers. Duane Roth, chief executive officer of Connect, an organization that helps entrepreneurial companies in the region, said he's inclined to agree with former U.S. Senate candidate and former Hewlett-Packard Co. chief Carly Fiorina when she was asked where to build a company. "Easy," Roth said, paraphrasing Fiorina. "Put it where the talent wants to live." What motivated Gateway Inc.'s Ted Waitt to move his personal computer company to San Diego in 1998, Roth said, was a realization that top-end talent did not want to live in the region around North Sioux City, in South Dakota. Gateway, incidentally, moved to Orange County in 2004.
Read more here.

March 4, 2011
ElliptiGO received advice from sport retail experts at MIT Enterprise Forum SD
The need to focus more on domestic sales was the overriding suggestion that Bryan Pate, co-founder of ElliptiGO, the world's first outdoor elliptical bicycle and a  2010 CONNECT Most Innovative Products Award winner, received at the case presentation last week at MIT Enterprise Forum San Diego.  Read the full summary by Andrew Sexton of Cassidy Turley BRE Commercial and a member of MITEF-SD.

March 1, 2011 | La Jolla Patch
Get ready to get funded: March is "Funding Month" for CONNECT's FrameWorks Workshops
CONNECT continues to develop ways to help start-up companies in San Diego make informed decisions with regard to raising capital. This month, we have lined up three workshops to provide actionable advice on financing your new venture.  Beginning with Preparing for Investment on March 15, this workshop will teach you how to structure your company for potential investment.  On March 22nd, we will present The Employee Ownership Alternative, providing you with the tools you will need to build the company that you want, and finishing the month on March 30th with Art of the Term Sheet, a program designed to educate entrepreneurs on negotiating the terms of a financing deal.  All three of these workshops are back by popular demand - take advantage now of this great opportunity to learn these business essentials from the experts.

February 28, 2011 | Shop-Eat-Surf
SDSI advisory board member and Adio Footwear's Jim Stroesser on remaking entire business model
SDSI advisory board member and President of Adio Footwear, Jim Stroesser sat down with Shop-Eat-Surf to discuss the remaking of Adio's entire business model by cutting the Adio skate team, relocating corporate offices, lowering prices and targeting a more mainstream price sensitive customer. "It was a controversial decision, but at the end of the day the brand has to make money to survive." Stroesser joined Adio in December 2009 and has been involved in the industry for over 25 years. Stroesser praises SDSI for its ability to connect new technologies to the sports industry and provide a networking platform for companies and individuals. "Through SDSI, I have become involved with Code Technology and Neptune Technologies, both companies that have break-through technologies that have huge potential to be game changers in the sports industry."

February 25, 2011 | The San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT CEO, Duane Roth, tours Sempra's natural gas import plant in Ensenada
On February 11, top San Diego business leaders, including CONNECT CEO Duane Roth, toured Sempra's natural gas import plant in Ensenada as part of the Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Coalition for Border Prosperity. Warned beforehand that the plant was embroiled in a heated dispute over its permit with the new mayor of Ensenada, attending coalition members were told to expect the presence of TV cameras and press outside. Luckily, all members completed their tour and departed the plant safely just minutes before the Sempra-Ensenada tensions became tangible when the mayor's forces invaded the facility as part of a takeover attempt. According to Roth in an interview in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the political turmoil "does not reflect well for future investments of this type."

February 24, 2011 | The Daily Transcript
CONNECT President, Camille Sobrian Saltman, discusses at Executive Roundtable future outsourcing resources CONNECT will provide for startups and engineering firms
The recession has changed the game for technology companies in San Diego, a city not known for being an easy place to do business to begin with. At a recent Daily Transcript executive roundtable, more than a half-dozen technology executives said the financial turmoil of the last few years has made access to capital more difficult than ever, and the lack of skilled engineers in this region has become a glaring issue. Several have been forced to change their business practices, for example, relying more on outsourcing.

Camille Sobrian Saltman, president and chief operations officer of the trade group Connect, pointed out that currently, the United States is not graduating enough engineering students. However, the problem is felt acutely in technology centers like San Diego. "There are 6,000 open software engineering positions in San Diego," Saltman said. "And that's everyone from Jack in the Box to (more high-tech)." This, in addition to economic reasons, is why many high-tech companies outsource their engineering needs, including to offshore.

Saltman said Connect is working hard at generating resources to make it easier for San Diego companies to navigate these challenges, so that they don't leave for other opportunities. There are, after all, plenty of other regions offering tax breaks and land discounts to try and lure high-tech companies. Connect also is creating directories of businesses that might be able to partner with startups, as well as directories of engineering firms that can take on outsourcing work. She said that while San Diego has disadvantages, the city's famously entrepreneurial and friendly manner could be a serious economic asset.
Read more here.

February 22, 2011 | La Jolla Light
Nordstrom runway show raises funds for New Children's Museum
Landmark Aviation on Pacific Highway was the scene of Nordstrom's Spring Preview on Feb. 23 that featured garments from European and American designers and doubled as a benefit for the New Children's Museum, 200 West Island Ave., San Diego. Guests were treated to cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, a runway show, shopping discounts, and dessert. The event committee included Shannon Bartlett, Terri Bourne, Robin Wilson Carrier, Ellise Coit, Vicki Eddy, Caroline Farwell, Jennifer Greenfield, Michelle Horner, Lauren Krause-Garbacz, Patsy Marino, Andrea Naversen, Maryanne Pfister, Rex Romande, Jinda Schatz, Camille Sobrian, Sheryl White and Vicki Zeiger.

February 22, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
Economic Ecosystems Create Enterprising Environments
Despite the hammering of the Golden State by a steep recession, San Diego has more than held its own. The state's jobless rate hovers around 12.5 percent. San Diego's? Around 10 percent. The secret? In a word, clusters. What are clusters? Well, the short answer is that they are businesses in a similar industry located near each other. First, they are geographically centered in a region, such as biotechnology or defense. Second, they are interrelated. "They sell goods and services among themselves." The area's biotech cluster, for example, is an ecosystem of important companies surrounded by service providers and research and development agencies, mostly in higher education and research. These clusters consist of industries in which the work is performed here and then sold to customers outside the region, bringing in new dollars for the economy. Sandag lists 16 cluster sectors, which grew more than 20 percent in the decade of the 1990s, compared with 14 percent for business overall in the same period. "They are the drivers of new jobs," he said. "Twenty-five (percent) to 30 percent of the companies provide 80 (percent) to 90 percent of the growth in the economy." The current clusters include such industries as agriculture, biotech, biomedical, computer and electronic manufacturing, entertainment, defense, medical equipment, tourism and wireless communications.

Sanford Ehrlich, executive director of the Entrepreneurial Management Center at San Diego State University, said one overlooked aspect of the cluster phenomenon is the intense competitiveness in most clusters, which helps to foster creativity. "It's a paradox," he said. "Collaboration drives competition, and competition drives collaboration." That so many like-minded companies are close together helps to foster innovation, and helps a cluster grow. Sanford said another phenomenon of clustering is the convergence of technologies, for example the convergence of health care and wireless to foster new ideas in mobile health applications on smart phones. He said Connect, the San Diego public-private organization pushing the formation of new companies, is looking to create a cluster around companies that supply products and services to other companies, so that clusters can "near source" their needs rather than outsourcing to other regions. The success of clustering has had a number of positive effects for the area, including a more educated work force.
Read more here.

February 21, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
Pillars of the Community
Duane Roth, chief executive officer of Connect — an organization that links young businesses with the resources they need to grow — divides the San Diego economy into five clusters.

The key clusters, Roth asserts, are the four that import money from out of town. These drive the rest of the local economy. They are:

• The technology innovation/manufacturing cluster, which according to Connect employed 137,450 workers in 5,950 companies during the first quarter of 2010. The cluster takes in wireless communications, biotech and small, emerging areas such as recreational goods.

• Research institutions. San Diego has 82, which employ 30,000 people, said Steve Hoey, a Connect employee who compiles the organization's quarterly Innovation Report. The number excludes the U.S. Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, aka Spawar, which operates its own research lab and has 4,500 employees. Research institutions bring in roughly $5 billion a year from Washington, D.C., Roth said. Sources include the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Defense. Star researchers attract money, Roth added. They include J. Craig Venter of the J. Craig Venter Institute and Larry Smarr of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology.
  
• The cluster taking in conventions, tourism and gaming employs 152,600 people, according to the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau. It imports money in a relatively low-tech way: Tourists bring the cash.
• San Diego also has its military cluster. According to an April report from the San Diego Military Advisory Council, the Defense Department directly employed 137,000 people in fiscal 2008, the last year for which statistics were available. Government contractors received $8.9 billion in contracts in fiscal 2008, SDMAC reported. It's another instance of Washington sending money to San Diego.
• The remaining cluster is local services — the restaurants, auto dealers and hospitals.

When things go well, Roth said, the initial four clusters pour money into the fifth. People buy homes, buy cars and dine out. Money recycles in the community. It's a "feedback loop," Roth said.

The danger, Roth said, is assuming that local commerce is the only thing that matters in the economy. "It's the beneficiary of the traded economy," Roth said, referring to the four other clusters that import money from outside the area.

Politicians may be too concerned about the last cluster and not the preceding four, he added.

Roth said that people concerned about San Diego's economic development should ask themselves how they can promote the four clusters. What's more, he said, they ought to familiarize themselves with the top challenge to each of those clusters.

For example, in the tourism cluster, Roth said, there is the need for an expanded convention center. Boosters of a $710 million, 400,000-square-foot addition say the current center turns away large amounts of business every year.

"Build the convention center, guys," Roth said. "We can't afford not to."

Read more here.

February 17, 2011 | Live PR
Legend3D Takes Home 2010 Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Award at CONNECT´s 23rd Annual MIP Awards
Legend3D, Inc. : was honored with the 2010 Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Award in the software category for the company´s patented 2D-to-3D conversion technology at CONNECT´s 23rd Annual MIP Awards on Dec. 10. For the past 23 years, CONNECT´s MIP Awards program : has honored new products created and launched in San Diego with the potential to make a worldwide impact on society.

February 11, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
CONNECT's Young Innovators' benefactor, Biogen Idec, featured in SDBJ for educating students
Karin Lucas, a scientist at Biogen Idec who has a doctorate in biochemistry from UC San Diego, enjoys seeing the eyes of her students light up. The San Diego classroom she leads meets only for one day each year, but the knowledge she imparts could make a difference for business professionals working and investing in San Diego's life sciences. The class is part of the BIOCOM Institute, a nonprofit educational organization which is affiliated with BIOCOM, San Diego's largest trade association of life sciences companies. The course, "Industry Knowledge for the Non-Scientist," is geared toward business professionals stumped by scientific terms and processes, but is also popular with investors attempting to make sense of the companies they're interested in backing. Along with their commitment to professional education, Biogen Idec has also partnered with CONNECT to develop the Young Innovators pilot program. This program allows San Diego entrepreneurs to share fun and exciting technology with students around the county to get them excited about taking math and science courses and provide them with real-world applications for what they'll be studying.

February 5, 2011 | North County Times
CONNECT CEO, Duane Roth, comments on importance of San Diego water supply for local economy, biotech industry
San Diego County brushed up against disaster in the drought winter of 1991. Its only supplier of imported water, Metropolitan Water District, imposed a 50 percent cut in the water it would provide.

Over the last 20 years, the San Diego County Water Authority, the county's water wholesaler, has achieved some impressive successes in developing a more reliable water supply. This includes conservation, which it counts as a new supply. But major challenges remain, and the county could still face water crises in the near future.

A lack of reliable water is far worse for business than other challenges, such as congested roads and airports, said Duane Roth, CEO of Connect, a San Diego-based nonprofit that supports technology innovation.

"You won't leave town over them," Roth said of those inconveniences. "What you'll leave town over is not being able to get power or water." The nascent biotech industry would have been especially damaged, said Roth, himself a biotech veteran who pleaded with local officials in 1991 to save biotech from the worst of the cuts.

Read more here.

February 4, 2011
CONNECT Springboard graduates from last 6 years raise total of almost $200M
Based on CONNECT's research in The Springboard Program Impact Assessment Report published this week, that at least 94 of the 179 companies (53%) surveyed are still in business. The Report tracks the success and metrics of companies that have completed the Springboard program since 2005. Seventy graduates have raised a reported total of nearly $190 million. Springboard companies reported more than 600 people employed at the end of December 2010 - more than double the approximately 240 they reported before they entered the Springboard program.

Read the full report.

February 4, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
CONNECT Public Policy Forum featured in SDBJ
Advancing wireless health care was the topic of the recent CONNECT Public Policy forum sponsored by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney and hosted by AMN Healthcare. Speakers addressed such topics as working effectively with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; launching a wireless health product internationally; and forming strategic partnerships that will ensure a revenue stream for hand-held devices in health care, which includes mobile phones, monitoring devices and everything in between.

Read more at the San Diego Business Journal.

February 4, 2011 | The San Diego Union-Tribune
Stem Cell Institute is generating jobs
According to a report released by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, which is vice chaired by CONNECT CEO Duane Roth, the $1.1 billion that California taxpayers have provided for stem cell research in the state is generating 2,739 jobs annually. "This report demonstrates that we've delivered on the economic promise (of the funding program) today, even as we continue to see strong positive milestones on the research side progressing rapidly toward therapies," said Robert Klein, chairman of the San Francisco-based Institute's governing board. Since most of the work still focuses on early basic science and studies in animals, the funding has mainly created jobs tied to laboratory construction and positions for new scientists, assistants and lab technicians, according to the study.

Read more at The San Diego Union-Tribune.

February 4, 2011
Vice Chair of CONNECT named Chief Sales Officer of Barney & Barney
Trindl Reeves, vice chair of CONNECT and a principal with Barney & Barney LLC, has recently been named chief sales officer by the insurance brokerage's ownership team. Reeves, who joined the firm as a principal in 2006, has been a key component of the firm's growth and as chief sales officer will be responsible for leading the firm's company-wide sales effort.

Read more.

January 28, 2011
Long Island Association looks to CONNECT model for establishing and keeping high-tech companies within the state
Long Island has always been successful in creating new start-up companies, however, keeping them within the state is another story. Now, with Accelerate Long Island, an initiative announced by Brookhaven Supervisor Mark Lesko, research institutions and the Long Island Association, there is hope for change. Accelerate Long Island will aim to establish more permanent ties between innovative researchers and business leaders that can create and grow start-up companies. Lesko made clear that emulating best practices of proven business-science collaboration, such as CONNECT, would give them a head start. With help from Stony Brook University, Hofstra University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System and the Hofstra-North Shore-LIJ Medical School, Lesko is hopeful that they can build strong relationships between local researchers and business leaders and foster growth and to keep startups within the state.

Read more.

January 27, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
MIP Award Winner NeuroVigil featured in SDBJ with insights from CONNECT CEO
NeuroVigil offers analysis of brain signals, testing for evaluation of sleep apnea, and evaluation of pharmaceutical effects on sleep. With business partners such as Roche and Stanford University already on board to test its wireless brain recording technology and a 2010 MIP Award in the Life Sciences/Diagnostics and Research Tools category for iBrain, NeuroVigil is looking to make some other smart moves in 2011. Impressed with the company's track record, CONNECT CEO Duane Roth said NeuroVigil is emblematic of a San Diego company that could be a game changer in the wireless health arena. "I really like the area they are working in," said Roth. "Products like iBrain have enormous potential to streamline health care diagnoses and lower costs."

Read more at the San Diego Business Journal.

January 27, 2011
CONNECT welcomes new members - UC San Diego Medical Center, Logic PD, and Hewlett Packard
CONNECT is proud to announce that UC San Diego Medical Center, Logic PD, and Hewlett Packard (HP) are its newest members. A cure for a rare form of leukemia. A remarkable clot-busting drug for stroke victims. That's the power of academic medicine, and that is what the UC San Diego Medical Center provides as part of the renowned University of California system. As one of the most respected education and research institutions in the world, it draws some of the brightest medical and scientific minds to collaborate on discovering breakthroughs for the health care industry. As the only academic health system in the San Diego region, its mission is to provide excellent and compassionate patient care, advance medical discoveries, and educate the health care professionals of tomorrow.

Read more.

Logic PD offers innovative product solutions for all phases of a product's life cycle, from product design, development, and engineering to manufacturing services. Logic PD is a leading developer and global supplier of System on Modules (SOMs) and development kits. Offering unparalleled partnerships with access to key technologies, Logic PD enables customers to control costs, reduce risks, and deliver products to market sooner.

Read more.

HP offers the most complete technology product portfolio in today's marketplace. It explores how technology and services can help people and companies address their problems and challenges, and realize their possibilities, aspirations, and dreams. HP applies new thinking and ideas to create simpler, more valuable, and trustworthy experiences with technology, continuously improving the way its customers live and work.

Read more.

January 27, 2011
Learn how to formulate a winning strategy at Agile Strategy for New Ventures, a CONNECT Frameworks workshop - in partnership with Blue Mine Group
On February 3, Michael Lurie, founder and CEO of Blue Mine Group, will present an introduction to agile strategy and explain how you can implement this powerful process in your company to accelerate short-term performance and maximize long-term value. Whether your immediate challenges are to find investors, develop the right products, win customers, develop partnerships or accelerate revenue and cashflow, your company's strategy is the key driver of the time, effort and cost needed to accomplish your operational goals. Your strategy also defines your company's ability to create and realize substantial future value for your stakeholders. In short, your strategy determines your company's success or failure, both short and long term. However, for many early-stage companies, formulating a winning strategy is an extraordinarily difficult undertaking.

Read more and register for Agile Strategy for New Ventures.

January 27, 2011
Eat/ Drink/ CONNECT at the Digital Life! Connect with CONNECT
On March 10, business leaders from all of San Diego's technology clusters will be at Connect with CONNECT – a networking reception that attracts more than 400+ leaders from San Diego's most innovative industries. The theme of this event is Digital Life! Come out and see cool technology displays from San Diego's digital clusters including electronics, mobile communications devices, digital imaging, Web 3.0, applications, gaming, media, entertainment, cyber security business, and more. This event is sponsored by Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, along with host sponsor KPMG LLP and supporting sponsor Jones Lang LaSalle.

Register here.

January 27, 2011
January MIT Enterprise Forum focused on nearsourcing business strategies with NxGen Electronics
Enabling a company to effectively nearsource some of its development and manufacturing as part of a long term business strategy was a focus of the case presentation by NxGEN Electronics at last week's MIT Enterprise Forum San Diego (MITEF), sponsored by DavenportMajor. Moderator, Camille Sobrian Saltman, CONNECT President and COO, was joined by a panel of experts during the presentation at the Salk Institute. Pamela Stambaugh of Accountability Pays and Vice Chair of the local MITEF provided the summary write-up.

Read more.

January 27, 2011
Pre-registration is now available for the 2011 Biomimicry Conference - Nature, Innovation, and the New Economy
 The conference is presented by mirasol® a display innovation by Qualcomm, organized by the San Diego Zoo Global, and sponsored by Qualcomm, CONNECT and others. Early registration is recommended, as all previous public bioinspiration programs have filled to capacity. General conference registration will be open to the public beginning February 8, 2011.

Access the pre-registration page.
Register over the phone at (619) 231-1515 ext. 4076
Read more about the conference.

January 21, 2011
Six winners selected to present at CONNECT's Convergence Venture Roundtable  
On Jan. 18, an industry panel of judges selected six convergence companies to present at the Feb. 23 Convergence Venture Roundtable to a group of VCs and angel investors. The winners included Hadronex, Inc.; LightStream, L.P.; MicroPower Technologies; QuantumSphere Inc.; Sotera Wireless; and Wavestate Inc. The companies were selected from a group of 10 finalists. The distinguished judging panel was made up of industry experts from Latham & Watkins LLP; Qualcomm Incorporated; Achates Power; Entropic Communications; Legend3D, Inc.; Merck & Co., Inc.Procopio Business Advisors; Sanford Consortium; Sempra Energy Utilities; Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.; and Verimatrix, Inc. CONNECT would like to thank lead sponsor Latham & Watkins LLP, support sponsor Qualcomm Incorporated and event partner San Diego Venture Group for their significant support and participation in the program.

If you a venture capitalist or angel investor interested in attending the Convergence Venture Roundtable on Feb 23, please contact Orlee Dykan.

January 21, 2011 | The Hastings Center Report
"An Insider's Perspective on Patient Representatives" published in Hastings Center Report; presentation for The Center of Ethics in Science & Technology 
The Hastings Center, an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit bioethics research institute, has recently published, "A Third Seat at the Table: An Insider's Perspective on Patient Representatives," which discusses whether patient advocates should participate in the FDA drug approval process.

Read the full article.

On February 2, the Center for Ethics in Science & Technology will feature a presentation by Duane Roth, CEO, CONNECT about whether patients should be included in the FDA drug approval process. Issues regarding the safety and efficacy of new medical products intersect at the table where FDA regulators and companies negotiate approvals. Roth will discuss how patient advocates could strengthen this review process by serving as mediators.

Register for the Center for Ethics in Science & Technology event.

January 21, 2011
SDSI recruits ROGUE to spearhead interactive & brand development  
Along with redesigning San Diego Sport Innovators' (SDSI) website to include a robust Content Management System and SEO optimization, ROGUE will evolve the existing look and feel of the SDSI brand and create a consistent identity across all relevant off-line and digital communication vehicles. It will also provide social network marketing coaching with the goal of increasing awareness and membership. "After an extensive search, we chose ROGUE to reinvent our web presence. The high quality of their work and creative designs, combined with their expertise in developing platforms for smart phones and tablets won us over. We are looking forward to a long-term partnership," said Dana Shertz, Co-Chair Advisory Board of SDSI.

Read more at Transworld Business.
Read more at Malakye.com.

January 19, 2011 | La Jolla Light
County's Economic Roundtable to exploree local outlook, CONNECT President to discuss future growth in the high tech sector and venture capital opportunities
A collection of local experts will share their observations and expectations for 2011 at the 27th Annual San Diego County Economic Roundtable at the University of San Diego on Jan. 28.
The forum will examine local and national economic forecasts, the local real-estate market, growth projections in the local high tech sector, unemployment, and demographic and growth projections for the region.

More than 300 attendees are expected at the Roundtable, the region's longest-running free economic forecasting event. Bill Horn, chairman of the Board of Supervisors. will deliver opening remarks and the discussion will be moderated by Ryan Ratcliff, assistant professor of Economics with USD's School of Business Administration. Panelists include: Marney Cox, chief economist, San Diego Association of Governments; Dr. Alan Gin, associate professor of economics, USD; Dr. Lynn Reaser, chief economist, Point Loma Nazarene University; Mark Marquez, outgoing president, San Diego Association of Realtors; Camille Sobrian-Saltman, president and chief operation officer, CONNECT, and Mark Cafferty, president and CEO, San Diego Workforce Partnership.

The 27th Annual San Diego County Economic Roundtable is open to the public and will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice at USD, 5998 Alcala Park in San Diego.

More information here.

 

January 14, 2011
First MITEF of 2011 to feature San Diego nearsourcing company NxGen Electronics
NxGen Electronics will be January 19th's business case presentation at the Salk Institute, presented by the MIT Enterprise Forum San Diego (MITEF) with presenting sponsor, DavenportMajor.  Delivering NxGEN's case will be COO, Dr. Stephie Althouse who sees partnership with clients and collaboration with competitors as key marketing strategies for their success. The NxGEN business model and Forum discussion serve as an example of the central features in CONNECT'S "nearsourcing" initiatives.  In efforts to help local outsourcing companies look for local nearsourcing partners, CONNECT is providing access to a searchable network of more than 5,000 local nearsourcing services thru "The Connectory."  

Read more about the MITEF Jan 19 program and access CONNECT's Nearsourcing Marketplace.

January 14, 2011 | The Daily Transcript
SDSI Executive Chairman Bill Walton featured in The Daily Transcript for his thoughts on the sports innovation economy
As he heads into his second year as chairman of the San Diego Sports Innovators (SDSI) Bill Walton shared his thoughts on the innovation economy where he believes the most valuable assets are dreams, spirits, minds and imagination in a feature story in The Daily Transcript. Walton also discussed the high standards set by CONNECT CEO Duane Roth and CONNECT President and SDSI co-founder Camille Sobrian Saltman.

Read more at The Daily Transcript.

January 14, 2011
CONNECT President to speak on innovation economy trends for 2011 at the 27th Annual San Diego County Economic Roundtable
Growth trends in San Diego's innovation economy and CONNECT's Innovation Report will be the focus of CONNECT President, Camille Sobrian Saltman's talk at the 27th Annual San Diego County Economic Roundtable on Jan. 28. The roundtable is the region's longest running economic forecasting event providing insight into changing market conditions and new economic realities. This lively discussion will feature a panel of experts covering the future of the economy including global markets, employment outlook, and the real estate picture.

Read more and register.

January 14, 2011
CONNECT CEO Duane Roth to be featured speaker for The Center for Ethics in Science & Technology
On February 2, the Center for Ethics in Science & Technology will feature a presentation by Duane Roth, CEO, CONNECT about whether patients should be included in the FDA drug approval process. On this subject, Roth recently authored an article, "A Third Seat at the Table," which was published this week by the Hastings Institute.

Read more and register.

January 7, 2011
CONNECT releases quarterly Innovation Report
CONNECT's newly released Third Quarter 2010 Innovation report shows 94 new technology start-ups were formed in San Diego in the third quarter of 2010. This was an increase of almost 50% from the second quarter of 2010 and an increase of more than 20% year-on-year.

The CONNECT Innovation Report is the first comprehensive quarterly report in the country to provide a set of indicators of the strength and impact of the innovation economy in San Diego versus other areas of the state or country depending on the indicator. The report highlights San Diego as a world leader in innovation with world-class research, leadership, and management talent. It tracks the health of the San Diego innovation economy by comparing data year on year and quarter to quarter, providing a comparison across tech industry clusters to selected regions and monitoring availability of various types of capital. The data helps policymakers and trade organizations plan and advocate effectively for our innovation economy. View it online or pick it up in this week's print edition of the San Diego Business Journal.

View the Innovation Report.

January 7, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal, KPBS
CONNECT CEO Duane Roth discusses San Diego growth of regional technology employment in SDBJ; provides insights for KPBS on San Diego innovation industry challenges from foreign competition
San Diego county's reputation as a hotbed for technology was bolstered with the announcement that with tech employment at 110,985 last year, San Diego is ranked 11th among high tech cities. The region is also the 11th largest in terms of its aggregate tech payroll, with $10.3 billion, according to the study, Cybercities 2010: The Definitive Analysis of the High Technology Industry in the Nation's Top 60 Cities. Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT was quoted in the story saying, "It's constantly evolving where the jobs are, but overall we're absorbing and adding jobs. The diversification of the science and technology industry here is so big and the skill sets those folks have are readily transferrable."

Read more at the San Diego Business Journal.

San Diego has about 550 biotech and life science companies who employ around 40,000 people however, the innovation industry faces rising competition from overseas in the new year. Governments in China, South Korea, India, and Europe are investing billions of dollars in their own scientific industries. In a recent KPBS article, CONNECT CEO Duane Roth discussed the financial impact of San Diego's innovation industry, saying, "The innovation economy and that's all sectors is about 5 to 6 percent of the employers, it's about 10 to 11 percent of employees and 25% of San Diego's payroll dollars."

Read more at KPBS.

January 7, 2011 | Transworld Business
San Diego Sports Innovators Executive Chairman Bill Walton featured in Transworld Business; named Honorary Chair and Parade Grand Marshal of Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl
Featured for his new commitment to sports innovation, new technologies, and manufacturing San Diego Sports Innovators (SDSI) Executive Chairman Bill Walton was profiled in the December issue of Transworld Business.

Read more at Transworld Business.

Hall of Fame basketball player and Executive Chairman of San Diego Sports Innovators, Bill Walton, served as Honorary Chairman of the 33rd annual Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl, Dec. 30. Walton also was named Grand Marshal of the bowl game's parade, the Port of San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade presented by the San Diego Credit Union.

Read more.

January 7, 2011
IEDC 2011 Leadership Summit includes keynote speech by SDSI Executive Chairman Bill Walton and presentation by CONNECT CEO Duane Roth
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC)'s 2011 Leadership Conference January 20-25, which provides an overview of the real estate development and reuse process, with an emphasis on the role of the economic developer will feature a keynote speech from San Diego Sports Innovators (SDSI) Executive Chairman Bill Walton at the luncheon January 24. The professional development program will also include an opening plenary session on innovation and the San Diego economy with Mary Walshok, PhD, Associate Vice Chancellor, Dean of UC San Diego Extension and CONNECT CEO Duane Roth on January 23, and a plenary session featuring Eric J. Topol, MD, Director, Scripps Translational Science Institute; Donald Casey, CEO and Board Member, West Wireless Health Institute, and Luis M. Cruz, President, SoCal Region, Verizon Wireless on January 25.

Register here.

January 7, 2011 | San Diego Business Journal
CONNECT Sr. Program Manager Steve Hoey discusses life sciences industry challenges of global competition  
In a recent San Diego Business Journal article, Hoey discusses the increasing amount of competition and investment coming from Asia and Europe as well as the recent credit crisis and economic downturn which have exacerbated related challenges that face life sciences companies seeking financing to develop and license drug leads or medical devices. "Despite the money challenges, it's hard to keep good ideas and passionate entrepreneurs down," said Hoey, "The life sciences sector is still going strong." Hoey summed up by citing that San Diego ranked first in California in the third quarter of 2010 with 33 new startups.

Read more at the San Diego Business Journal.

January 7, 2011
CONNECT partners with the San Diego Zoo on 2011 Biomimicry Conference presented by mirasol ® by Qualcomm 
The 2011 Biomimicry Conference, April 14-15, offers the opportunity to consider the solutions nature can offer. Leaders in business and innovation will discuss how biomimicry can transform a multitude of industries. Biomimicry has the potential to be a key driver of innovation and an economic game-changer. Products based on nature's principles are poised to be industry leaders in innovation, efficiency, and sustainability. Registration opens in February 2011 and is extremely limited.

Read more.

January 7, 2011 | La Jolla Light
Dr. Ivor Royston discusses impact of CONNECT on San Diego region 
As part of UC San Diego's 50th anniversary, the La Jolla Light recently asked several prominent members of the community for their thoughts on how the university has affected La Jolla, including Dr. Ivor Royston who was a member of the oncology faculty at UC San Diego from 1978 to 1990, and was inducted into the CONNECT Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in 2006. He, Vice Chancellor Mary Walshok, and others created UCSD CONNECT to assist entrepreneurs in fundraising, strategic alliances, and gaining marketing and management expertise. The article prominently discusses CONNECT's contributions to the innovation community, including its assistance in developing more than 2,000 technology companies in the La Jolla region.

Read more.

January 5, 2011 | KPBS
CONNECT's CEO Comments on San Diego's Innovation Industry Facing Foreign Competition
San Diego's biotech and innovation industry faces the new year with rising competition from overseas. Governments in China, South Korea, India and Europe are investing billions of dollars in their own scientific industries. San Diego has about 550 biotech and life science companies who employ around 40,000 people.

Duane Roth, CEO of Connect, an organization that fosters local innovation, says the financial impact of San Diego's newly coined "innovation industry" results in billions of local payroll dollars and significantly improves the regions tax base. "The innovation economy and that's all sectors is about 5 to 6 percent of the employers, it's about 10 to 11 percent of employees and 25 percent of San Diego's payroll dollars," said Roth.

Read full story here.

December 20, 2010 | San Diego Business Journal
Region Grows as a Technology Employment Hotbed
San Diego's reputation as a hotbed for high-tech was burnished earlier this month by a report from a national trade group that shows the region was tops in terms of showing a net gain of jobs for 2009.

The report by the TechAmerica Foundation, the research arm for TechAmerica, the industry trade group, showed San Diego increased its total technology employment by about 500 jobs last year. San Diego and Denver were the only large tech cities — those with more than 85,000 tech employees — to increase those types of jobs; the other cities all had a net loss of such jobs. By adding 485 jobs here, the county's total tech employment last year was 110,985, ranking it 11th among large high-tech cities. The area also is the 11th largest in terms of its aggregate tech payroll, with $10.3 billion, according to the study, Cybercities 2010: The Definitive Analysis of the High-Technology Industry in the Nation's Top 60 Cities.

The findings didn't surprise Kevin Carroll, executive director of TechAmerica, Southern California, who said the industry's relative health has much to do with its legacy. "Historically, San Diego has always been a strong center for high-tech because of the closeness to UCSD, the military, and the legacy of it being a research and development center," Carroll said. Though it may have lost some tech jobs during the Great Recession, the fact that it's not a corporate headquarters town meant the region didn't suffer any massive layoffs compared with some other cities, he said. "I've always said San Diego is a good place to hole up during tough times if you're a tech worker," he said.

Duane Roth, chief executive of Connect, the San Diego-based entrepreneurial nonprofit that focuses on helping early stage technology and life sciences companies, said the region has fared extremely well in terms of its technology employment. "It's constantly evolving where the jobs are, but overall we're absorbing and adding jobs," Roth said. "The diversification of the science and technology industry here is so big, and the skill sets those folks have are readily transferrable."

As it did some six years ago, San Diego was once again highly ranked in terms of workers in a jobs segment called research and development and testing labs. Last year, the area had 28,600 workers in that segment, the fifth largest among the large tech cities. That was up from four years ago when the county had 25,200 such R&D jobs, according to the report. In consumer electronics manufacturing, San Diego ranked first in the nation with 2,900 workers. That was down from 2006 when the report counted that segment having 3,300 of those jobs.

Of the R&D group, Roth said San Diego supports a lot of smaller and medium-sized companies involved in this varied work, as well as larger entities such as Qualcomm Inc. that obviously devotes a large portion of its business to this activity. Last year, Qualcomm said it had 9,859 employees in the county.

To read full article, click here.

December 10, 2010 | 10 News, San Diego Union-Tribune, Xconomy, KPBS, CNBC, Forbes
CONNECT 23rd Annual Most Innovative New Product Awards is a success
Last week's Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards were recognized by a variety of media outlets sharing the success of the event.The MIP Awards featured the announcement of winners in each of eight categories: action and sport technologies, aerospace and security technologies, clean technology, communications and IT, hardware and general technology, life sciences - diagnostics and research tools, life sciences - medical products, and software, along with the winners of the Distinguished Contribution Awards for Life Science and Technology and the winner of William W. Otterson Award. Barbara Bry, COO, Blackbird Ventures said, "Everything was perfect - the creative opening video, Bill Walton's sincerity and passion as MC, the acceptance speeches by all the winners, and the William W. Otterson award presentation to the Chipmans who represent the entrepreneurial innovative spirit so pervasive in San Diego."
Watch news segment at 10 News
Read more at the San Diego Union-Tribune
Read more at Xconomy
Listen to KPBS radio interview with Duane Roth, CEO, CONNECT
Read CNBC's coverage of NeuroVigil's MIP Award for iBrain
Read Forbes coverage of MIP Winner NeuroVigil's innovative treatments for brain diseases

December 10, 2010
CONNECT Announces San Diego's Most Innovative New Products of 2010
CONNECT, regarded as the world's most successful regional program linking inventors and entrepreneurs with the resources they need for success, today announced the winners of the 23rd Annual Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards. More than 800 of San Diego's top executives, entrepreneurs and academics attended the lunchtime event at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines Hotel. For the past 23 years, CONNECT's MIP Awards have served as a benchmark for predicting San Diego's most successful new products.

The MIP Award winners were selected from more than 100 entries, a record number, within eight categories: action and sport technologies, aerospace and security technologies, clean technology, diagnostics and research tools, medical products, software, hardware and general technology and communications and IT. Click here to see the full list of winners.

December 10, 2010 | Shop-eat-surf.com and Malakye
Marketing panel ─ "Lessons Learned: Turning Trip-Ups into Triumphs" is a Success
It was standing room only at CONNECT's San Diego Sports Innovators' (SDSI) Dec. 2nd event, featuring three sports marketing experts Mark "Schmiddy" Schmid, founder and CEO of ArtFunction Inc., Kevin Flanagan, VP of Marketing for Reef, and Bill Walton, executive chairman of SDSI. Nearly 80 sports-minded entrepreneurs attended the event sponsored by Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP, that featured discussions on business development through topics including business concept, designing a business plan, launching a business in the current economic climate, and the importance of building a brand. To read more about the lessons learned, click here. Read the full press release at Shop-eat-surf.com and Malakye.

December 10, 2010
First of the series: Manufacturing and Professional Service Cluster event
Learn more about the cost effectiveness of contracting with local manufacturers and professional service partners on December 14th at a discussion with Peter Cowhey, Dean, School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, UC San Diego; Duane Roth, CEO, CONNECT; Roger Bohn, Director, School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, UC San Diego; Jo Marie Diamond, CEO, East County Economic Development Council; Tyler Orion, Chair, CONNECT Foundation; Ted Fogliani, Founder and CEO, Outsource Manufacturing Inc, and others. The event is designed to educate entrepreneurs and investors about the advantages of nearsourcing. It will also educate policymakers on the additional incentives and training necessary to fully build out and capitalize on the jobs created by key technology clusters and the supply chain of outsourcing partners that they depend on to bring products to market. Emerging and growth companies are no longer able to raise the funding to build out R&D and manufacturing facilities in anticipation of product sales. Instead, today's model calls for nearsourcing partnerships with specialized service providers. Promotion and expansion of the local manufacturing and professional service clusters in San Diego can become key employment drivers for our region and offer the promise of creating high-paying, middle class jobs in San Diego.

December 9, 2010 | La Jolla Light
UCSD in La Jolla: Dr. Ivor Royston
Editor's note: To mark UCSD's 50th anniversary, the Light is asking people for their thoughts on how the university has affected La Jolla. Today, we hear from Dr. Ivor Royston, who was on the oncology faculty at UCSD from 1978 to 1990. He is a founding managing partner of Forward Ventures and, from 1990 to 2000, he served as the founding president and CEO of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center. In 1978, Royston co-founded Hybritech, Inc., San Diego's first biotechnology company and has been instrumental in the formation, financing, and development of numerous biotechnology companies, including being co-founder of IDEC Corp., which merged with Biogen to form BiogenIdec. In 2006, Dr. Royston was inducted into the San Diego Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.

"UCSD has had a profound effect on the community of La Jolla as well as San Diego's regional economy. The university's entrepreneurial culture and spirit have invigorated the university, its faculty and students, the business community and the San Diego region.

This began during my early years as a UCSD faculty member when Richard Atkinson was recruited from Stanford University in Silicon Valley to become chancellor of UCSD. He brought with him the entrepreneurial spirit that had pervaded the Bay Area. Upon arrival at UCSD he promoted high-tech start-ups near campus; he created interdisciplinary research centers in magnetic recording, molecular genetics, wireless communication and structural engineering; he raised the requisite unrestricted start-up funds to support these research centers, and most importantly he and Vice Chancellor Mary Walshok created UCSD Connect to assist entrepreneurs in fundraising, strategic alliances, and gaining marketing and management expertise. Working with the private sector, UCSD Connect provided members with educational resources, mentoring and access to venture capital.

Connect has become the most successful and national model for university-private sector entrepreneurship which numerous cities and regions have attempted to emulate. As a result, since 1985, Connect has contributed to developing more than 2,000 technology companies in the La Jolla region. This could only have resulted from the vision of the leaders of UCSD in the early '80s under Richard Atkinson. This unique partnership, brokered by UCSD, has defined the economy, culture and community of La Jolla and much of the San Diego region.

December 2, 2010
SDIPLA to honor Duane Roth, CEO CONNECT
At the annual IP Awards dinner, December 9th, the San Diego Intellectual Property Law Association will honor Duane Roth, CEO, CONNECT with its Annual IP Award for the contributions he has made to fostering and championing San Diego innovation. Read more here.

December 2, 2010
CONNECT director appointed to steering committee to create biomimicry hub
Ruprecht von Buttlar, director of business creation and development for CONNECT, has been invited to serve on the steering committee of a new alliance named BRIDGE intended to develop San Diego as the first biomimicry hub. Biomimicry is the discipline of applying nature's principles to solve human problems. The open collaboration of BRIDGE was initiated by the San Diego Zoo Global in collaboration with the City of San Diego, CONNECT, UC San Diego, San Diego State University, Point Loma Nazarene University and University of San Diego.

Supporting the potential for a biomimicry cluster is a recently released economic impact study done by the Fermanian Business & Economic Institute of Point Loma Nazarene and commissioned by the San Diego Zoo Global. Biomimicry provides the means to achieve major environmental and economic goals, according to the study. In 15 years, biomimicry could represent $300 billion annually of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010 dollars. Current use of biomimicry includes scientists who see an interesting concept in nature and then find a commercial application, and firms that are seeking a solution to a specific problem that find an answer in the natural world. Read more in the study's executive summary.

December 2, 2010
CONNECT announces new board members
At its November board meeting, the board of directors of CONNECT approved the following new members: Chris Baker, Senior Vice President, Support Services and Chief Information Officer, San Diego Gas & Electric; Jason Minter, General Manager, Epsilon Systems Solutions Rugged Engineered Products Sector; Bhasker V. Shetty, Ph.D., Vice President, Pfizer Worldwide R&D and Site Director of Pfizer La Jolla Laboratories, and Taylor L. Stevens, Partner with Morrison & Foerster LLP in San Diego.

November 24, 2010
Sanford Consortium Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa features stellar speaker line-up
On Dec. 7, Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa will feature J. Craig Venter, Sir John Gurdon, Rusty Gage and Peter Schultz, among other leading edge scientists and San Diego pioneers responsible for advancing research into cures for debilitating diseases and injuries and for exploring the imminent scientific, ethical and business challenges facing stem cell research today. With a structured panel discussion format designed to encourage optimal audience interaction, topics ranging from basic science and technologies to regulatory considerations will be explored in depth. Each year the meeting attracts hundreds of leading scientists, life sciences business executives and government officials from all over the region.

November 24, 2010
CONNECT President to give opening remarks at 8th BVS La Jolla Biotech Day event
Wednesday, Dec 1 BVS is hosting the 8th La Jolla Biotech Day at the Hyatt Regency La JollaGrand Ballroom. This event is being held to honor and celebrate life science accomplishments being achieved here in San Diego and will bring together top scientists, exhibitors, and top-notch speakers from local life science companies. The event will feature a panel of industry leading local experts discussing the latest advances in the fields of Proteomics and Genomics. The event is attended by more than 300 life sciences experts representingover 150 different life science companies and institutes and admission is free for researchers from life science companies and research institutions.

November 24, 2010 | Xconomy
CONNECT's public policy voice in DC speaks out for small business
As cited in Xconomy this week, Timothy Tardibono, CONNECT's director of public policy in Washington, DC, provided testimony last week to the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship calling for Congress to examine the "unequal impact federal regulations have on small businesses," especially those that are likely to hinder innovation. Tardibono cited a recent report released by the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy that says complying with federal regulations costs small businesses 36% more than large companies. Read more in Xconomy.

November 24, 2010 | Shop-eat-surf.com
Tony Hawk shares business wisdom with CONNECT SDSI
At CONNECT SDSI's Investor Forum titled The Hows and Whys of Investing in Action Sports Companies: The Opportunity for Investors, professional skateboarder Tony Hawk discussed his business ventures and approaches. Hawk focused on the necessity that young brands must keep control as long as possible, even if the financial rewards are not as great. Watch video clips of Hawk's discussion from the Investor Forum with NBA Legend and SDSI Executive Chairman Bill Walton on Shop-eat-surf.com.

November 23, 2010
CONNECT Announces 2010 Otterson Award Recipient
CONNECT announced that TurboTax®, the nation's best-selling tax preparation software is the recipient of this year's William W. Otterson Award.

In memory of CONNECT's founder and first executive director, Bill Otterson, the Otterson Award recognizes technologies or products developed in San Diego that have demonstrated a significant positive impact on society or on quality of life. Read the full release here.

November 22, 2010 | Xconomy
CONNECT's Tim Tardibono states facts about regulations small businesses face at Senate Committee meeting
The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship heard testimony last week on the heavier regulatory burden that small businesses bear. In a statement, Tim Tardibono, Connect's director of public policy in Washington, DC, called for Congress to examine the "unequal impact federal regulations have on small businesses," especially those that are likely to hinder innovation. Tardibono cited a recent report released by the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy that says complying with federal regulations costs small businesses 36 percent more than large companies.

November 18, 2010 | Yahoo! Sports
CONNECT SDSI Exec. Chairman and NBA legend Bill Walton to return to TV broadcasting
Bill Walton, one of sports' unique personalities, is returning to the airwaves on a part-time basis to help the league's ratings. Walton will call a few games this season for the Sacramento Kings' during local broadcasts. At last week's Kings-Suns game in Phoenix, Walton brought his witty hyperbole and expansive knowledge of the world at-large into his commentary. Read more here.

November 18, 2010
WTCSD launches water technology products and services export program
CONNECT is assisting the WORLD TRADE CENTER San Diego (WTCSD) in identifying San Diego based water technology manufacturers as part of a partnership between the WTCSD and the United States Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration. The objective is to encourage the export and use of U.S. technology and products to help solve critical water issues in 14 nations located in North Africa, the Middle East and India. Read more here.

November 18, 2010
CONNECT partners with the San Diego Zoo on Wine, Cheese and Nature's Wonders; Commissioned report shows biomimicry to be major economic driver for San Diego
On Nov. 18, the San Diego Zoo, CONNECT and Point Loma Nazarene University are pleased to present the third event in a series of Biomimicry programs, The Economic Impact of Biomimicry: A regional, national and international perspective. Be the first to hear Dr. Lynn Reaser, Chief Economist of the PLNU Fermanian Business and Economic Institute, provide an economic analysis of how biomimicry could affect the San Diego region in the next 15 years. Additional collaborating partners include the City of San Diego, CONNECT, UC San Diego, San Diego State University and University of San Diego. For more information and to register click here. All recipients will receive a copy of the biomimicry economic impact study, based on the report, commissioned by the San Diego Zoo from the Fermanian Business & Economic Institute (FBEI) at Point Loma Nazarene University, which quantifies the burgeoning field of biomimicry and its effects on San Diego. Read more on the biomimicry report here.

November 18, 2010 | Shop-eat-surf.com
Tony Hawk, investors and young brands gather at Skullcandy HQ for CONNECT SDSI event
CONNECT San Diego Sport Innovators invited young action sports companies and angel, venture capital and private equity investors to Skullcandy's San Clemente offices on Nov. 11 to create dialogue about the difference between investing in the action sports industry versus other sectors. Tony Hawk discussed the evolution of his business ventures and his business approach in a Q & A session with NBA Legend and SDSI Executive Chairman Bill Walton and a panel including Lewis (Lee) Bird, founder of Bridgetown Capital Partners, who previously worked as president of the Nike Affiliate Group (which includes Hurley and Converse); Aaron DeRose of Mercato Partners, an investor in Stance and Skullcandy; Brian O'Malley of Battery Ventures, also a Skullcandy investor; and Stewart Roberts, president of Tech Coast Angels' Orange County Network. Read more on Shop-eat-surf.com.

November 18, 2010 | The San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT recognized at UC San Diego's 50th anniversary
In this week's extensive coverage on UC San Diego's 50th anniversary, CONNECT was recognized as playing a part in UC San Diego's history. CONNECT was originally founded and run through the University Extension program, prior to spinning out five years ago. According to UC San Diego Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of University Extension, CONNECT co-founder and Board Member Mary Walshok, "The downtown economic development crowd was in a corner when somebody said, 'Look at that company Linkabit up on the mesa. Look at Hybritech. Maybe we should be growing our own companies." Read more in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

November 18, 2010
CONNECT to host a series of events focused on San Diego's Manufacturing and Professional Services Cluster
CONNECT is organizing a series of quarterly events that will continue our focus on promoting and expanding the local Manufacturing and Professional Service Clusters in San Diego. The first event will take place on Dec. 14 at the Estancia La Jolla and focus on the topic of Creating a High Value-Added Technology Manufacturing Community Close To Home (Nearsourcing). The event will feature speakers Ted Waitt, founder and CEO of Avalon Capital Group, Inc. (invited); Peter Cowhey, Dean, School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, UC San Diego; Duane Roth, CEO, CONNECT; Jo Marie Diamond, CEO, East County Economic Development Council; and others.

The purpose of these events is to increase awareness of these clusters to our region's entrepreneurs and emerging businesses to the efficiency and cost effectiveness of contracting with local manufacturers and professional service partners, as well as to educate policymakers on the additional incentives and training necessary to fully build out and capitalize on the jobs created by these key clusters. The emerging and growth companies are no longer able to raise funding to build a manufacturing facility in anticipation of product sales. Rather they will increasingly partner early with service providers for their needs and are becoming the employment drivers for our region once again by offering the promise of great middle class jobs. For more information and to register for this event, click here.

November 5, 2010
MIT EF SD's Joe Media addresses growth strategy during October case presentation
Joe Media presented at the October MIT Enterprise Forum where a panel of experts advised Joe Media CEO Christian Braemer on how to approach the company's growth strategy as a media pioneer. Read the summary by Dan Moody, President, Game-Changing Strategists, LLC. Thanks to presenting sponsors Duane Morris and Provide Commerce for making the event possible. Read more here.

November 5, 2010
Last week to register for CONNECT FrameWorks workshop on R&D Tax Credits; Art of Term Sheet summary available
On Nov.11, CONNECT FrameWorks Workshops presents Tax Credits: What's Available and How Can I Apply? The workshop is sponsored by BDO USA LLP and will discuss how to receive tax credits and provide an update to the changes in Congress and after the mid-term elections.

CONNECT SDSI Member Skinit's CEO Greg Wimmer and Astute Medical CEO Chris Hibberd presented at CONNECT FrameWorks' Art of the Term Sheet workshop on Oct. 28. The speakers, along with the panel, offered their insights on completing new rounds of financing and finding successful funding by developing a plan of researching target investors and talking to VCs before the pitching process. For more information, read the summary written by CONNECT EIR Steve Scott here.

November 5, 2010
Five winners selected to present at CONNECT's Life Sciences Venture Roundtable
On Nov. 3, an industry panel of judges selected five life sciences companies to present at the Dec. 2 Life Sciences Venture Roundtable to a group of VCs and angel investors. The winners included CorTechs Labs Inc; EP Dynamics, Inc.; FFA Sciences; Otosound Products, LLC.; and Springboard grad and Deal Network presenter Medipacs. The companies were selected from a group of 10 finalists. The distinguished judging panel was made up of industry experts from Halozyme Therapeutics; Merck; Sorrento Therapeutics; Santarus, Inc.; Gen-Probe Incorporated; Celgene Corporation; California MedTech LLC; CareFusion Corporation; and the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, von Liebig Center. CONNECT would like to thank lead sponsor Morrison & Foerster LLP, support sponsor Ernst & Young LLP and event partner San Diego Venture Group for their significant support and participation in the program.

November 5, 2010
Regional Innovation Report featuring CONNECT released at Indiana Life Sciences Conference
A report based on a July 19 Washington DC Summit featuring CONNECT, BioCrossroads and four other regional economic development related organizations was released at last week's Indiana Life Sciences Conference. The regional accelerators were recognized for helping recover, build and sustain innovation clusters and local economies. The report emphasizes that the need for effective and well-proven economic development strategies has never been more apparent to aid in economic progress. It focuses on the growing Regional Cluster movement, which seeks to capitalize on geographic and industry collaborations that derive strength from concentrated and widely leveraged development of specific types of industries and that have achieved notable successes across diverse geographies and sectors. Read more here.

November 5, 2010 | The San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT 2010 Innovation in Economic Development Award and TIME article covered in SDUT
The 10th Annual Innovation in Economic Development Awards were announced in Atlanta at the Southeast Workforce and Economic Development Conference co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration and the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. CONNECT was designated as the winner for "Innovation in Regional Innovation Clusters." "The 2010 Innovation Award winners showcase some of the nation's best practices for promoting economic development through collaborative initiatives and highlight outstanding examples of regional success in the global marketplace," said Assistant Commerce Secretary John Fernandez. "I congratulate all the winners for their tremendous contributions to strengthen our nation's economy."

CONNECT was recognized for its 25-year mission "of commercializing technology coming from San Diego's many federally-funded research institutions and offering on-going education, networking and recognition to start-up companies in emerging technology. Read more in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

November 1, 2010 | Xconomy
San Diego's Connect Honored by the U.S. Commerce Department's 2010 Innovation in Economic Development Awards.
San Diego's Connect, the non-profit organization for technology and entrepreneurship, was among four groups honored last week by the U.S. Commerce Department's 2010 Innovation in Economic Development Awards. Since the California Governor's Office of Economic Development designated San Diego as one of California's seven Innovation Hubs (iHUB), Connect has served as the leader of San Diego's local iHUB effort. The federal economic development award singled out Connect as an exemplar in regional innovation clusters.

October 29, 2010 | socalTECH.com
San Diego clean technology CEOs line up against Proposition 23
A group of 30 San Diego executives including Robert Noble, CEO of Envision Solar, Yeves Perez of EcoHub, Ronald Pitt of EcoDog CONNECT President Camille Sobrian Saltman are urging voters to vote no on California Proposition 23 saying that the effort to repeal the state's Clean Energy Law would be "be harmful at best and devastating at worst" to its business community, neighborhoods and the California economy. The group claims that AB32 has already created more than 500,000 new jobs and $9.1B in private equity investments in the state and that a yes vote would shut down California's clean tech industry. Read more here.

October 29, 2010
Sanford Consortium Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa features stellar speaker line-up
According to organizers this year's one day Stem Cell meeting on Dec. 7 will feature the best line-up of speakers ever. J. Craig Venter, Sir John Gurdon, Rusty Gage and Peter Schultz are among the VIPs who will take to the podium in this stellar line-up to explore challenges facing stem cell research from basic science to regulatory considerations. The program features San Diego pioneers responsible for advancing research into cures for debilitating diseases and injuries and exploring the imminent scientific, ethical and business challenges facing stem cell research and is designed around panel discussions that explore topics ranging from basic science and technologies to regulatory considerations. Each year the meeting attracts leading scientists, life sciences business executives and government officials. For more information, click here.

October 26, 2010
SBA report concludes federal regulations hit small business hardest
What many small business advocates have known for years, that federal regulations hit small business harder than larger companies, was again confirmed by a recent report by the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy. The report tallies the total cost of U.S. federal government regulation at $1.75T or 14% of national income in the U.S. That cost is borne by small business in a disproportionate way, with the regulatory burden growing approximately 5.5% each year.

According to Winslow Sargeant, Chief Counsel for the Office of Advocacy, "Small businesses still face higher costs when they encounter government regulations compared to larger firms. Today's report shows that on a per employee basis it costs small firms $2,830 more than larger firms to comply with government regulations. That is a 36% difference and that is an unfair burden to place on American small business."

The report considered a small business a firm with 20 or fewer employees and noted that such businesses account for more than 85% of all U.S. businesses. The report noted that the negative impact of federal regulations on small business has major implications for U.S. competitiveness. "If federal regulations place a differentially large cost on small business, this potentially causes inefficiencies in the structure of American enterprises and the relocation of production facilities to less regulated countries and adversely affects the international competitiveness of domestically produced American products and services. All of these effects, of course, would have negative consequences for the U.S. labor market and national income."

The report focused on regulatory costs in five major sectors of the economy including manufacturing, trade, services, healthcare and a miscellaneous category for those industry sectors not easily falling within the other four. The sector-specific findings reveal that the disproportionate cost burden on small firms is most dramatic in the manufacturing sector with the federal regulatory compliance cost per employee for small manufacturers more than doubling the compliance cost for medium-sized and large firms. Complying with tax regulations was particularly burdensome on small business with tax compliance costs totaling three times more than large firms.

Timothy Tardibono, CONNECT Public Policy Director pointed out that "The SBA report shows that the barriers to start and grow a small business are substantial. Congress should review the report and be more assertive in its role of reviewing federal regulations, especially those that can hinder innovation start-ups and high-growth businesses." Read more here.

October 26, 2010 | U.S. EDA
CONNECT wins 2010 Innovation in Economic Development Award from U.S. Economic Development Administration
The 10th Annual Innovation in Economic Development Awards were announced in Atlanta at the Southeast Workforce and Economic Development Conference co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration and the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. CONNECT was designated as the winner for "Innovation in Regional Innovation Clusters."

"The 2010 Innovation Award winners showcase some of the nation's best practices for promoting economic development through collaborative initiatives and highlight outstanding examples of regional success in the global marketplace," said Assistant Commerce Secretary John Fernandez. "I congratulate all the winners for their tremendous contributions to strengthen our nation's economy."

CONNECT was recognized for its 25-year mission "of commercializing technology coming from San Diego's many federally-funded research institutions and offering on-going education, networking and recognition to start-up companies in emerging technology business clusters. The California Governor's Office of Economic Development designated San Diego as one of California's seven Innovation Hubs (iHUB) and CONNECT serves as the leader of San Diego's local iHUB effort."

Duane Roth, CONNECT CEO, stated, "We are extremely grateful for this recognition from the leading federal agency focusing on spurring innovation in economic development. This reaffirms our commitment to opening a D.C. office to educate Washington on how the innovation economy works. The continued success of San Diego's regional innovation efforts and those of other regional innovation clusters will be accelerated when Washington understands the ingredients of thriving innovation ecosystems across the country and how to create supportive public policies."

For the full press release, click here.

October 25, 2010 | TIME Magazine
CONNECT featured as a model in TIME Magazine
In a TIME Magazine article by Bruce Katz called "Intelligent Cities"; To double exports and create jobs, the U.S. has to invest more in its metro areas, CONNECT is featured as a model and our success is highlighted in helping our region transform into an innovation economy.

"... In 1985 an energetic nonprofit called Connect sprang up to link the scientists and inventors at top research institutions — including the University of California at San Diego, the Salk Institute and the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute — with investors, advisers and support services so their new ideas could become new products and companies. The inventive brew that Connect fermented has made San Diego home to a cluster of life-sciences and technology companies such as Qualcomm, Biogen Idec, Life Technologies and Gen-Probe. New York City has had its eye on San Diego's success and announced its own undertaking in February. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders says, 'When we emerged out of the period when the defense industry left San Diego, Connect was there. They helped to create eight clusters of technology that have been employment drivers in San Diego, and we've been able to build on that ever since.' In terms of jobs, the region's technology sector has fared better in this recession than its broader economy ..."

Read the full article here.

October 22, 2010 | SOCALTECH
San Diego Clean Technology CEOs Line Up Against Proposition 23
The fight over Proposition 23, the California referendum coming to the polls to overturn AB32, has more backers today, from a group of 30 San Diego CEOs. According to The Green Chamber of San Diego County and those CEOs, they are urging San Diegans to vote no on Proposition 23, saying that the effort to repeal the state's Clean Energy Law would be "be harmful at best and devastating at worst" to its business community, neighborhoods, and the California economy. The group includes Robert Noble, CEO of Envision Solar, Yeves Perez of EcoHub, Ronald L. Pitt of EcoDog, and Camille Sobrian of CONNECT among others. The group claims that it has seen a "boom" in clean energy technology business in the state in anticipation of AB32, saying that law has already created more than 500,000 new jobs and $9.1 billion in private equity investments in the state. Proposition 23's backers claim that the referendum will save jobs, prevent tax increases, and that delaying AB32 will save a million jobs that would be destroyed by the clean energy rules.

October 21, 2010
MIP Finalists receive awards at Distinguished Judges Reception
Twenty five companies in eight categories were honored Tuesday evening at a reception at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa.  The evening was an opportunity for the finalists to meet the judges, network with each other and hear from Congresswoman Susan Davis who spoke to the group and congratulated the finalists.  The Judges Reception was hosted by Sempra.  Finalists were chosen by industry experts from over 100 nominations - a record number.  For a full list of finalists by category, click here.

October 21, 2010
CONNECT announces Life Sciences VRT finalists
This week CONNECT's Steering Committee for the Life Sciences Venture Roundtable chose 10 finalists from more than 30 nominations.  The finalists are American Life Science Pharma; CorTechs Labs Inc.; EP Dynamics, Inc.; Epinex Diagnostics; FFA Sciences; KAER Biotherapeutics; Medipacs; Otosound Products, LLC; Radical Therapeutix, Inc.;  and Satiogen Pharmaceuticals.  Medipac, KAER Biotherapeutics and Radical Therapeutix, Inc. are Springboard graduates.  Morrison & Foerester is the lead sponsor and host of the Life Sciences Venture Roundtable and is represented on the Steering and Judging Committees by James Mullen, who is a partner with the firm.  Ernst & Young LLP is the supporting sponsor and is represented by Executive Director, Life Sciences Practice, Jennifer Brown. 

A panel of distinguished industry judges will narrow the pool of 10 finalists down to five winners who will showcase promising early stage life science technologies being developed by local companies and research institutions to angel investors and venture capitalists. Through the Venture Roundtable, the investment community will have the opportunity to stay abreast of San Diego's latest and most promising life sciences innovations.

October 15, 2010
Valuable exposure for TCA Quick Pitch winners
Ritter Pharmaceuticals, a drug developer currently in phase 3 clinical trials for a therapeutic treatment for gastrointestinal diseases, was the overall winner and audience favorite of this year's San Diego Tech Coast Angels Quick Pitch Competition held on Oct. 7 at the Qualcomm Irwin M. Jacobs Hall. 

"Qualcomm is honored to host Quick Pitch and support Entrepreneurship behavior inside and outside Qualcomm for the 3rd year running. The Quick Pitch format is an excellent training ground and productive way for entrepreneurs to connect with potential funding sources." said Ricardo dos Santos, Quick Pitch Judge and Sr. Director of Business Creation & Development at Qualcomm Inc.

The two-minute pitches were made before 400 attendees and the firm beat 14 other presenting companies. Strategic Enzyme Applications Inc., a company developing a renewable and low-cost application for fuel and chemical manufacturing, received the Best Content Award. Snapizzi, which makes software that organizes and manages digital photos, won the Best Pitch Award. Read more in The Daily Transcript. For the SDTCA press release, click here.

October 8, 2010
CONNECT Innovation Report featured on Council for Community and Economic Research site; highlighted at Policy Forum
CONNECT's Innovation Report is featured on the Council for Community and Economic Research Web site. The Council promotes excellence in community and economic research by working to improve data availability, enhance data quality and foster learning about regional economic analytic methods. Read more here.

At CONNECT's Public Policy Forum last week featuring John Fernandez, CONNECT President Camille Sobrian Saltman reviewed trends emerging in the newly released CONNECT Innovation Report, focusing on the impact the innovation economy can have on revitalizing our economy and areas where government can have a positive impact. The report showed creation of 64 new innovation companies in the 2nd quarter of this year that reported their first payroll. These new start-ups created 250 new jobs. This was a jump of 83% over Q1 of this year. Four hundred new jobs were created by innovation start-ups in the first half of this year. The majority of these were software companies. These are high quality jobs - innovation companies pay 90% more than the average wage. They are also much more resilient jobs than the average. During the recession innovation company employment fell only about 3% while average industry employment fell 8%. San Diego lost almost 100,000 non-tech jobs but only about 4,000 tech jobs during the recession. New data commissioned by CONNECT on the total innovation economy in San Diego and its economic impact shows that only six percent of San Diego's employers are innovation companies. That's 11% of the employment base but because of the higher salaries paid it adds up to 25% of wages. Venture funding continues to be down a full 70% from before the recession. On the patents and grant funding front all are on a major upward trend. Patent activity jumped 22% in the second quarter. Grant funding from NIH, NSF, NASA and NOAA was up almost 35% - a two year high. It was the largest quarterly total in two years. And it exceeded VC funding by 120%. CONNECT does not yet have access to DoE and DoD funding but is working to obtain this data. The grant funding trend would likely be much more of a hockey stick if we added in this data.

The report was released on Monday last week. CONNECT along with sponsors the County of San Diego, Procopio and San Diego Workforce Partnership and partners UC San Diego Extension, National University System Institute for Policy Research, PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Roth Capital and Vistage create the report to monitor the health and impact of the innovation economy in the San Diego region. For access to the full report click here.

October 8, 2010
Record numbers at this year's TCA Quick Pitch Competition
The Tech Coast Angels San Diego's Fourth Annual Quick Pitch Competition attracted a record crowd to the stellar Irwin M. Jacobs Hall this year. The competition included 14 two-minute "quick" pitches to a blue ribbon panel of judges and an audience of more than 400 business leaders within the entrepreneurial community. The evening's winners included Ritter Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for Best Overall and Audience Favorite; Strategic Enzyme Applications, Inc. for Best Content; and Snapizzi for Best Pitch. Read more in San Diego Business Journal.

October 8, 2010
SDBJ honors CONNECT co-founder Mary Walshok for courage, leadership
CONNECT co-founder Mary Walshok will be honored in late October at the San Diego Business Journal's 17th Annual Women Who Mean Business Awards. Walshok, the associate vice chancellor for public programs and dean of UC San Diego's Extension program, will receive the Community Leadership Award. Read more in San Diego Business Journal.

September 30, 2010
Brookings Institute partners with CONNECT and UC San Diego to curb offshoring U.S. manufacturing
By Mary Walshok, Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Programs and Dean of Extension, UC San Diego

On Sept. 23, CONNECT CEO Duane Roth, Public Policy Director and Chief Counsel Tim Tardibono and I attended a meeting in Washington, D.C. on Regional Innovation Clusters: Advancing the Next Economy. San Diego shined in this national gathering of regional leaders and cabinet level officials, Roth participated in the session "Regional Actors Strengthening Clusters" and discussed the formation and 25-year history of CONNECT; the growth of the cluster of research institutes on the Torrey Pines Mesa, San Diego State University and SPAWAR; and the vast number of trade associations that support and contribute to the cultivation of San Diego's innovation economy. Roth then highlighted the San Diego iHuB convergence clusters, including wireless health, biofuels and solar storage. He also suggested some policy issues that seemed to resonate with the audience and announced CONNECT's presence in Washington, D.C.

In his keynote address, Lilly Chairman and CEO John Lechleiter cited CONNECT and UC San Diego as important partners in regional collaboration with both Lilly and BioCrossroads.  Jason Furman, deputy director of the National Economic Council, also presented and specifically named the work of CleanTECH San Diego as an example of leadership in regional collaborations around energy sustainability. This was followed by a panel on Federal Cluster Policies and Initiatives where SBA Administrator Karen Mills introduced San Diego State University as a winner of the recent competition for Regional Innovation contracts (one of 10 awards selected from 173 proposals).  

Needless to say, it was a stunning day for San Diego. In addition, over the weekend both Duane and I received warm letters of thanks from our colleagues at Brookings noting that: "What you are doing and how you both talk about it is making a huge difference in this country. "Our colleagues would like work with us on an immediate plan to utilize clusters as a stay against offshoring in U.S. manufacturing. A number of strategies will be pursued along with the goal of drawing together significant CEO-level voices to affirm this message at a high-level event in Washington, D.C. 

September 30, 2010
CONNECT Public Policy Forum to host EDA Assistant Secretary John Fernandez

John Fernandez, Assistant U.S. Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, headlined a panel discussion today on the Obama administration's innovation initiatives. The CONNECT Public Policy Forum focused on the President's vision for American innovation, ways to foster economic growth and create high-wage jobs.

Fernandez is responsible for shaping the federal economic development agenda through the promotion of innovation and competition. Other speakers included Peter Cowhey, former senior counselor in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and chairman of CONNECT's Innovation Institute; Mary Walshok, UC San Diego's Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Programs and Dean of Extension; and Joel Ayala, Director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GoED). CONNECT CEO Duane Roth served as moderator.

September 30, 2010
New quarterly CONNECT Innovation Report shows tech sector wages 90% higher than average; featured in SDUT and Xconomy

CONNECT's Innovation Report is first to provide a set of indicators of the strength and impact of the innovation economy in San Diego versus other areas across the state of country depending upon the indicator. The report tracks the health of the San Diego innovation economy by comparing data year-on-year and quarter to quarter, comparison to other regions and monitoring availability of capital. New data from CONNECT's Innovation Report shows formation of new tech companies jumped 83% in San Diego and almost 70% across California in Q2 2010. Patents granted jumped almost 25% while M&A deals doubled over Q2 2009. VC funding in San Diego was still down nearly 70% from pre-recession levels and dropped 24% compared to Q1 2010.

The new Innovation Report also shows that San Diego's tech sector employment represents over 12% of California's overall tech jobs. Although impacted by the recent recession, the number of tech sector jobs has held up better compared to overall employment figures. San Diego's tech employment decreased about three percent over the past two years while overall employment fell 7.6%.

According to Kelly Cunningham, Economist and Senior Fellow at the National University Institute for Policy Research, "Because technology based jobs tend to be higher paying, they also have higher economic value for the region. The multiplier effect from technology employment means many other jobs are supported by the spending of technology based jobs. This means for every technology job in San Diego, another one to two jobs are directly sustained or dependent upon those jobs in the region." For more information and the full report, click here. Coverage of the report can be found in The San Diego Union-Tribune and Xconomy.

September 30, 2010
Fundraiser co-chaired by CONNECT President puts live theater and technology on center stage

iNNOVATION Night, an event that attracts the leaders of biotech, high-tech, cleantech and related industries to an evening of theater, will be held Oct. 6 at the La Jolla Playhouse. The annual fundraiser supports the Playhouse's innovations in play development and education and will be hosted by co-chairs CONNECT President and Chief Operating Officer Camille Sobrian Saltman, consultant to Cypress Bioscience Inc. and acting Vice President of Business Development Susan Dubé, Digitaria CEO Daniel Khabie and co-founder and president of Pharmatek Laboratories Inc. Tim Scott. Immediately following the reception, guests will enjoy a 7:30 p.m. performance of the world-premiere musical Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin. Limelight has been drawing standing ovations night after night. Audiences say it is one of the best musicals ever produced by the Playhouse. Read more in San Diego Business Journal.

September 30, 2010
SDSI board adds San Diego Hall of Champions' President Alan Kidd
CONNECT San Diego Sport Innovators (SDSI) Executive Chairman Bill Walton announced the addition of Alan Kidd, President of the San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum, to the SDSI Advisory Board. "Al is dedicated to improving the lives of children in the United States through sports and promoting healthy habits that contribute to an active and responsible lifestyle. It is this foresight that compliments the SDSI initiative," Walton said. Kidd became President of the Hall of Champions in June 2003 after a diverse career in education, advertising and marketing, venture investing and business consulting, as well as owning his own business. Read more here.

September 29, 2010
CONNECT announces finalists for 23rd Annual Most Innovative New Product Awards
CONNECT announced the finalists in eight categories for the 2010 Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards. Winners in each category will be announced on Dec. 10th at the MIP Awards Luncheon, held at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, to an audience of over 800 of San Diego's top business leaders.

The CONNECT MIP Awards, San Diego's Oscars for regional innovation, continue to showcase locally-developed, cutting-edge products covering a wide range of industries. From life-saving medical technologies to the hottest new clean technology solutions to the latest in action sport equipment, the MIP Awards continue to be an indicator of the industries and technologies that drive San Diego's innovation economy.

"This year we received a record number of new product nominations which proves that San Diego's innovative spirit remains strong in spite of the challenging economic climate," said CONNECT CEO Duane Roth. "The finalists represent some of the strongest innovations San Diego has produced to date. They also demonstrate the enormous dedication and perseverance it requires to successfully commercialize innovation today."

The MIP Award finalists were selected from over 100 entries representing a broad range of companies within eight categories. Finalists were selected by industry experts and business leaders through a rigorous screening process. Click here to view the finalists.

September 27, 2010 | San Diego Business Journal
Commerce Department Figure Talks Innovation
John Fernandez, assistant U.S. secretary of commerce for economic development, will headline a panel discussion Sept. 30 on the Obama administration's innovation initiatives at a CONNECT public policy forum.

The program will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. at AMN Healthcare corporate headquarters, 12400 High Bluff Drive. The forum will focus on the president's vision for American innovation, ways to foster economic growth and create high-wage jobs.

In his job as assistant secretary of commerce, Fernandez is responsible for shaping the federal economic development agenda through the promotion of innovation and competition.

Other speakers include Peter Cowhey, former senior counselor in the office of the U.S. trade representative and chairman of the Innovation Institute; Mary Walshok, UC San Diego's associate vice chancellor for public programs and dean of extension; and Matthew Jenusaitis, president and chief executive officer of OCTANe. Duane Roth, chief executive officer of CONNECT, will serve as moderator.

September 23, 2010 | The San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT partners with SPAWAR, FED and SDSU to help San Diego defense industry
San Diego is among 10 regions selected to receive funding for economic development and job creation under a pilot program titled Innovative Economies. SDSU's Entrepreneurial Management Center and College of Business will provide mentorship and business training for local businesses identified for the program to create more opportunities for local small businesses in the defense industry. CONNECT, SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific and the Foundation for Enterprise Development are also partners on the project. Read more in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

September 17, 2010 | The Hill
CONNECT is recognized by vice chair of Obama's Finance Committee as a springboard for San Diego's tech industries
NBA Hall of Famer and broadcaster Bill Walton appeared on Capitol Hill Tuesday to urge lawmakers to strengthen intellectual property protections and allow foreign-born graduate students with skills in science and technology to stay in the country. Walton is the executive chairman of San Diego Sport Innovators, part of the nonprofit organization CONNECT, which gives inventors and entrepreneurs the tools and information they need to build successful companies.

"Bill was able to capitalize on his identity as a sports legend to highlight to Hill staffers and industry leaders the need to fight IP piracy and improve high-tech visas," said CONNECT Public Policy Director and Chief Counsel Timothy Tardibono. "The great coverage of the briefing will help the Hill and Administration identify CONNECT as a key player in innovation policy." Walton stressed the need to improve science and math education and said China is currently graduating 500,000 engineers every year, in comparison to 150,000 in the U.S.

"Mr. Walton did a great job of explaining the importance of innovation and what the government can do to help out," said Gary Kline, Senior Policy Advisor for the Office of Congressman Brian Bilbray. "His stories and personal anecdotes showcased his passion for this issue and made an effective case for those of us on Capitol Hill to take action and protect this industry and help it thrive."

Walton specifically spoke out in favor of two bills: the STAPLE Act introduced by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and the StartUp Visa Act introduced by Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.).

Access the full article on The Hill's Hillcon Valley blog.

September 17, 2010 | San Diego Business Journal
CONNECT is recognized by vice chair of Obama's Finance Committee as a springboard for San Diego's tech industries
Christine Forester, principal at Christine Forester Catalyst, and also a member of Obama's Art's Policy Committee cites CONNECT in a recent SDBJ article on San Diego's growth as a globally respected scientific hub, "Together, UCSD and Connect have served as incubators and springboards for San Diego's thriving biotech, high-tech and wireless industries. Since its inception 25 years ago, Connect has assisted more than 2,000 entrepreneurial-driven, innovation-based startups. This independent, nonprofit organization is regularly given as a national and international model for enabling technology transfer and guiding effective public/private partnerships." Read more in San Diego Business Journal.

September 17, 2010 | La Jolla Playhouse
CONNECT president speaks at LES meeting regarding La Jolla Playhouse Innovation Night reception
Camille Sobrian Saltman spoke at a Licensing Executives Society meeting regarding the partnership between CONNECT and the Playhouse for Innovation Night at La Jolla Playhouse: Where Art Meets Technology. Along with La Jolla Playhouse Managing Director Michael Rosenberg, Pharmatek Laboratories President Tim Scott and CONSOR Intellectual Asset Management Chairman Wes Anson, Sobrian Saltman discussed the synergy between the work being done at the theatre and the innovative community that surrounds it. Also discussed was the $900,000 grant awarded to the Playhouse from The James Irvine Foundation that will fund projects that explore the intersection between art, technology and the Playhouse's audiences. For more information about the Innovation Night, click here.

September 17, 2010 | San Diego Daily Transcript
CONNECT and SDSI featured in SDDT
The San Diego Daily Transcript recognized CONNECT and San Diego Sport Innovators for helping accelerate the success of the more than 650 sports-oriented companies in San Diego. CONNECT is providing education, mentoring, funding and networking programs for the action sports, sporting goods and traditional sports industries. Read more in the San Diego Daily Transcript.

September 10, 2010 | San Diego Metropolitan Magazine
CONNECT promotes Camille Sobrian to president; announces new initiatives
At the same time that it promoted Camille Sobrian from chief operating officer to president, the nonprofit CONNECT organization launched a series of initiatives aimed at stimulating the technology industry in San Diego. Sobrian had been COO since January 2007 and was responsible for running the organization's 26 programs and 360 events each year. CONNECT CEO Duane Roth will implement the organization's new initiatives, which include the opening of the CONNECT Innovation Institute. Read more in the San Diego Metropolitan Magazine.

September 10, 2010
CONNECT presents two upcoming Financial Forums on SBIR funding opportunities and NIH and DoD Small Business Funding
On Sept. 27, the National Cancer Institute's Patricia Weber will present funding opportunities available through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Weber, Program Director of National Cancer Institute's SBIR Development Center, will cover the new funding opportunity to bridge the valley of death, the grants and contracts mechanisms. For more information and to register, click here.

As the National Institutes of Health success rates enter single digits and venture capital funding diminishes, academic investigators and small companies collaborate to obtain federal small business funds (SBIR and STTR). CONNECT's Oct. 13 Financial Forum will feature Dr. Gregory Milman, NIH's Director of the Office for Innovations and Special Programs, who will share secrets of NIH SBIR and STTR grant applications and provide direction on accessing Department of Defense SBIR and STTR funds. For more information and to register, click here.

September 10, 2010
CONNECT announces 2010 MIP Awards semifinalists
The semifinalists for the 2010 Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards have been selected! The semifinalists were selected from a record-breaking 105 entries representing a broad range of companies within eight categories. Semifinalists were selected by industry experts and business leaders through a rigorous screening process. CONNECT would like to thank BIOCOM, CleanTECH San Diego, CommNexus, San Diego Software Industry Council, TechAmerica, The Security Network, AFCEA, NDIA and San Diego Sport Innovators for their support in sourcing innovative new products and in selecting the semifinalists. See the list of the semi-finalists here.

September 2, 2010 | San Diego American Heart Association
CONNECT CEO deemed leadership volunteer of the year
Duane Roth was recognized for his continued dedication to supporting the American Heart Association and was deemed Leadership Volunteer of the Year by the association. Roth served as a Heart Walk ELT member, a Heart Beach Ball Honorary Lifeguard and supports AHA's continuing mission to fund life-saving research, education and programs to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Read more here.

September 2, 2010
CONNECT's Life Sciences Venture Roundtable opens nominations for companies seeking funding
CONNECT is seeking qualified applicants for its upcoming Life Sciences Venture Roundtable. The event will showcase entrepreneurs in the areas of instrumentation, diagnostics, bio-markers, microbiology, molecular biology, therapeutics, pharmaceuticals and other life science specialties management to an exclusive audience of venture capital providers and angel investors. The nomination deadline is Oct. 1. The program is sponsored by Morrison & Foerster LLP and Ernst & Young LLP. To access the nomination form and for more information, click here.

September 2, 2010 | The San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT FrameWorks workshop covered in SDUT
On Aug. 24, CONNECT presented a FrameWorks workshop on Executive Compensation for the Business Executive featuring Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP partner James Mercer and Barney & Barney LLC's pay consultant Jeremy Anderson. The talk regarding changes brewing in executive pay including the new set of regulations on executive pay recently passed by Congress was covered by The San Diego Union-Tribune.

September 2, 2010 | Malakye.com
CONNECT SDSI adds Sun Diego's Dave Nash to Board
CONNECT San Diego Sport Innovators (SDSI) announced the addition of Dave Nash, founder, president and CEO of Athleisure Inc., dba: Sun Diego Boardshops, to the SDSI advisory board. "Dave Nash is an extremely dedicated executive who offers great insight as to what makes brands, retailers and companies grow into successful businesses," said CONNECT SDSI Executive Chairman Bill Walton. "This wisdom will be extremely beneficial to the SDSI board and the companies we aim to grow. He will be an excellent addition to our team." For the full story visit Malakye.com.

September 2, 2010 | Xconomy
CONNECT CEO discusses Hall of Fame program with Xconomy
A campaign to create an Entrepreneurial Walk of Fame in Massachusetts' center of technology Kendall Square prompted Duane Roth to discuss the CONNECT's own Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame. Roth states that CONNECT inducted nine Hall of Famers since 2005 for achieving "distinction over the years for founding, leading or advancing a San Diego life sciences or technology-based business organization. Such entrepreneurs have contributed to our region individually and, through their organizations, to the business sectors that shape our local economy and improve our quality of life." Read more in Xconomy.

September 2, 2010 | Marketwire
SDSI Executive Chairman Bill Walton to host DC Briefings on Sports Technology Policy
CONNECT's first Innovation 101 Capitol Hill briefings will feature NBA Legend and sports broadcaster Bill Walton on Sept. 14, 2010. The program is part of CONNECT's DC initiative to educate policy makers on the needs of the innovation economy. The briefing, entitled "Innovation 101: Technology and Innovation in the Action & Sport Industry," will focus on Mr. Walton's work as Executive Chairman of the San Diego Sport Innovators (SDSI) and the new innovations and technologies being developed in the action and sports industry. Mr. Walton is hopeful that briefing attendees will learn more about the action and sports industry and how federal policy can accelerate emerging sports-technologies. "The action and sport industry is an increasingly innovative sector that touches many lives. We are discovering that what happens in D.C. impacts whether a San Diego innovator can succeed. I'm excited about sharing the story of sports innovation with congressmen, senators and their staffs." To access the full press release, click here.

August 30, 2010 | Xconomy
CONNECT CEO comments on CONNECT's Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame
A campaign to create an Entrepreneurial Walk of Fame in Kendall Square, which is a center of technology in Cambridge, MA, prompted CONNECT CEO, Duane Roth, to send an e-mail about the San Diego nonprofit's own Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame. Roth says CONNECT has inducted nine Hall of Famers since 2005 for achieving "distinction over the years for founding, leading or advancing a San Diego life sciences or technology-based business organization. Such entrepreneurs have contributed to our region individually and, through their organizations, to the business sectors that shape our local economy and improve our quality of life."

August 26, 2010 | The San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT CEO discusses Qualcomm's 25 year history of innovation with Xconomy
Duane Roth, Xconomy's top editorial advisors and other wireless experts offered thoughts about Qualcomm's technology breakthroughs during its 25 successful years as a global pioneer in digital wireless technologies. Qualcomm is known for its proprietary Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) innovation in cellular communications among numerous other innovations. Read more in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

August 19, 2010
SDSI Executive Chairman Bill Walton to present at CONNECT Innovation 101 briefing
Walton will present a Capitol Hill briefing on Sept. 14 titled CONNECT Innovation 101: Technology and Innovation in the Action and Sport Industry. NBA Hall of Famer and CONNECT SDSI Executive Chairman Bill Walton will provide an overview on innovation in America and discuss policy issues that the action and sports industry faces today. The briefings are aimed at the House of Representatives and Senate, focusing on technology and innovation in the action and sport industry. For more details, click here.

August 19, 2010
CONNECT FrameWorks presents Executive Compensation for Business Executives
On Aug. 24, Jeremy Anderson of Barney & Barney LLC and Jamie Mercer of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP will discuss executive compensation as one of the most sensitive negotiations for an enterprise and executive. CONNECT CEO, Duane Roth, will also share personal experiences regarding executive employment agreements and equity incentive plans. The workshop will present fundamental concepts of executive and performance compensation and explain how these concepts are reflected in a contract while reviewing standard compensation programs to incentivize management. CONNECT presents the workshop in partnership with Barney & Barney LLC and Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP. For more information and to register, click here.

August 13, 2010
CONNECT SDSI featured in SDBJ
CONNECT SDSI Executive Chairman Bill Walton is featured in this week's San Diego Business Journal, discussing SDSI's Capital Forum, which occurred Aug. 12 at the Ultimate Skybox at DiamondView Tower. Walton and his staff brought promising companies together with potential investors during the made 15-minute presentations to an audience of investors. Read more in San Diego Business Journal.

August 13, 2010
Connect with SDSI attracts large crowd to the Candy Factory at Petco Park
This week the San Diego Sports Innovation group hosted Connect with SDSI and a high energy group of action and sports leaders from the Action Sports Retailer's Show came together to eat, drink and network in the Candy Factory at Petco Park. What a killer location! The unfinished warehouse space lent to the trendy vibe of the event and opened up to one of the most gorgeous afternoons all summer in San Diego. The Padres game wasn't the only buzz in the background as the live band entertained the crowd of action sports executives, entrepreneurs and innovators.  Attendees mingled amongst the exhibits of the extremely innovative active lifestyle sports companies such as American Wave Machines, BINN, Coral Reef, CORE Golf Trainer and several others. The demonstrators knocked it "out of the park" with unique tech gear such as solar surfboards, golf training equipment and the world's first elliptical bike.  

The event was made possible with the generous sponsorship of the San Diego Padres, Security Business Bank of San Diego, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, Hilton Garden Inn San Diego and media sponsor Planet X.   SDSI clearly has the cool factor down and with the ambitious team of SDSI Executive Chairman Bill Walton, Garrett Hale and Renne Catalono in charge, there is  a great unifying force in sports innovation in San Diego!   

August 13, 2010
CONNECT co-hosts La Jolla Playhouse iNNOVATION NIGHT 2010
CONNECT is proud to support La Jolla Playhouse 3rd Annual iNNOVATION Night on Wednesday, Oct. 6 at the Playhouse. This year's event brings together San Diego innovation that can impact the theatre experience with networking and a theatre performance. The event is co-chaired by CONNECT President Camille Sobrian, Cypress Bioscience's Acting VP Susan Dubé, Digitaria's Chief Executive Officer Daniel Khabie and Pharmatek Laboratories' President Tim Scott.     

To create this unique collaboration, the Playhouse was just awarded an unprecedented $900K grant from the James Irvine Foundation to fund innovation initiatives that explore the intersection of artists, technology and audiences. The grant will allow the Playhouse to collaborate with the best of San Diego's digital media and hardware companies as well as co-opt innovative processes from a variety of high tech sectors.  

Says Sobrian, "Here at CONNECT we have a close relationship to the Playhouse. We've subscribed for many years and CONNECT CEO Duane Roth helped Forward Ventures Managing Member Ivor Royston launch the first iNNOVATION Night. We believe the Playhouse is one of the most innovative theatres in the country - making it an excellent test bed for San Diego's media, entertainment and clean technology innovation."   Says Managing Director of La Jolla Playhouse Michael S. Rosenberg, "The Playhouse is a national leader in creating the cutting-edge theatre, while San Diego is a hotbed of technological experimentation, innovation and collaboration. The synergy is quite natural."  For more information, please contact Jill McIntyre, Corporate Relations Manager, at (858) 550-1070, x137.

August 13, 2010
CONNECT wraps up successful year and releases new initiatives
CONNECT has launched a new series of programs to accelerate the growth of San Diego's innovation economy and compiled results achieved this past year. Click here to view accomplishments.

August 5, 2010
CONNECT's Frontiers in Science & Technology to feature Sanford-Burnham president
CONNECT's Frontiers in Science & Technology will feature Dr. Kristiina Vuori, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute's president and director of the NCI-designated Cancer Center, on Tuesday, Aug. 17. Vuori's presentation will highlight the strategies Sanford-Burnham takes to promote the translation of basic research findings into cutting-edge drug discovery projects. Join Vuori along with San Diego's top technology and life sciences professionals for an informative presentation on Tumors Beware: Apprehending Genes that are Harboring Cancer Cells.

August 5, 2010
CONNECT's latest quarterly Innovation Report published
CONNECT's quarterly Innovation Report is now available online. The report tracks the health of the San Diego innovation economy by comparing data year-on-year and quarter to quarter, compares it to other regions and monitors the availability of capital. The Innovation Report is an economic indicator of the strength and impact of the innovation economy by focusing on:

• The number of new innovation start-ups in key regions across California
• Venture capital investment across the U.S.
• Mergers and acquisition activity across California
• New patent applications and patents granted in San Diego
• NIH, NSF, NASA and NOAA research grants in San Diego
• Research employment and wages in San Diego
The report also serves as a recruiting and retention tool, demonstrating to research, leadership and management talent from around the world that San Diego is a leading center for innovation. To access the Innovation Report, click here.

August 5, 2010 | Xconomy
CONNECT CEO discusses new innovation measures with Xconomy
Duane Roth will be supervising a series of initiatives intended to stimulate the long-term formation of technology start ups. Roth states that the initiatives are supposed to attract more early stage investment capital and influence innovation policies set by the federal government. "I'm thinking about the big picture, about the things that can help the community in the long term, rather than just the programs and events," Roth said. He plans to continue to lead CONNECT's economic development initiatives, as well as CONNECT's efforts to shape federal policy and advocacy in Washington, D.C. Read more in Xconomy.

July 29, 2010 | Shop-Eat-Surf and TransWorld Business
CONNECT SDSI to foster growth for emerging brands during ASR
On Aug.12, 2010, CONNECT San Diego Sport Innovators (SDSI) will hold a Capital Forum to provide a private setting for angel and private investors to review presentations from seven of Southern California's investment-ready action sport and active lifestyle start-ups.

"San Diego is not only a vibrant action sport and active lifestyle community, but also a thriving environment for business," CONNECT SDSI Executive Chairman and NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton said. "Our goal at CONNECT SDSI is to act as a catalyst by connecting innovative sports minded entrepreneurs and start-ups in the Southern California region with mentoring, education, networking, technology and most importantly access to capital."

Following the Capital Forum, CONNECT SDSI and ASR present Connect with SDSI. The event features exhibits by some of the most innovative action sport and active lifestyle companies in the region. The event is open to industry executives, capital providers, individual investors, entrepreneurs, innovators and professional service providers specializing in the sport industry. Connect with SDSI provides an opportunity to connect with key industry players, appreciate advanced and innovative tech gear and demos and notice trends that are driving customer acceptance in diverse segments of the action sports industry. For more detail, visit Shop-Eat-Surf.com and TransWorld Business.

July 29, 2010 | Xconomy and San Diego Metropolitan Magazine
CONNECT Board promotes Camille Sobrian to President; approves strategic initiatives
The CONNECT Board of Directors announced the promotion of Camille Sobrian to President and approved new strategic initiatives which will influence federal innovation policy and attract early stage investment capital for San Diego innovation start ups. Sobrian has been CONNECT's COO since Jan. 2007 and is responsible for managing the organization's 26 programs and 360 events each year. She reports to CONNECT CEO Duane Roth, who will continue to lead CONNECT's economic development initiatives, as well as federal policy and advocacy in Washington, D.C.

• Opening the CONNECT Innovation Institute, which will provide recommendations to policymakers on the expansion of the innovation economy. The Institute will be headed by Peter Cowhey, UC San Diego Dean of International Relations and Pacific Studies. Cowhey has just returned to San Diego from a 12-month assignment as the Senior Counselor to Ambassador Kirk in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) under President Barack Obama.
• Connecting local innovation start ups with the San Francisco Bay Area, the largest source of venture capital in the United States, as well as a campaign to make the case for investment in San Diego VC firms to Limited Partners (pension funds, etc.) and corporate VC firms.
• Launching a short terms jobs initiative to increase the awareness of employment opportunities for scientists and engineers in the San Diego region. CONNECT will also launch a longer term initiative that includes the formation of the Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators Program, where exciting new innovations are presented to middle and high school students to encourage them to pursue science classes and careers. The program is funded by Biogen Idec.
• Continuing the development of CONNECT's newly opened Washington, D.C. office, where Policy Director Tim Tardibono is coordinating advocacy efforts on behalf of the San Diego innovation economy. CONNECT will add a new series of small business briefings for elected officials and their staff on Capitol Hill, called Innovation 101. Bill Walton, Executive Chairman of San Diego Sport Innovators, will headline the first of the new series on September 14.

July 22, 2010 | NBC San Diego
CONNECT CEO offers opinion on Arena's soon-to-be-approved diet pill
Arena Pharmaceuticals' weight-loss pill passed a major milestone by being featured in the New England Journal of Medicine. CONNECT CEO Duane Roth issued a statement about the possibility of the FDA panel approving the drug. Roth said an approval would continue to show San Diego's strength in the area of drug development and would help in the larger fight against a national problem. "Drugs are being developed -- not only by Arena but by other companies -- and the more we do that, the more we start to impact really serious disease epidemics," Roth stated. Read more at NBC San Diego.

July 15, 2010
CONNECT's Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators seeks middle and high schools
CONNECT's program Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators is set to launch in September for the 2010-2011 academic year. The program was made possible by a grant from Biogen-Idec. Entrepreneurs with exciting life sciences products will visit classes in middle and high schools with the goal of inspiring students to pursue coursework, degrees and careers in the life sciences. The program is currently working to open doors at individual schools. If you have connections to particular schools and would make the introduction for us, please contact Kevin Dunn at kdunn@connect.org. Read more on the Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators here.

July 15, 2010
CONNECT opens 2010 Most Innovative New Product Awards call for nominations
CONNECT has just opened the call for nominations for the 23rd Annual Most Innovative New Product Awards. The awards are open to the most innovative new products launched within San Diego, in San Diego's largest tech categories including: action and sport technologies, aerospace and security technologies, clean technology, communications and IT, hardware and general technology, life science-diagnostics and research tools, life science-medical products and software. The deadline for nominations is September 2.  

For eligibility criteria and the online nomination form, please click here.

July 9, 2010
Use CONNECT's new Resource Guide to get to market faster and more competitively
Business models for financing innovation are evolving rapidly, especially with today's constraints on capital. Professional Service Partners (PSPs) have emerged in the past few years to provide U.S.-based outsourcing services at each point in the product development cycle. Life sciences, technology, cleantech, software and defense companies can get to market more quickly, cost-effectively and competitively. Niche PSPs offer top talent on-call and with no costly infrastructure.  If you're interested in increasing the speed to market of your product click here to access CONNECT's online Resource Guide.  In the Guide you'll find outsourcing partners in wide ranging fields.  Choices include pre-clinical through product development, manufacturing and regulatory consulting, software, product design, engineering and manufacturing as well as general services in infrastructure, marketing and consulting. Click here to access.

July 9, 2010 | Malakye
CONNECT SDSI adds KPMG to Board of Directors
Executive Chairman of CONNECT San Diego Sport Innovators (SDSI) Bill Walton announced that David Down and David Fredrickson will represent the KPMG board seat on the SDSI board of directors. Down is the Managing Partner for KPMG LLP's San Diego office. He has participated in KPMG's National Instructors Program as well as several of the firm's national and local training programs. Fredrickson is an Audit partner at KPMG LLP and has served KPMG nationally as a national instructor and as a member of the Training and Methodology Team. Both are active in several civic and charitable organizations. CONNECT SDSI is dedicated to the action sports and active lifestyle innovation cluster offering innovative programs and services for start-ups, mature companies and service providers. Read more in Malakye.

July 9, 2010
CONNECT joins the Wiki world
Find us on Wikipedia under CONNECT Organization.

July 6, 2010 | Malakye and Shop-Eat-Surf.com
CONNECT SDSI Board of Directors expands with Reef's VP of Marketing
CONNECT San Diego Sport Innovators Executive Chairman and NBA legend Bill Walton announced that Kevin Flanagan, vice-president of marketing at Reef, has joined the SDSI board of directors. "Through his extensive marketing experience with Oakley, Globe and now Reef, Kevin has become a prominent figure in the action sports industry," said Walton. "Kevin will prove to be a major player in the future of SDSI and our continued efforts to accelerate the innovation of our sports economy here in Southern California." CONNECT SDSI, a business accelerating trade organization, currently reaches out to more than 600 action sport and active lifestyle companies in the San Diego sport industry. Read more on Malakye and Shop-Eat-Surf.com.

July 6, 2010 | Xconomy
CONNECT Springboard highlighted in Xconomy's venture incubators guide
CONNECT's Springboard was one of the programs featured in Xconomy's 2010 national Guide to Venture Incubators. The detailed guide gives insight to programs across the country that aim to surround startups with entrepreneur comrades, seasoned executives and investors and to provide both community as well as guidance. Read more in Xconomy.

July 6, 2010 | The San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT CEO co-authors SDUT opinion piece on the impact of state budget cuts on public higher education
CONNECT CEO Duane Roth, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Ruben Barrales and San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation CEO Julie Meier Wright, published a piece indicating that a further fiscal squeeze on California's public higher education system will cause irreparable damage to our economic engine. Read more in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

July 6, 2010 | San Diego Business Journal and The San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT community, Hamlisch celebrate CONNECT's Silver Anniversary
Emotions ran high at CONNECT's 25th Anniversary as the founders and the CONNECT community joined together to observe 25 years of innovation and commemorate the legacy of Bill Otterson. Co-founder Mary Walshok gave a heartwarming account of CONNECT's history. Award winning conductor and composer Marvin Hamlisch was introduced by Irwin Jacobs and entertained the audience with a humorous take on CONNECT's history. He performed a number CONNECT Co-founder David Hale accepts Proclamation from Mayor Jerry Sanders of favorites and then his Oscar winning arrangement The Entertainer to a photo montage of 25 years of CONNECT. The Mayor of San Diego presented co-founder and CONNECT Chairman David Hale with a proclamation making Tuesday CONNECT 25th Anniversary Day and Hale announced the formation of the Bill Otterson Legacy Fund. Click here to view the pictures. To watch clips of CONNECT's Silver Anniversary, click here. Read more in San Diego Business Journal and The San Diego Union-Tribune.

July 6, 2010 | North County Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune and Xconomy
Governor designates San Diego an iHub; CONNECT to coordinate efforts of 34 iHub partners
The Governor's Office of Economic Development announced on June 29 that San Diego has been granted an official designation as a regional innovation hub (iHub). CONNECT will coordinate the effort that brings together 34 of San Diego's leading research and academic institutions, trade associations, economic development organizations and capital providers to support funding, start-up, development and job creation in the wireless, genomic health, energy storage and biofuels clusters.  Read more in the North County Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune and Xconomy. Read more in the press release here.

July 6, 2010 | San Diego Business Journal
Formation of new tech start-ups in San Diego down almost 40% while M&A deals jump almost 60%; New quarterly CONNECT Innovation Report shows tech sector is 6% of employers but 25% of wages paid
The new data published by CONNECT shows formation of new tech companies that dropped about 45% in San Diego and almost 40% across the State in the first quarter of this year. Patents granted jumped almost 25% while M&A deals jumped by almost 60% over the last quarter. VC funding jumped 240% over the same time last year, but actually dropped by almost 30% when compared to the last quarter of 2009. Southern California led the nation in National Science Foundation funding. New data also shows that San Diego's tech sector represents only six percent of employers but just over 11% of all jobs in the county and more than a quarter of the region's payrolls. Average pay among tech firms is 80% higher than the overall average industry wage. According to Kelly Cunningham, Economist and Senior Fellow, National University Institute for Policy Research, "Average pay among tech firms is $85,800, more than 80 percent higher than San Diego's overall average of $47,400 per job. Communications and equipment manufacturers ($101,900) and computer and electronics ($98,000) have the highest averages, followed by software ($85,000), biotechnology and pharmaceuticals ($82,100), defense/transportation ($79,400), and environmental technology ($78,100)." Cunningham provides the Report's economic analysis. Click here for the Report as published by the San Diego Business Journal. Read more in Xconomy.

June 24, 2010
CONNECT Springboard team participates in review panels for the Cleantech Innovation and Commercialization grant program
Three teams from UC San Diego and San Diego State University will receive $50,000 each for prototype development and proof-of-concept studies to commercialize clean technology research projects through a partnership between the local universities, private companies, and the city of San Diego. CONNECT Director of Business Creation and Development, Ruprecht von Buttlar, and Senior Program Manager, Steve Hoey participated on an expert panel of over 18 reviewers and helped select the winners.

June 17, 2010 | Malakye and Shop-Eat-Surf.com
NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton recruits John Wilson to join CONNECT SDSI Board
Bill Walton, executive chairman of CONNECT San Diego Sport Innovators (SDSI), announced today the addition of former Reef President John Wilson to the SDSI board of directors. CONNECT SDSI is dedicated to the active sports and active lifestyle innovation cluster offering innovative programs and services for start-ups, mature companies and service providers. Read more in Malakye and Shop-Eat-Surf.com.

June 17, 2010 | San Diego Metropolitan Magazine
CONNECT's 25 year history featured in San Diego Metropolitan Magazine
Co-founder Mary Walshok and CEO Duane Roth discuss the transformation of the San Diego economy, 25 years after the birth of CONNECT. CONNECT has become a worldwide model for technology and life science innovation, fostering job-generating businesses. Read more in the The San Diego Metropolitan Magazine.

June 11, 2010 | The San Diego Union-Tribune, New York Times and ESPN
In honor of John Wooden, SDSI Executive Chairman and NBA Legend, Bill Walton, shares memories with NYT and on ESPN
On June 4, 2010, beloved Coach John Wooden passed away. Bill Walton discusses significant personal and professional memories, "Every pregame speech was the same. He'd say: 'Men, I've done my job; the rest is up to you. When the game starts, don't look to the sidelines, because there's nothing I can do for you," said Walton. Read full article in The San Diego Union-Tribune, The New York Times and ESPN.  

June 3, 2010
CONNECT CEO receives the Economic Opportunity Award from LEAD San Diego
Duane Roth, CONNECT CEO, was honored last week at the 2010 LEAD San Diego Visionary Awards at The Marriott San Diego Hotel & Marina. The Awards honor true visionaries who find solutions and go above and beyond to help others lead more productive and meaningful lives. At the Visionary Awards Duane was honored with the Economic Opportunity Award recognizing visionary leadership in creating economic opportunities that improve the quality of life in our region, and that might not otherwise exist absent their efforts.  

June 3, 2010
Jeff Kearl joins NBA Legend, Bill Walton, on CONNECT SDSI's board of directors
Bill Walton, executive chairman of CONNECT San Diego Sport Innovators (SDSI), announced today that Jeff Kearl, executive chairman of SkullCandy and chief executive officer of Stance Inc., has joined the SDSI board of directors. CONNECT SDSI is a business accelerator that connects and drives the growth of San Diego's action sport and active lifestyle innovation cluster, now numbering more than 600 action and sporting goods companies.  

"The diverse knowledge and relationships Jeff brings will be extremely valuable to the SDSI initiative," Walton said. "Jeff has a lifetime of experience investing and building start-ups, the root of what SDSI is about. His expertise will further our commitment to up and coming innovative sport businesses in San Diego; to help grow the next Adidas or Callaway." Kearl has focused his career on building or investing in early-stage companies. He is the founder and managing director of Monarch Partners, an angel fund whose investments include Allegiance Technologies, Costa Vida Mexican Restaurants, Logoworks, Longboards Ice Cream, Skullcandy and Stance. Kearl founded and raised two rounds of venture capital for Logoworks, an online graphic design company he sold to HP in 2007. He is chairman of the board at Skullcandy, an audio products company with revenues exceeding $100M. He also is on the investment committee of Innoventures Capital Partners, a fund focused on providing loans to early-stage and venture-backed companies. He currently acts as chief executive officer of his most recent investment, Stance Inc., a start-up company focusing on socks for the action sports industry.  

"CONNECT has a long history of helping entrepreneurs build great companies through education and fundraising support, among other things," Kearl said. "It is probably the most successful organization of its kind in the country. Once I found out that CONNECT had started to focus on action sports businesses, in addition to the technology and life sciences companies it already serves, I became intrigued. Once Bill Walton took the reins I knew the fun meter would be all-time. I was in." Read more in Transworld Business, Malakye, and Shop-Eat-Surf.

June 3, 2010
MIT Enterprise Forum dissects why hospitals resist SaaS 
A VC debates a panel of CEOs about the real reason for resistance by hospital IT departments to Software as a Service (SaaS). The May Forum was presented by Concerro, Inc. Read the MIT Enterprise Forum summary here.

June 3, 2010
CONNECT CEO is featured speaker at Human BioMolecular Research Institute Open House to celebrate stem cell research 
On May 21st, 2010, the Human BioMolecular Research Institute (HBRI) hosted an Open House to celebrate advancements in stem cell research. In collaboration with Professor Mark Mercola and Evan Snyder of the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, HBRI is developing small molecules to direct maturation of human stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells.  

Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT and Vice Chair of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, was the featured speaker. Mr. Roth spoke about why patients need to be involved in the advocacy process for drug development. Along with a presentation by Mr. Roth, HBRI also honored two distinguished guests with Disease Advocate Awards. These awards were presented to Joan Samuelson J.D., and David Serrano Sewell J.D., two Patient Advocates that have been particularly motivated and outspoken about patient causes including Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis and ALS (or Lou Gehrig's disease), and have worked tirelessly to make stem cell research for these diseases possible. Their advocacy efforts will provide technology for greater numbers of cells for research and eventually, clinical purposes. Their dedication to support research is an inspiration to all.

May 28, 2010 | Xconomy
CONNECT launches Professional Service Partnership Initiative with Symposium on the benefits of outsourcing
CONNECT successfully launched one of its five 2010 Innovation Initiatives last week with the Professional Service Partnership Symposium at the law offices of Mintz Levin. The sold-out Symposium - Accelerate Growth, Reduce Risk and Cut Costs by Outsourcing in San Diego - discussed why companies of all sizes are not only outsourcing to increase efficiency but even more importantly to increase innovation. In fact, as a part of the process of engineering the first bacterial cell with a synthetic genome, The J. Craig Venter Institute used Seattle-based Blue Heron to synthesize all the data into genes that gave rise to the bacterial cell. Read story in Xconomy.

Speakers included Carl Eibl, Partner, Enterprise Partners Venture Capital; Tim Wollaeger, Managing Director, Sanderling Ventures; Magda Marquet, Founder and Co-chair, Althea Technologies and Althea Dx; Lincoln Krochmal, President and CEO, Excaliard; Bill Gerhart, President & CEO, Elevation Pharmaceuticals; Sanfor B. Ehrlich, Qualcomm Executive Director for the Entrepreneurial Management Center, SDSU; Gad Shaanan, President and CEO, GadLIGHT; Graham Milner, EVP, Global Innovation, WD-40; Sean Mallean, CEO, Itragomobility; Jo Marie Diamond, VP, East County Economic Development Council; and Duane Roth, CEO, CONNECT. Event sponsors included Invetech, Biocrossroads, Althea Dx and The City of Murietta.

May 28, 2010
CONNECT attracts record crowd for Connect with CONNECT
Last Thursday, more than 700 San Diego technology leaders gathered to network and check out the latest San Diego convergence innovation in life sciences, wireless health, robotics, communications, sports, software and cleantech at the outdoor courtyard of Mintz Levin's office. Forty exhibits were displayed, including CareFusion's intelligent system to reduce medication errors and hospital acquired infections; Qualcomm's clean technology for plug-in electric vehicle services, their Mirasol reflective display mimicking butterfly wings and their FLO TV personal TV device; Verimatrix's content and revenue security solutions for TV, PCs and mobile devices; California MedTech's outsourced medical device design, development and manufacturing services; ISE Corporation's hybrid electric bus destined for the London Olympics; Cox's green fleet vehicle; and Invetech's outsourced product development and custom automation solutions. Attendees also toasted the new offices of Mutual of Omaha Bank with a Convergence Martini and enjoyed fine foods from Hilton Garden Inn and the Wild Thyme Group. Mintz Levin was lead sponsor of the annual event along with supporting sponsors Mutual of Omaha Bank, TriNet Group Inc., Hilton Garden Inn and The Wild Thyme Group. Missed the event? Click here to view photos.

May 28, 2010 | San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT Frameworks panel on SBA loans lands front page UT coverage
Security Business Bank, a CONNECT SDSI founding member sponsored the program. Thomas Welch, who heads the SBA lending program at the bank, said that taking such simple steps as consolidating debts or rearranging debt payments can help companies access SBA loans. "It's really important for people to build a relationship with their banker before taking out a loan, so they'll know about how the business operates and can make suggestions about improving cash flow," he said. Read full article in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

May 28, 2010 | San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT CEO advises Escondido City Council on building an outsourcing cluster
Duane Roth made a pitch to the Escondido City Council and city commissions last week, stating that a lot of start-ups cannot afford to build manufacturing or lab space just to perform a couple of clinical tests and need to contract out that service. Now is the time for Escondido to get in on the action, Roth said, pointing out the convenience of the city's proximity to numerous tech and life sciences facilities. Read full article in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

May 28, 2010 | San Diego Union-Tribune
CONNECT CEO comments to UT on wireless technology cluster taking off in San Diego
Technology now promises to transform the medical industry and the San Diego region is playing a major role in making it a reality. "Suddenly, San Diego is on fire," said Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT, "You can name 40 [wireless health start-ups] pretty easily and there are probably 50 or 60 more you haven't heard of." Read more in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

May 20, 2010 | Xconomy
CONNECT receives major grant from Biogen Idec Foundation for science education program for 7-12th grades
CONNECT announced that it has received a $100,000 Transformational Grant in science education from the Biogen Idec Foundation. The grant will be used to develop a pilot program in support of the Biogen Idec Foundation Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators, which is designed to inspire 7th through 12th grade students to pursue careers in life sciences, by introducing them to charismatic local entrepreneurs who are developing products that may improve lives worldwide. Read more here and Xconomy article, "Biogen Idec Grant Sends San Diego's Aspiring Biotech Rock Stars into Local Schools."

May 20, 2010 | North County Times and Voiceofsandiego.org
CONNECT CEO says Escondido is poised to become new biotech hub
Duane Roth says Escondido is the leading candidate for a biotech assembly cluster. Roth indicates that biotech companies want to maintain their research and development teams in La Jolla and Sorrento Valley, but that they'd like to move assembly of biotech products to where land and labor are cheaper. Read more in North County Times and in Voiceofsandiego.org.

May 14, 2010 | Xconomy
Turnaround advice to Detroit; CONNECT CEO unlocks San Diego's secrets to transformation to innovation economy
Roth notes there are five main things that San Diego has learned about innovation: 1. Analyze what you do best and do that; 2. Don't minimize the importance of small companies; 3. Cultivate technology clusters; 4. Collaborate (institutions need to work with industry, industry needs to work with local government and local government must be educated by all of the above); and 5. Establish nonprofit organizations like San Diego's CONNECT. Read full article written by Duane Roth in Xconomy.

May 14, 2010
CONNECT partners with SDBJ and COX Business for the 3rd Annual IT Executive of the Year Awards: Winners announced
The Information Technology Executive of the Year Awards was held on May 6 at the Hall of Champions. Nine IT executives received awards. For the full list click here. CONNECT would like to congratulate CONNECT members Ron Broersma of SPAWAR and Capt. Mark Kohlheim of SPAWAR for receiving awards and Joe Beery of Life Technologies Corporation and Rich Pickett of San Diego State University for being selected as finalists. Dana Di Ferdinando of Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. participated as one of the competition judges.

May 14, 2010 | The New York Times
CONNECT SDSI Executive Chairman, Bill Walton, profiled in The New York Times
To help others with back problems and other injuries, Walton tells his story. "Basketball is one of those rare opportunities where you can make a difference, not only for yourself, but for other people," said Walton. Read full article in The New York Times.

May 6, 2010

CONNECT Frontiers biomimicry presenter featured on Bloomberg's "Innovators" TV series
CONNECT Frontiers in Science and Technology recently focused on Exercising Your Imagination through Biomimicry with two guest speakers from the Zoological Society of San Diego. The San Diego Zoo is featured as a biomimicry leader in the area, and Bloomberg's "Innovators" dedicates a whole episode to the topic. Click here to view video.

May 6, 2010 | SDBJ
Security Business Bank becomes a CONNECT SDSI founding investor
Security Business Bank (SBB) recently became a founding investor of CONNECT San Diego Sport Innovators (SDSI) and its CEO, Paul Rodeno, joined SDSI's advisory board. Read more in the San Diego Business Journal.

May 6, 2010 | SDBJ
CONNECT co-sponsors 3rd Annual Information Technology Executive of the Year Awards
Congratulations to the 2010 honorees. Read more in the San Diego Business Journal.

May 6, 2010
Jeff Kearl and John Wilson join CONNECT SDSI board
Jeff Kearl, founder and managing director of the seed stage venture capital firm Monarch Partners and Chairman of the Board of Skull Candy; and John Wilson, president and founder of Stance Inc. and former president of REEF, are the newest members of the CONNECT SD Sport Innovators board. Read Kearl and Wilson's bios here.

April 30, 2010 | Xconomy
CONNECT inducts software pioneer, Peter Preuss, into Entrepreneur Hall of Fame
On Thursday, April 22, 2010, computer software pioneer and philanthropist, Peter Preuss, was inducted into CONNECT's Entrepreneur Hall of Fame. A sold-out audience of 250 celebrated the achievements of this visionary leader at a luncheon and heard his story through a live interview with COX 4 San Diego's, Jane Mitchell. "The criteria is that they built great companies, but they also gave back to the community," said CONNECT CEO, Duane Roth. Read full article in Xconomy. See more pictures here.

April 30, 2010 | NBC
NBC interview with CONNECT CEO, Duane Roth and SDSI Chairman, Bill Walton

Click to view full interview

George Chamberlain explores how CONNECT is helping to make San Diego a hot spot in the country for technology industry companies.

April 30, 2010 | SDDT
CONNECT brings dollars and sense to San Diego's sports industry says SDDT 
Read article in The Daily Transcript. View SDSI Web site here.

April 30, 2010
Board Member Spotlight: James Sahagian, Vice President Commercial Development, Sempra Generation 
Sahagian's strategic priorities: Sempra Generation operates power plants for the competitive market in North America and is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy.  Sahagian is responsible for the commercial development of new, renewable-generation investment opportunities.

e-News:  What made you decide to join CONNECT and what role do you see CONNECT playing as a part of the San Diego community?   

Sahagian: CONNECT does a phenomenal job of providing the glue that the San Diego business community so very much needs to make those important synergistic linkages. I spent many years in Silicon Valley where networking was a way of life and venture capital was a vibrant industry. It was a very small community of people who were connected together, especially in the Palo Alto area where I resided for nearly 15 years. The efforts of CONNECT and its personnel have been instrumental in contributing to the creation of a similar business climate in San Diego. Keep up your good and important work.

April 30, 2010
Learn the value of outsourcing in San Diego at CONNECT's first Professional Service Partnership Symposium 
If you're bootstrapping your company reducing burn rate is critical to survival. Find out why venture capitalists see outsourcing as the way to minimize risk and maximize innovation. Learn how to pick the right outsourcing partner. Find out more about the 220 outsourcing companies in our region. The New York Times recently highlighted this new approach to creating companies in an article called "The Rise of the Fleet-Footed Start-Up". Read more here.

April 30, 2010 | The Daily Journal
USD Law School and CONNECT launch unique new Law Clinic for technology start-ups 
CONNECT, regarded as the world's most successful regional program linking inventors and entrepreneurs with the resources they need for success and the University of San Diego (USD) School of Law today announced that they are launching a new Technology Entrepreneurship Law Clinic. The clinic will provide USD law students with mentoring from practicing attorneys along with real world experience assisting start-ups in CONNECT's internationally recognized Springboard mentoring program with corporate, intellectual property and employment legal needs.

April 30, 2010
Symphony Principal Pops conductor, Marvin Hamlisch, to make cameo appearance at CONNECT's Silver Anniversary celebration 
If you've participated in any of the thousands of CONNECT programs over the past 25 years, you're a member of our family. Thanks to our community's culture of collaboration, CONNECT has become a San Diego institution and the "gold standard" for innovation accelerators around the world. Join our founders on June 29 at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines for our Silver Anniversary Celebration-an evening of camaraderie, entertainment, fine wines and gourmet cuisine. Share the memories and celebrate San Diego's future as the premier region for innovation. More information here.

April 30, 2010 | Inc. Magazine
Inc. Magazine spotlights CONNECT as one of 20 business incubators across the U.S. "Where Great Ideas are Born" 
In a feature called "Incubation Nation," the May issue of Inc. puts the spotlight on 20 initiatives across the nation that are working to transform the raw materials of ideas into fully formed, job-generating businesses.  CONNECT is the only accelerator highlighted in California, "San Diego: CONNECT, one of the nation's first incubators, has been working with start-ups since 1985; the 2,000 ventures it has assisted have received more than $10 billion in funding.  Participants get advice from mentors, as well as help with building prototypes, securing intellectual property, or performing preclinical trials. Who gets in: Early-stage tech firms. Breakout company:  ecoATM, creator of a vending machine that automates the process of recycling electronic devices." Read more here.

April 23, 2010
CONNECT releases 1Q10 Springboard Report - applications and graduations hit record highs 
The first quarter of 2010 saw 52 applications to Springboard--a record number. The number of graduation panels completed in 1Q jumped 45 percent. With the help of our law firm sponsors, our new due diligence review process continued to ensure graduates are investment-ready. Four Springboard companies completed due-diligence reviews prior to presenting in our Deal Network Program, where scrubbed companies present in a private home to high networth investors. The Springboard pipeline continues to be robust with 109 companies participating in the program at the end of March 2010.We continued to see participation from all the major technology clusters in San Diego. More than 200 EIRs and 300 Domain Experts are now available to provide mentoring. Read the full CONNECT 1Q10 Springboard Report here.

April 23, 2010
Conference highlights benefits of exporting as a key strategy to returning the economy to health
Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT and U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, spoke at the North American Competitiveness, Innovation and Clean Energy Conference at University of San Diego on April 14 on the benefits of innovation as a key strategy to returning the economy to health. Read more in San Diego Business Journal.

April 23, 2010 | New York Times
Lean start-ups to explore benefits of "cloud manufacturing" at CONNECT's first Professional Service Partners Symposium
With more than 250 outsourcing companies in San Diego, CONNECT is organizing a symposium to bring together small businesses with contract service companies in a roundtable discussion on the benefits of finding the right outsource partner on May 20 from 3-5pm at Mintz Levin. Start-ups now have to be "much leaner, much more capital-efficient, much smarter in accessing worldwide talent and quicker to market in order to do more with less," said Bevil Hogg, a founder of Trek Bicycle Corporation. Thomas Friedman's perspective on cloud manufacturing's benefits to start-ups was featured in the New York Times.

April 23, 2010
CONNECT Board Member Spotlight - Interview with Bruce Breslau,  Senior Vice President, Market Manager of San Diego Corporate  Banking at Union Bank
View full interview here.

April 23, 2010 | San Diego Business Journal
Congratulations to Peter Preuss - the 8th inductee into CONNECT's Entrepreneur Hall of Fame
On Thursday, April 22, 2010, computer software pioneer and philanthropist, Peter Preuss, was inducted into CONNECT's Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame. A sold-out audience of 250 celebrated the achievements of this visionary leader at a luncheon at Estancia La Jolla, and heard his story through a live interview with COX 4 San Diego anchor, Jane Mitchell. In addition to the live interview, guests enjoyed music performed by a string quartet made up of Preuss School students as well as a video tribute to Peter. CONNECT would like to thank sponsors Sempra Energy, Sanford|Burnham Medical Research Institute, Ernst & Young, COX Business and UC San Diego; Young Innovators hosts Irwin & Joan Jacobs Foundation, Walter & Betty Zable Foundation, Ferrell Family Foundation, Patricia & Christopher Weil Family Foundation, Julia Brown and Enterprise Partners Venture Capital; and all of the folks and organizations who purchased tables and tickets to the event for their support and contribution. Congratulations, Peter Preuss, for being the 8th inductee in CONNECT's Entrepreneur Hall of Fame! Other Hall of Fame members include Dr. Irwin Jacobs, Walter Zable, Dr. Ivor Royston, Dr. William Rastetter, Dr. J. Robert Beyster and Neal and Linden Blue. Read more in the San Diego Business Journal.

April 16, 2010
MIT Enterprise Forum of San Diego rated in "Top Tier"
Each year the MIT Enterprise Forum staff and global board of directors review chapter performance and rate the 25 chapters based on their alignment with the chapter operating procedures. For FY 09, the MIT Enterprise Forum of San Diego, managed by CONNECT, was ranked in the "Top Tier." It is the first time in many years that the MIT Enterprise Forum of San Diego has been ranked in the "Top Tier."

April 8, 2010
CONNECT Innovation Report on SBA radio
On April 1, Steve Hoey, senior program manager at CONNECT, was interviewed on SBA radio about CONNECT, the Innovation Report, Springboard and more.

April 1, 2010
Technology Transfer Tactics features CONNECT’s CEO coauthors Kauffman paper
The Distributed Partnering Model (DPM) “describes a way to think a little differently, perhaps more rationally about how we fund early stage innovation,” said Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT.

April 1, 2010
CONNECT CEO participates in Department of Commerce symposiums to accelerate tech transfer and innovation clusters
The symposiums were held at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. and tackled the issues of “Catalyzing University Research for a Stronger Economy” and “Clustering for 21st Century Prosperity.” Topics included: From the Lab to the Marketplace - Crossing the Valley of Death, University Strategies to Support Commercialization, Universities and Regional Economic Development, The Administration’s Cluster Initiative, The DOE Energy Hubs and The NIST Contribution to Cluster Development. Full agendas: Catalyzing ; Clustering.

April 1, 2010 (North County Times)
North American Competitive Innovation & Clean Energy Conference financing panel moderated by CONNECT CEO
The financial model needs to be fixed. The problem is especially acute in this region because it is one of the nation's top centers of biomedicine. What is worse than failure is the survival of companies that just cling to life. Fewer, better-grounded companies would be better than many shaky ones, said Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT. "We don't need 300 cancer companies, we need 300 cancer products."

April 1, 2010 (San Diego Chamber)
North American Competitive Innovation & Clean Energy Conference financing panel moderated by CONNECT CEO
Gary Locke, US Secretary of Commerce, Tony Clement, Canadian Minister of Industry, and Gerardo Ruiz Mateos, Mexican Secretary of Economy lead an April 14 conference at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice at USD. The Conference is designed to ensure that North America is working in collaboration on key issues of global competitiveness. Discussion topics will include: Transitioning to a Low-Carbon Economy, A 21st Century Green Energy Workforce, International Financing Briefing, Innovative Supply Chains and Improved Capacity and Border Efficiency Through Enhanced Infrastructure. Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT will be moderating an International Financing Briefing Breakout Session from 11:45 AM to 12:30 PM.

March 25, 2010
CONNECT, Syapse, Celgene and Fish & Richardson host panel on collaboration and information sharing of biomedical project data
Recent advances in semantic modeling have enabled breakthrough solutions that allow large amounts of scientific information to be managed, made easily available and effectively linked to key decisions in the product development process. This week at a half day conference the panelists discussed current issues in information sharing and collaboration, with the aim of providing practical solutions that the attendees could apply to solve problems within their respective institutions. Cultural and organizational issues were identified as the main impediments to effective information sharing within and between institutions. The most successful collaborations came through connecting opportunities to internal champions and facilitating personal interactions.

March 25, 2010
CONNECT to induct visionary leader Peter Preuss into Entrepreneur Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame brings together San Diego’s biotech and high tech leaders and educators to honor individuals who have achieved distinction in their career for founding, leading or advancing a San Diego life sciences or technology-based business or organization. Peter is the 8th inductee and is being honored due to his lifelong accomplishments and contributions to the San Diego community. He created revolutionary change in the computer software industry as president of Integrated Software Systems Corporation (ISSCO) which he founded in 1970. As a community builder, he created The Preuss School to educate and inspire today’s underprivileged students to become tomorrow’s innovators. As a philanthropist he has been instrumental in the development, growth and success of such organizations as CONNECT, BIOCOM, UC San Diego, The Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (formerly Burnham Institute for Medical Research) and The Preuss Foundation for Brain Tumor Research. Peter was appointed Regent of the University of California in 1996 where he served a 12-year term. We will celebrate the achievements of this visionary leader at a luncheon event where everyone can meet him.

March 25, 2010
Access all federal grants with new CONNECT federal funding portal @ Calit2
Now you can easily source all federal grants that apply to your business on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. To set up a tailored profile for you company e-mail membership@connect.org for a username and password. This will allow you to access the secure system from Calit2. To visit the portal at www.connect.org - click on the Capital icon and choose Federal Grants Database.

March 25, 2010 (Xconomy, San Diego Union-Tribune, and SDNN)
Searching for signs of a comeback in San Diego’s innovation economy
The CONNECT Innovation Report for Q4 2009 was released last week and the Report indicates 319 start-ups were launched in 2009, including 74 in the fourth quarter. That is about 13 percent better than the 282 local start-ups tracked in 2008. CONNECT estimated that the new start-ups were responsible for creating more than 1,000 jobs in the county. Read the report in Xconomy, San Diego Union-Tribune, and SDNN.

March 18, 2010 (San Diego Business Journal)
SDBJ covers CONNECTS’s La Jolla Research and Innovation Summit
Innovation: UC San Diego professor Rajesh Gupta introduces prototype shown to reduce 92 percent of the power used by PCs.

March 18, 2010 (San Diego Business Journal)
San Diego’s biomedical sector: a growth leader in California with 25 start-ups in Q4 of 2009
Steve Hoey, senior program manager for the CONNECT Innovation Report comments “We have a concentration of world-class research institutes on the Torrey Pines Mesa that talk to each other and a lot of relatively small to midsized biotechs that are aggressive innovators.”

March 18, 2010
Angel investing up; workshop to educate start-ups on attracting angel capital
Tech Coast Angels (TCA), the largest angel investment network in the U.S., raised $4.7 million through direct TCA investments and an additional $57 million through other sources for the network's entrepreneurial companies in 2009. In addition, according to a recent survey, CONNECT Springboard graduates raised over $5.5M in angel funding in the second half of 2009 - more than twice the $2.3M raised in the first six months of 2009.

March 18, 2010 (San Diego Business Journal)
CEO of CONNECT speaks on outsourcing as a solution to control costs faced by San Diego’s biotech industry
“One promising solution is outsourcing — largely unavailable in San Diego until recently. If you wanted to start a biotech company, you had to build all of that infrastructure in order to get the data for a product,” said Roth. “If the infrastructure exists and there are professionals there to do it, you can design the study and they will implement it.” The cost-ineffective alternative for a startup or early-stage biotech company is “to spend millions of dollars on a facility you would use once or twice.” CONNECT aims to increase the visibility of San Diego’s life sciences contract firms. “Unlike some of the high-tech areas where Korea — and now China — have become places to go for manufacturing, in the biotech field we have a chance to keep the manufacturing here,” said Roth.

March 18, 2010
Springboard Research Report shows Springboard grads raised $24M in last half of 2009
As of December 2009, 143 companies have graduated from Springboard in the last five years. Seventy percent are still in business. Cumulatively, 67 graduates have raised over $142M over the last five years. Seventeen companies account for 80% of that amount. Last year, $30M was raised by 37 companies. The majority was raised in the last half of the year with 26 graduates raising $24M.

In the first half of 2009, 90% of funding came from friends, family and angels. In the second half, 65% came from VCs. This major shift was due to two companies raising $15.5M from VCs in the second half of the year. Graduates raised over $5.5M in friends, family and angel funding in the second half of 2009 – more than twice the $2.3M raised in the first six months of 2009. Graduates reported employing over 550 people at the end of 2009 – up 124% from the 246 employed before they entered the Springboard program. Read full report here.

March 18, 2010
CONNECT Innovation Report Released with 2009 Wrap-up on the Health of San Diego’s Innovation Economy
The CONNECT Innovation Report (CIR) is the first to provide an economic indicator of the strength and impact of the innovation economy in San Diego. More than 300 new technology start-ups were formed in San Diego in 2009, up 13% from the previous year. Statewide, San Diego had 74 start-ups or 11% of new technology businesses in the fourth quarter of 2009, ranking third after Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties. Click here for press release. Read full report here.

March 11, 2010 (BikeRadar)
Along with 3,000 fellow participants, Bill Walton cycles the 2nd-annual Colnago Gran Fondo

March 11, 2010 (San Diego Metropolitan Magazine)
Garrett Hale joins CONNECT staff to support basketball Hall of Famer, Bill Walton

March 11, 2010 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
CONNECT CEO Duane Roth, co-publishes new Kauffman paper revamping the traditional financing model
In a recent white paper, Roth has proposed a new model for financing: Have teams of scientists — such as those at CONNECT’s La Jolla Research and Innovation Summit — go into the market with a portfolio of several ideas, some of which may be doomed to failure, while others may hit home runs. Under his plan, angel investors would finance the earliest phase of development and then potential buyers — such as the big pharmaceutical companies — would step in to work in partnership with the scientific teams to develop the most promising technologies.

March 11, 2010 (San Diego Metropolitan Magazine)
CONNECT recruiting full-time lobbyist for D.C. office, to represent San Diego innovators
More than 70% of funding for innovation in San Diego is coming from the federal government yet there is no organization in D.C. to represent local interests. The focus of the lobbyist will be federal policy issues that will foster or hinder innovation in San Diego. CONNECT believes it is critical to be at the table to explain the impact on innovation and small business. To become aware of and gain access to these critical discussions CONNECT will now have a consistent presence and close relationships with legislative offices and administration officials, said CONNECT CEO, Duane Roth.

March 11, 2010 (Voice of San Diego)
The next reinvention of Bill Walton
Bill Walton, executive chairman of SD Sport Innovators, sheds light on his journey; from NBA star, to renowned commentator and now businessman.

March 11, 2010 (NBC)
CONNECT transfers research to technology: Live NBC interview with CONNECT CEO Duane Roth and SD Sport Innovators Chairman Bill Walton

March 11, 2010 (LEAD San Diego)
CONNECT CEO, Duane Roth, recipient of The Economic Opportunity Award at LEAD SD’s Visionary Awards

Roth recognized for his visionary leadership in creating economic opportunities that improve the quality of life in our region.

March 4, 2010 (Xconomy)
Innovation Summit Highlights Drug Development, Cleantech, and Potential Impact of Drought

The La Jolla Research & Innovation Summit held yesterday at the Salk Institute was a smaller and a much more modest affair than the inaugural summit that Connect CEO Duane Roth organized last year.

February 26, 2010 (The Wall Street Journal)
Skateboards Now Hang in Galleries, But Are They Wheelie Art?

Mark Schmid, SD Sport Innovators board member, featured in The Wall Street Journal cover feature.

February 25, 2010 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Bill Walton Joins Greener Dawn Team

Greener Dawn, which focuses on sustainability, clean technology and energy efficiency, has announced an alliance with NBA legend Bill Walton. Bill Walton has joined the Green Dawn team as their Green Ambassador to help brand and market the company on the local and national level.

February 23, 2010 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Big Apple hopes to emulate our high-tech success

The city of San Diego had a prominent mention in New York City’s 2010 State of the City address. Why?

February 19, 2010 (San Diego Business Journal)
CONNECT Association Names Three to Board

CONNECT has named Phil Jelsma, Bill Walton and Jim Waring to the CONNECT Association board of directors, the organization said Feb. 16.

February 18, 2010 (Crain's New York.com)
Speaker Quinn unveils job recovery plan

She announced High Tech Connect, patterned after a successful program in San Diego that pairs budding tech companies with successful entrepreneurs in the industry, and helps them develop business plans and find work space.

February 18, 2010
Access federal grants with new CONNECT Federal Funding Portal

Working with the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2) CONNECT has developed a new set of tools to help member companies and local entrepreneurs identify federal research funding opportunities. CONNECT members should email membership@connect.org for their username and password for accessing the secure system from Calit2. Visit the portal at www.connect.org – click on the “Capital” icon and choose “Federal Grants Database.”

February 18, 2010 (CONNECT Document)
Springboard Quarterly Results: Four CONNECT mentored companies land EvoNexus incubator spots

The last quarter of 2009 saw a major increase in activity on all fronts. A number of our graduates were honored in prestigious competitions.

February 18, 2010 (Press Release)
CONNECT Association elects San Diego Sport Innovators Chair Bill Walton, CleanTECH San Diego Chair Jim Waring and Luce Forward Partner Phil Jelsma to Board.

February 17, 2010
Trading Lessons Learned at MIT Enterprise Forum in February

Neil Senturia of San Diego News Network engaged in a lively sparring match with long time friend Alan Webber, founding editor of Fast Company magazine and author of Rules of Thumb, at last month’s MIT Enterprise Forum. “Change is a math formula … wouldn’t you like to know what the formula is?”

February 15, 2010 (The Daily Transcript)
New technologies could improve patient care, cut costs

Priority areas are speed, responsiveness and forward presence that networks and related systems provide.

February 11, 2010 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Connect to open D.C. office for lobbying

San Diego’s Connect, a nonprofit group dedicated to helping build clean-tech, high-tech and biotech businesses in the county, is opening an office in Washington, D.C., to lobby the federal government to provide more support for innovative startups.

February 8, 2010 (San Diego Business Journal)
CONNECT Goes to Washington

Most high-tech entrepreneurs and innovators don’t have time to put on a tie and sit through a three-hour meeting about policy issues in Washington, D.C. They are too busy creating the next generation of digital mobile applications and lifesaving health care products, and creating jobs for the new innovation economy. There has not been a strong voice or presence in the nation’s capital to represent these innovators, who neither have the money nor bandwidth to lobby or educate representatives on their needs and interests — until now.

February 8, 2010 (Xconomy)
Connect Creates Post for Innovation Lobbyist in Washington DC

Connect, the San Diego non-profit that supports local technology and entrepreneurship, says it is opening an office in Washington D.C. “to be part of the process,” and to represent the interests of San Diego’s innovation community.

February 8, 2010 (Press Release)
CONNECT Opens DC Office - New Voice Will Represent Innovators

CONNECT today announced that it is opening an office in Washington, DC to ensure that there is a strong link between the San Diego innovation community and the federal government.

February 5, 2010 (San Diego News Network)
CONNECT in the Capitol

CONNECT San Diego is building its presence in Washington, D.C. The nonprofit accelerator for San Diego technology and life sciences companies is hiring a full-time D.C.-based director to represent San Diego’s innovation community, and to build relationships with legislators and advocate for policy.

February 4, 2010 (Press Release)
CONNECT Promotes Two Program Managers

Steve Hoey is promoted to Senior Program Manager and Linda Wells to Program Manager

February 4, 2010 (Press Release)
CONNECT Adds Garrett Hale, Madelaine Holden and Ashley Strange to Program Team

CONNECT today announced that Garrett Hale, Madelaine Holden and Ashley Strange have joined the organization.

February 1, 2010 (The Daily Transcript)
Issa discusses hold-up on patent reform

The politics behind patent reform are both what's holding it up and also the only thing that will propel it forward. This is what U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) told technology and life science industry members at a Connect event Monday. Issa said it has been a struggle to get the Senate and House to collaborate on a meaningful reform bill, and the partisan rancor in Washington hasn't helped either.

February 1, 2010 (Press Release)
CONNECT Foundation Expands Board of Directors

CONNECT today announced the nomination and approval of Paul Laikind PhD, Bruce Breslau and Helder Sebastiao PhD as the newest members of the CONNECT Foundation 501(c) 3 Board of Directors.

January 2010 (Press Release)
The Distributed Partnering Model for Drug Discovery and Development

A new Kauffman Paper called: From a Trickle to a Tidal Wave has been released and was co-authored by Duane Roth, CONNECT CEO. The paper outlines a potential solution for filling our drug development pipeline and protecting U.S. global dominance in biomedical products. Roth and co-author Pedro Cuatrecasas, a biochemist and adjunct professor for the Departments of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine at the University of California, San Diego, say their distributed partnering model could foster productive, efficient advancement of biomedical innovations.

January 26, 2010 (Xconomy)
Addressing the Innovation “Valley of Death:” It’s the Products, Stupid!

Duane Roth, CONNECT CEO writes about the Distributed Partnering Model a new funding model for innovation proposed by Roth and Pedro Cuatrecasas a professor in the Departments of Pharmacology and of Internal Medicine at UC San Diego that was just recently published as a paper called From a Trickle to a Tidal Wave by the Kauffman Foundation.

January 25, 2010 (Kauffman Paper)
From a Trickle to a Tidal Wave: New Kauffman Paper Outlines Potential Solution for Filling Drug Pipeline and Protecting U.S. Global Dominance in Biomedical Products

Duane Roth, chief executive officer of CONNECT is the co-author of a new Kauffman Paper that outlines a potential solution for filling our drug development pipeline and protecting U.S. global dominance in biomedical products called: From a Trickle to a Tidal Wave. The paper’s authors say drug discovery is in jeopardy and recommend new 'distributed partnership' model for speeding therapeutic products to market. The paper indicates the United States could speed the flow of new therapeutic drugs into thirsty industry pipelines by creating a new model for drug discovery and development. Roth and co-author Pedro Cuatrecasas, a biochemist and adjunct professor for the Departments of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine at the University of California, San Diego, say their distributed partnering model could foster productive, efficient advancement of biomedical innovations.

January 25, 2010 (San Diego Business Journal)
Slam-Dunk

CONNECT Teams With Bill Walton, Establishes New Trade Organization In Support of Local Sports and Entertainment Industry

January 22, 2010 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Connect tries hand at sports, entertainment

Connect in San Diego has been renowned for linking up academic researchers and entrepreneurs with investors and business mentors, mostly in technology and biotech fields. Now it is setting its sights on the sports and entertainment industries. The nonprofit organization has named Bill Walton, a former UCLA and NBA player and TV sports commentator, as executive chairman of Connect Sports and Entertainment Innovators.

January 15, 2010 (Malakye.com)
Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton to Lead CONNECT’s Sports and Entertainment Innovators organization

The sport and entertainment innovation cluster is more than 600 companies strong in San Diego and a regional economic powerhouse. Yet until now, no trade organization has existed to help young companies in the industry to find funding, source innovation or understand business basics. To help remedy this situation, CONNECT is incubating a new sports and entertainment trade organization. San Diego native and lifelong resident, Bill Walton, who also starred at UCLA and in the NBA, will champion the effort as Executive Chairman.

January 14, 2010 (San Diego Metopolitan)
Bill Walton to Lead New Sports and Entertainment Venture

CONNECT, the nonprofit organization that promotes the growth of San Diego’s high-tech and life science industries, is “incubating” a new sports and entertainment trade organization and has chosen basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton to lead it as executive chairman.

January 5, 2010 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Community, elected leaders think big when it comes to resolutions

As we start the first full week of 2010, here’s how some local leaders are resolving to make San Diego County a better place to live.

January 2, 2010 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Local leaders cite 2009’s top events

The year 2009 is now history, and 2010 is fertile territory for dreams. So I polled several local leaders on their views of the best of 2009 as well as how they hope to make San Diego a better place this year. Here is their take on the most significant events of 2009.

December 2009 (Video)
San Diego Fox5 coverage on 2009 Connect MIP Awards

December 2009 (Video)
San Diego 6 coverage on 2009 Connect MIP Awards

December 11, 2009 (San Diego Business Journal)
Connect honors companies for innovation

The technology trade group Connect held its annual Most Innovative Product awards Friday, announcing winners in six categories and one special award.

December 3, 2009 (The Daily Transcript)
Pills, wellness and reform angst

The future of health-care reform has been dangling like a dark cloud over the White House and Congress ever since President Obama took on the challenge for change. November legislation cleared the first hurdle when the House came up with a convoluted bill that is still being debated this week in the Senate.

October 28, 2009 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
El Cajon is much more than one famous alum

While it may be popular to advocate for recognition of today's entertainers and sports performers, lobbying for their canonization to the derision of the cities where they were raised is, at best, misguided.

October 21, 2009 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Solving San Diego’s Venture Capital Crisis is Mission for New Task Force of Tech Leaders

The evaporation of much of San Diego’s hometown venture capital base has prompted the city’s technology community to organize a business task force to find new ways of getting startup capital to early stage companies.

October 16, 2009 (FierceBiotech)
New bill boosts federal funding for biotech

Congress is getting set to consider a bill that would help provide new funding for fledgling tech businesses, including biotech start-ups.

October 15, 2009 (Union Tribune)
Strong wireless network essential

San Diego is home to the largest cluster of wireless companies in the world and a growing wireless health cluster of innovation. This burgeoning industry comprises more than 200 companies and is a vital part of our economy.

October 6, 2009 (North County Times)
INNOVATION: E-waste to cash gets innovation nod

The consumer electronics boom has produced a corresponding plethora in something less desirable: ever-growing mountains of discarded cell phones, cordless phones, PlayStations, GameBoys, iPods, etc. But what if you could get rid of e-waste as easily as you bought it ---- and get some money back?

September 28, 2009
CONNECT Announces Finalists For 22nd Annual Most Innovative New Product Awards

CONNECT, regarded as the world's most successful regional program linking inventors and entrepreneurs with the resources they need for success, today announced the finalists for the 2009 Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards. Winners will be announced on December 11th at the MIP Awards Luncheon, held at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, to an audience of over 800 of San Diego's top executives, entrepreneurs, service providers and academics.

September 21, 2009 (San Diego Business Journal)
Pulse Strengthening for Region’s Startups

Connect, a 300-member trade group based in San Diego, issued its much-anticipated second-quarter Innovation Report on Sept. 16 that examines crucial sectors of the region’s economy and offers insight into the rebound under way among life sciences and technology startup firms.

September 15, 2009
The Distributed Partnering Model for Drug Discovery and Development

Once upon a time, the U.S. industry was prolific in developing new and innovative medicines.

September 15, 2009 (U.S. News)
US News and World Report Ranks San Diego one of the Top 10 Cities for Tech Jobs

It's a recession, so few things are booming and no city is exactly thriving. But within the tech industry, some cities clearly have more job opportunities than others.

September 15, 2009 (San Diego News Network)
San Diego’s venture capital investments nearly doubled in Q2

Start-up companies and federal grants in the life science industries also see jump in second quarter this year. San Diego’s technology and life science industries are seeing signs of renewal.

September 15, 2009 (Xconomy)
Report: San Diego’s Innovation Economy Shows Q2 Uptick in Startups, Patents, and Investments

A just-released report on San Diego’s innovation economy shows 102 new technology companies were created during the three months that ended on June 30—a 53 percent increase over the 66 startups launched during the first three months of 2009, and 34 percent more than the 76 companies started during the second quarter of 2008.

September 14, 2009 (San Diego Business Journal)
For Tightfisted Investors, Only the Best Ideas Will Do

The sands of venture capital markets are shifting amid a protracted recession that’s stifling the prospects of many technology startups.

September 11, 2009
Welcome to CONNECT: Helicon Therapeutics and Dart Neuroscience LLC

Dr. Tim Tully bounds into the lobby of his sleek Sorrento Mesa facility, greets me and charges off to one of his two offices; one he occupies as Chief Science Officer of Helicon, the other as CSO of Dart Neuroscience LLC. We settle into the second space, looking out over the hills and scrub to a distant view of the ocean, and Tully begins the Helicon story. It is the story of a quest and how this company, recently transplanted from Farmingdale New York, is searching for a scientific Holy Grail: the biological basis of memory and the creation of drugs that will enhance cognition.

September 7, 2009 (San Diego Business Journal)
Life Sciences Startups Landing Grants

With venture capital funding all but dried up for many life sciences startups, some have turned to agencies that specialize in navigating complex government databases and matching businesses with sometimes lucrative grants.

August 21, 2009 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
San Diego's Connect Takes Offensive, Sets Agenda for Stoking the Region's Innovation Economy

Lots of people have been saying the VC model for funding technology innovation is broken. Now San Diego’s Duane Roth has some ideas for ways the regional technology community can try to do things differently.

August 20, 2009 (Forbes.com)
Springboard Graduate - Kerosene and a Match - Highlighted on Forbes.com as Americas Most Promising Companies

San Clemente, Calif.-based Kerosene and a Match (KaaM), launched in 2008 by Cleve Adams, aims to amp up online searching with software that acts as a complement to Google, Yahoo! or any other search engine by allowing users to rummage through non-text-based content such as images, audio or video.

August 2009 (San Diego Metropolitan)
San Diego’s sports firms get pep talk at Connect S.I. forum

San Diego is home to more than 650 action and sports companies, serving such markets as surfing, skating, skiing, lifestyle and street wear. Now CONNECT S.I., which stands for Sports Innovators, formed this January, is helping accelerate the growth of these emerging action sports, sporting goods and traditional sports companies.

July 29, 2009 (press release)
CONNECT Announces Five New Initiatives in Support of the San Diego Innovation Economy

CONNECT, the architect of San Diego’s innovation economy, today announced a major expansion to address the challenges and opportunities to commercialize early stage San Diego technology innovations.

July 2009 (press release)
CONNECT Innovation Report Reveals Rate of Startups and Grants Hold Steady in San Diego Despite Economy

CONNECT, the San Diego region’s non-profit technology and life sciences accelerator, released its 2009 first quarter CONNECT Innovation Report (CIR) on June 15. The report, developed in partnership with the National University System Institute for Policy Research, University of California, San Diego Extension, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Procopio, tracks and measures the state of San Diego’s and California’s innovation economy. The data reports federal research funding to San Diego has sharply increased and start-ups were up over the same period in 2008. Venture capital investment in San Diego fell to its lowest level in twelve years.

May 13, 2009 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Stem Cell Board Elects Roth Vice-Chair

Duane Roth, CEO of San Diego’s Connect (and an Xconomist), was elected today as vice-chair of the governing board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the state’s stem cell agency.

May 2009 (Entrepreneur Magazine)
A New Take on Incubators: Today's incubators provide cutting-edge support for your startup

Business incubators--organizations that help entrepreneurs get off the ground through mentoring, funding and facilities--have been around since the 1950s. At the turn of the millennium, for-profit incubators were a hot commodity until they deflated with the dotcom bubble. But this year, despite a down economy, the luster is returning to incubation. President Obama has pledged $250 million a year in federal funds to seed a regional network of such organizations--an effort aimed at growing jobs and innovation. So people are talking about incubators again.

May 7, 2009 (Malakye.com)
Action Sports Execs Join Connect S.I. Advisory Board

CONNECT Sports Innovators, an accelerator program dedicated to emerging action sports, sporting goods and traditional sports companies in San Diego, announced today, the newest members to its 2009 advisory board. CONNECT Sports Innovators currently reaches out to more than 900 action, sports and active lifestyle companies; an increasingly technology-centric industry that employs between 25,000 and 35,000 San Diego residents and includes everything from surf to bike to golf gear.

April 9, 2009 (Xconomy)
Navy Showcases R&D Lab to Business Community and High Tech Execs

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders has referred to SPAWAR, the Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, as one of the city’s best kept secrets, and I started to understand why during a presentation yesterday at San Diego’s Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center.

April 4, 2009 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Scientists and investors mingle at summit

A sort of debutant ball for high-tech scientists unfolded in La Jolla this week in an effort to introduce the region's top professionals and their cutting-edge ideas to venture capital investors from across the country. Instead of ball gowns and big hair, there were lots of PowerPoint presentations and gray suits, and talk of how hair can be turned into embryonic-like stem cells for therapeutics and drug testing. The inaugural La Jolla Research and Innovation Summit was organized to show investors where San Diego's many research institutes are heading in biotechnology, clean tech, wireless and information technology.

April 3, 2009 (Xconomy)
Venter Outlines Progress in Engineering Microbes to Make Fuels

Connect CEO Duane Roth says that when he was organizing an “innovation summit” to showcase San Diego’s prowess in advanced research and innovation, he wanted to start each session of the two-day event with a scientific headliner as keynote speaker. And J. Craig Venter, who gained fame for his sequencing and analysis of the human genome, lived up to his billing as summit’s opening act yesterday.

April 2, 2009 (San Diego News Network)
Scientists and investors mingle at summit

About 100 venture capitalists gathered in La Jolla on Thursday to learn about scientific discoveries that could fuel the clean tech, biotech and wireless technology industries of the future.

March 23, 2009 (Press Release)
CONNECT Mentoring Leads to Strong Impact on Local Economy and Start-up Financing

CONNECT, San Diego’s technology and life sciences accelerator, graduated 118 companies from its Springboard program and high-tech and life sciences mentoring program over the past four years and 89, or 75%, are still in business. On average, these 89 companies are making an average impact on the San Diego economy of $3 million per company, according to two new studies released today.

March 19, 2009 (Press Release)
"Top Venture Capitalists to Pow Wow with World Class San Diego Researchers, April 2-3 2009"

CONNECT has developed a new program, The La Jolla Research & Innovation Summit - a closed meeting to showcase San Diego research excellence to an exclusive group of 50 out-of-town venture capitalists. Josh Green, Partner at Mohr Davidow Ventures said, “We are eagerly awaiting the CONNECT La Jolla Research & Innovation Summit – San Diego seems to be an untapped market with an extraordinary amount of innovation and opportunity for future investment.”

March 17, 2009 (Xconomy)
A Snapshot of San Diego’s Innovation Economy

San Diego’s spirit of entrepreneurship remained resilient in 2008, despite a credit crisis that precipitated one of the worst financial periods in U.S. history, according to Connect, a San Diego nonprofit group that promotes technology innovation and entrepreneurship.

March 16, 2009 (Press Release)
CONNECT Innovation Report Reveals Steady Innovation in San Diego

CONNECT’s Fourth Quarter Data Reveals New Company Start-up Creation Better Than Expected; Higher Local VC Investment Compared to Q3; Patent Applications Up

February 20, 2009 (Press Release)
Connect with CONNECT: San Diego Sport and Active Lifestyle Industry Gathers for Evening of Networking

CONNECT Sport Innovators will host a premier networking event, Connect with CONNECT, on Wednesday, Feb. 25. San Diego is home to more than 650 action & sport companies in the surf, skate, swim, snow, moto, wake, lifestyle and street wear industries that are leading the latest high tech, clean tech and online technology. Local sport innovators, leaders and entrepreneurs will gather to check out the latest tech gear and demos, get connected with key players and pick up on trends that are driving customer acceptance in diverse segments of the action sports industry.

February 9, 2009 (Press Release)
MIT Enterprise Forum of San Diego Presents: Building Your Business in the Face of Global Competition-Entrepreneurship in Difficult Times

January 19, 2009 (Press Release)
CONNECT to Induct General Atomics’ Neal and Linden Blue into Entrepreneur Hall of Fame; Jan. 28

Neal Blue, chairman and CEO of General Atomics, and Linden Blue, vice chairman of General Atomics, will be inducted into the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame on Jan. 28, by CONNECT, the San Diego region’s non-profit technology and life sciences accelerator.

January 12, 2009 (Press Release)
CONNECT Seeks Venture-Ready Life Sciences Companies

CONNECT, one of the nation's most successful regional economic development programs for life science innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs, is accepting applications from companies to participate in its 2009 Life Sciences Venture Roundtable scheduled for March 10.

January 11, 2009 (Voice of San Diego)
Venture Capital at a Crossroads

"Like so many things in the world of finance, the way in which small start-up companies in San Diego and elsewhere get their seed money might be forever changed by the crash of 2008.

The explosive growth of San Diego's high tech and biotech sectors over the past two decades was largely dependent on the venture capital financing model, a model that industry experts say has broken down over the past year..."

January 7, 2009 (Press Release)
MIT Enterprise Forum of San Diego Presents: Sell, Spin-off or Go It Alone: Illuminating OPOTEK’s Path to Success

MIT Enterprise Forum to Provide Expert Insight into Igniting a Profitable Business’s Growth Potential; Jan. 21

January 7, 2009
CONNECT and San Diego's Generation Innovation

December 22, 2008 (Daily Journal)
In San Diego, Action Sports Lawyers Offer Valuable Advice to New Ventures

Feel the adrenaline rush. The heart-pumping thrill of riding a wave, careening down an icy slope or skate boarding into bliss. You are a champ.

So, how hard can it be to cash in on your passion? Transform your weekend hobby into a money-maker...?

December 16, 2008 (biz San Diego)
CONNECT Announces San Diego’s Most Innovative New Products of 2008

December 15, 2008 (San Diego Metropolitan)
Daily Business Report

December 13, 2008 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
CONNECT hands out awards for innovation

December 12, 2008 (Xconomy)
Dude! San Diego’s Connect Gives Surf Board Maker (And 8 Others) Technology Award

November 25, 2008 (Daily Business Report)
Electric scooter 'zuums' into play

"Almost two decades ago, when this product was first launched into the market, Connect awarded the 1989 Most Innovative New Product Award to MedStation," says Duane Roth, CEO of Connect. "MedStation revolutionized the industry with new ..."

November 24, 2008 (Press Release)
MedStation by Pyxis to Receive 2008 William W. Otterson Award

November 19, 2008 (Press Release)
CONNECT Leader Helps San Diego Land Prestigious TEDMED2009 Conference

Brilliant Minds in Life Sciences and Health Care To Gather in San Diego for Annual Leadership Conference

October 31, 2008 (Video)
CleanTECH San Diego

Overview video of the mission and role of CleanTECH San Diego

October 14, 2008 (SignonSanDiego.com)
First half of 2008 strong for startups

Despite the growing sluggishness of the local economy, San Diego County was a strong center for high-tech business startups during the first half of the year, with strong year-to-year growth in entrepreneurial activity.

October 1, 2008 (UT News Article)
Electric scooter 'zuums' into play

Self-described tinkerer and car enthusiast Tom Boyd was a successful salesman with no engineering training 3½ years ago when he came up with an interesting idea for a vehicle steered by its rear wheels.

September 18, 2008 (NY Times News Article)
Entrepreneurial Edge: Helping New Technologies Grow Into Businesses, the San Diego Way

So far, San Diego remains a fertile breeding ground for entrepreneurs, despite the problems in the broader economy.
That is due in large part to a nonprofit organization, Connect, that was created 23 years ago to bring together people knowledgeable about business and investment capital with researchers at the universities and research institutes in San Diego.

September 29, 2008 (Press Release)
CONNECT Announces the 2008 MIP Finalists

CONNECT, one of the nation's most successful regional economic development programs for high technology and life science innovators, today announced the finalists for this year’s Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards. The winners will be announced December 12th at the 21st Annual MIP Awards Luncheon, held at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, to an audience of over 800 of San Diego's top executives, entrepreneurs, service providers and academics.

July 14, 2008 (Press Release)
CONNECT Adds New Categories and Opens Call for Nominations For 2008 Most Innovative New Product Awards

CONNECT, one of the nation's most successful regional economic development programs for high technology and life science innovators, announced that it has added two new award categories for the 2008 Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards -- action and sport technologies and aerospace technology -- to mirror new economic growth and achievements in the sectors.

May 17, 2008 (News Article)
ENTREPRENEURS: Connect rebounds as advocate and guide

At the center of this beehive of entrepreneurs is Connect, a non-profit organization founded in 1985. Connect teaches entrepreneurs how to form companies and commercialize technologies. It also hosts events that brings together people from academia, business and finance.

May 01, 2008 (Radio Interview)
Creating New Energy Solutions and ‘Green-collar’ Jobs

Camille Sobrain, COO of CONNECT, is interviewed on NPR's These Days Show talking about the clean movement.

March 22, 2008 (Video)
VOZ Sports featured on KUSI news segment

Most Innovative New Product Awards 2008 winner, Voz Sports, is featured on KUSI

March 3, 2008 (Press Release)
Human Genome Pioneer Dr. J. Craig Venter to Speak: On Genomic Advances & New Energy Sources on March 20

CONNECT, CleanTECH San Diego, BIOCOM and UC San Diego Set 5 p.m. event as part of Frontiers in Science lecture series

February 28, 2008 (San Diego Business Journal)
Sports Enthusiasts Take Action to Organize Their Cottage Industry: Hundreds Attend CONNECT’s Inaugural Event for Innovators

While sports-related businesses in the county employ more than 30,000 people, according to the San Diego technology and life sciences networking group Connect, the action sports industry often gets overlooked by investors. Its entrepreneurs tend to be younger and less polished, says Thompson, but they compensate for their lack of formal training with youth and passion.

February 25, 2008 (Press Release)
CONNECT to Induct Dr. J. Robert Beyster of SAIC into Entrepreneur Hall of Fame on March 20

Recognized Authority on National Security and Reactor Physics to be Honored for 40 Years of Business, Technology, Civic Achievements

February 25, 2008 (Press Release)
CONNECT Seeks Clean Technology Innovators

Applications Being Accepted from Entrepreneurs to Present to Investors at Private Showcase on May 7

February 11, 2008 (shop-eat-surf.com Article)
New opportunities to score business help

Two items arrived in my inbox lately that I think are of interest to some of you out there, especially the emerging brands. Two groups are offering business advice to help take companies to the next level. One is a new San Diego-based organization Action & Sport Innovators (ASI), which is offering free mentoring to entrepreneurs to help them tap into financing and connect with other resources. ASI is having its inaugural networking event this Tuesday night in San Diego. Details about ASI and the event are below.

February 11, 2008 (Press Release)
San Diego MIT Enterprise Forum Presents Creating Companies from Emerging Technologies on Feb. 20

Expert forum to provide perspectives from Cambridge, Menlo Park and San Diego,
and a sneak preview of the top ten technologies for 2008

February 4, 2008 (Press Release)
Action and Sports Leaders to Gather for 'X-treme Networking of Feb. 12th.

Incubated within CONNECT, new business accelerator expected to help fuel multibillion-dollar industry

January 10, 2008 (Press Release)
From Scooters to SUVs: CONNECT’s MIT Enterprise Forum Presents Revolutionary Transmission Technology; Jan. 16

Fallbrook Technologies Inc. to display and discuss their Nu Vinici® CVP, a gearless technology transforming modern transportation

January 11, 2008 (KUSI Video)
CONNECT 2007 Annual Report

Action Sports Innovators' founder, Marco Thompson, was in our studio Friday morning to share with us why San Diego is the Mecca of the action sports industry.

January 1, 2008 (CONNECT Document)
CONNECT 2007 Annual Report

A look back at CONNECT's 2007 programming activities, financial status, and membership body

November 28, 2007 (Press Release)
U.S. Patent and Trade Office Director to Speak on Local Effect of Landmark IP Law Changes; Dec. 11

CONNECT and Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP Host Policy Forum to Outline Impact on San Diego Tech Companies

November 19, 2007 (Press Release)
CONNECT to Announce 2007’s Most Innovative Products at 20th Annual Awards Luncheon Dec. 14; Mayor to Speak

Product developed by Cymer Inc. to receive Otterson Award for Enabling Semiconductor Chip Production

November 6, 2007 (Press Release)
Scripps Founder, Designer of Insulin, and Discoverer of Obesity Gene to Participate in Local Biotech Symposium

Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Ferring Research Institute Host 2nd Annual Peptide Therapeutics Symposium Nov. 10

October 29, 2007 (Press Release)
CONNECT Extends Application Deadline for Life Sciences Venture Roundtable

Roundtable Open to Companies and Scientists Interested in Presenting Technologies to San Diego Venture Capital Community

October 17, 2007 (Press Release)
Life Science Community to Gather for 2nd Annual Stem Cell Research Symposium Oct. 19th.

One year, 29 grants and $38 million dollars in funding later, San Diego Consortium for Regenerative Medicine invites diverse panel to discuss progress in stem cell research

October 16, 2007 (Press Release)
CONNECT Names Tricia Geringer Director of Public Policy and Development

Over 10 years as Policy Advisory to U.S. Congressman, Significant Media and Political Experience

October 15, 2007 (Press Release)
CONNECT Announces Breakaway Innovation™ Series To Accelerate New Business Growth and Innovation

Exclusive Three-Part Series to Delve into the Latest Theories In Strategy, Mindset and Launch