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CONNECT eNewsletter | December 17, 2009
Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton to Lead CONNECT’s Sports and Entertainment Innovators organizationThe 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. Read Press Release >> CONNECT Sport & Entertainment Innovator Vice Chair Ludo Boinnard finishes 40 in the Dakar Rally 2010.For the second consecutive year, the Dakar took place in South America over a grueling 9,000 kilometres or almost 5,600 miles. For 17 days the riders and crews endure the roads, the tracks, the mountains and the deserts of Argentina and Chile. The competitors fought the race out on 14 stages including a long trip through the Atacama Desert and its gigantic dunes. Almost 180 bikes and quads, 140 cars and 50 trucks competed and media coverage was broadcast in 190 countries making this race one of the most popular and tough in the world. Click Here >> SPAWAR/CONNECT Wireless Health and EMR Conference at AFCEA West 2010 ConventionWireless health and electronic medical records innovation are a critical part of maritime domain networking architecture. The focus of this program is to bring together defense-industry leaders ranging from the Department of Veterans Affairs, to BUMED and SPAWAR with local researchers and leaders from the wireless device, diagnostic and electronic medical records fields to address the challenges faced and create opportunities for collaboration. SPAWAR works closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs and internal Navy groups with the goal of implementing an worldwide networking architecture - to connect forces across the national and international defense space to secure the maritime domain effectively. They are working to optimize the speed, responsiveness and forward presence that networks and related system provide to our forces to improve our ability to deter and mitigate disruptions to our global system. There is a critical need to accelerate developments the medical sector related to communications, electronics, and associated applications in a networked environment.
By Camille Sobrian, COO, CONNECT CONNECT Public Policy Forum to feature Congressman Darrell Issa Discussing How IP Reform Will Affect San DiegoCongressman Issa will discuss the current proposed patent legislation, the House Committee on the Judiciary agenda, and provide an insider's perspective on how Congress plans to address patent legislation issues in the next session. If you would like to learn more about this forum Click Here >> CONNECT submits comments to the FCC on net neutralityOn Thursday, January 14th, CONNECT joined organizations across the country in filing comments to the FCC on net neutrality.
Update on the first meeting for the Wireless OrdinanceThe Stakeholders Review Committee (“SRC”) held its first meeting on Wednesday, January 13. The meeting included a short presentation by the Mayor’s Office on the SRC, presentations by the City Attorney’s Office on the Brown Act and federal limitations on local regulation of wireless facilities, and a presentation by Karen Lynch-Ashcraft on the City’s current wireless regulations. The SRC elected design professional Frisco White as Vice-Chair and agreed to meet on the first and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 8 a.m.
Taylor Peterson, Director, Innovation Programs The Rady School of Management at UC San Diego is launching venture fundThe venture fund will use donor funds to make investments in startups that are commercializing new technologies. The investments will range from $75,000 to $100,000. Read More in Xconomy >> Rady School to offer fellowship funding for emerging leaders in innovation-driven industriesFellowship applicants must demonstrate a commitment to the region and to their industry, have made significant contributions to their organizations and have the potential to make a significant impact in sustaining and enhancing San Diego’s innovation-focused business community. In order to be considered for a fellowship, individuals must formally apply and be admitted to the Rady FlexWeekend MBA program. They must also be nominated by a senior executive or board member of their organization. Both the FlexWeekend MBA application and the nomination form are available online at http://rady.ucsd.edu/mba/emerging/ Flurry of Early Stage Internet Deals Highlight Q4 VC ActivityWhile the total amount of venture capital investments has declined during the quarter, analysts at Chubby Brain in New York are encouraged and feel that a cautious optimism has found its way back into investing. Read More >>
By Ruprecht von Buttlar, Director, Business Creation and Developmen, CONNECT Three Springboard graduates are finalists in CONNECTs’ 2010 Life Sciences VRT. The companies are: Ridge Diagnostics, U P Laboratories and Medipacs. Ridge DiagnosticsRidge Diagnostics is a neurodiagnostic company with a first-in-class, proprietary blood test for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) called MDDScore™. This breakthrough diagnostic is the first blood-based test to aid in the diagnosis, management and monitoring of any neuropsychiatric disease. In December 2008, Ridge established a CLIA certified laboratory in Research Triangle Park, NC where testing services were initiated. Through the company’s Clinical Experience Program (CEP), psychiatrists are ordering MDDScore™. The laboratory is reporting results to the psychiatrists, and Ridge is processing claims to insurers. Ridge is targeting a national launch in mid-2010. U P LaboratoriesU P Laboratories patented synthetic peptides are derived from proteins found in human cells. They serve as a topical and safe mimic of BoTox®. They can be used as a wrinkle remover or for excessive sweating. The company indicates that the solution will be 1,500 times more effective than the current topical market leader. It works by blocking the signals that cause facial muscles to contract and stimulate glands to produce sweat. Medipacs, Inc.Medipacs, Inc. focuses on developing and commercializing wearable, programmable, disposable drug infusion pumps. The Company’s first product, the Medipacs NCA Mini-Infuser™, will be the first in-patient infusion pump able to meet the therapy requirements of the 18M patients annually who now receive post-surgical or trauma pain management drugs by manual injection given by a registered nurse. This patient population alone is a $1.8B market opportunity for Medipacs.
By Moya Gollaher, Executive Vice President, CONNECT Jessie Knight is named as new CEO of SDG&E Read More in the SDBJ >>SPAWAR awards contract for $4.8 million to ViaSatKenji L. Funahashi has joined Jones Day as a partner in San Diego, where he will be part of the firm's mergers & acquisitions practice. He comes to Jones Day from Baker & McKenzie, where he was a partner in that firm's corporate and securities practice group. Read More in SDUT >> Sempra Energy one of two companies to bring wind turbines to BajaThe formal launching of this project is just a few weeks away and it marks the beginning of a huge push to make Baja California an important center for wind energy production. Read More in SDUT >> UC San Diego construction project boosts local economyThe UC San Diego construction project is set to support around 16,200 jobs, including 5,500 on-site construction jobs. There are six projects that will be taking place and no state taxpayer funds will be used in five of them. Read More in UC San Diego News Center >> Genoptix CEO, Tina Nova, speaks about her company, why it prospers and her time in the biotech industry Read More by Thomas Kupper in the SDUT >>Qualcomm talks SWAGG and wireless connectivity at the Consumer Electronics Show Read more >>
Kauffman study on start-up formationWhat if the things taken into account when contemplating the entrepreneurial economy no longer mattered? What if it was discovered that the number of new companies created by entrepreneurs was the same despite the size of the graduating business class, the amount of money being given to start-ups, the amount of companies exiting and so on? Would that mean that the blogs and the best ways to boost innovation would become obsolete? That is how it would appear and a study by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation explores that topic in more depth. Read More >>
San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Ruben Barrales, focuses on helping small businesses as he signs up for three more yearsJoin CleanTECH San Diego and Kleiner Perkins partner Ellen Pao for the CleanTECH Showcase on Nov. 12. Kleiner Perkins, the country's largest venture capital firm, will discuss the country's hottest energy topic: the transformational impacts of a Smart Grid. Kleiner's keynote presentation will be followed by a panel discussion featuring three San Diego companies. Read More >> CleanTECH San Diego Showcase: Wind power leading the renewables renaissance.CleanTECH San Diego features Jim McDermott, Managing Partner of US Renewables Group, discussing the wind market and strategies for buyers, sellers and new market entrants. The keynote presentation will be followed by a panel discussion featuring regional wind developers and technology companies. US Renewables Group (USRG) is one of the largest investment firms focused exclusively on the renewable energy industry with $750 million of capital commitments. To read more and register Click Here >> CommNexus San Diego presents: Outlook on Telehealth 2010Mr. Cnossen, President, Continua Health Alliance, will inform attendees of the alliance's efforts in telehealth and how the organization works to make it possible for patients, caregivers, and health care providers to proactively address ongoing health care needs. He will review the Use Cases, detail the standards that constitute the Version 1 & 2 Guidelines, and discuss upcoming industry opportunities and needs, with an emphasis on mobility. To read more and register Click Here >>
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