WTC San Diego is proud to announce the four finalists of MetroConnect, San Diego’s premier export assistance program, presented by JPMorgan Chase. These four diverse companies will compete for an additional $35,000 in funding towards their international expansion strategies during our Grand Prize PitchFest on June 7. The catch? They will be looking to you, the attendee, to judge and award the extra cash. Read more and register here.
This year’s finalists are:
CureMatch | a genomics, software company that guides oncologists through its platform in selecting the most advanced personalized cancer therapies for patients
FoxFury | an innovative, portable, go-anywhere, lighting tools company that serves firefighting, police, military, industrial safety, hazardous area, filming, and photography
Planck Aerosystems | an autonomous drone company that focuses on use cases operating from moving vehicles
Tioga Research | a contract research organization that supports the research and early development of skin-applied products, including topical, and transdermal drugs and prestige cosmetic products
With a continued commitment to growing San Diego’s reputation as a hub for innovation, the City of San Diego, City of Chula Vista and San Diego Regional EDC announced that San Diego has been selected to participate in a new program by the U.S. Department of Transportation to advance the testing of unmanned aircraft technology, grow the innovation economy and create jobs.
“From wireless technology to human genomes, San Diego is renowned for its innovative spirit and talent that can’t be matched anywhere else,” Mayor Faulconer said. “This designation brings together some of our brightest minds in local government and private industry to develop cutting-edge technologies that are going to take robotic and aerial innovations to the next level.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s “Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program” is an opportunity for state, local and tribal governments to partner with private sector innovators, operators and manufacturers to accelerate the development of drone technology.
“The City of Chula Vista is proud to be a regional partner with the City of San Diego and the industry leaders that support the innovation around Unmanned Aircraft Systems deployment,” said Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas. “This unique opportunity will help the City design, develop and test drones to support police officers and fire fighters during emergencies.”
The program will inform the Department of Transportation about the integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in our skies. Key objectives of the program include:
Working closely with private sector partners to advance commercial unmanned aircraft system operations and applications for technology
Obtaining expedited Federal Aviation Administration approval for airspace authorizations
Demonstrating operational solutions that reduce the need for waivers
Incorporating community participation for meaningful dialogue for unmanned aircraft systems operations
San Diego’s local program will include projects like flying medical specimens from UC San Diego for expedited results and cost savings, testing food delivery from restaurants to consumers using Uber, enhancing public safety by deploying drones to incident scenes in advance of first responders and testing the integration and communication between driverless cars and unmanned aircraft systems.
“This announcement proves San Diego companies, organizations, academics, government and non-profits are exceptionally well-positioned to advance the adoption into the national airspace,” said Lauree Sahba, Chief Operating Officer for the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation. “Not only does this program elevate San Diego as a research and development hub, but it also brings enormous potential to our economically diverse region.”
The City of San Diego’s Homeland Security Department was the lead program applicant, with more than 20 regional organizations signing on to support the submission, including EDC. The full list of partners:
San Diego Regional EDC
Qualcomm
City of Chula Vista
AT&T
Palomar College
California Governor’s Military Council
California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)
Uber
Intel
Coleman University
GE Ventures
UC San Diego Health
Port of San Diego
Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International
San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center
Verdego Aero – Provides urban transportation market with safe, clean and quiet hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that can fly piloted or autonomously.
Airmap – Connects airspace authorities with drones to provide safe and efficient drone operations
Cape – Offers a cloud-based system for drone telepresence and data management
Matternet – Provides drone technology and ground infrastructure to help healthcare systems transport blood and pathology samples between hospital facilities
Avitas Systems – A GE Ventures-affiliated company that offers robotic-based autonomous inspections and data analytics focused increasing safety and efficiency
Infragard San Diego – FBI-affiliated nonprofit focused on mitigating criminal and terrorist threats to protect regional infrastructure
This collaboration led to San Diego being among only 10 agencies nationwide chosen to participate, including the states of Kansas, Virginia, Alaska and North Dakota and the cities of Reno and Memphis.
“We are eager to work with our partners and the U.S. Department of Transportation to promote nationwide Unmanned Aircraft Systems innovation and integration,” said John Valencia, the City’s Homeland Security Director. “This pioneering program will foster capabilities that will greatly enhance the safety and security of San Diego residents, particularly in the areas of effective Unmanned Aircraft System operations by public safety organizations, and resilient communications during emergencies and in times of crisis.”
This announcement follows a similar designation by the U.S. Department of Transportation, which selected the San Diego region as one of 10 autonomous vehicle testing sites in the nation in 2017. The designated testing sites form a national community that share information and collaborate with the private sector to advance the safe development of unmanned vehicles.
“We are looking forward to helping today’s winners unlock the enormous potential of drone operations, which will create new services and jobs in their local communities,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.
Amid a nationwide battle for talent, San Diego companies must compete with other cities to fill innovation jobs. To address this issue, the toolkit and map provide the resources needed to inform talent of all that San Diego has to offer: meaningful career opportunities, unparalleled lifestyle amenities and highly-talented people.
“San Diego: Life. Changing. was created by San Diego, for San Diego,” said Lauree Sahba, COO, San Diego Regional EDC. “When we spoke to tech and life sciences companies, they said they needed a one-stop shop where they can pull information about the region to help recruit talent and attract investment. We will continue to add and refine resources based on company feedback.”
Talent fuels economic growth, drives corporate decision-making and incubates entrepreneurship. If San Diego wants to remain economically competitive, it must continue to attract and retain a talent pool that appeals to global companies.
In early 2018, Robert Half staffing company named San Diego the number one city for tech job growth in the first half of 2018. Additionally, STEM jobs are 34 percent more concentrated in San Diego than the U.S. average, based on a San Diego Regional EDC analysis of EMSI data.
San Diego: Life. Changing. was created to refine a cohesive regional identity to attract and retain STEM talent. The campaign and the contents of the toolkit have been guided by the “San Diego Brand Alliance” – a group of more than 50 life sciences and tech employers including Illumina, Human Longevity, Inc., Viasat and more. Representing the region in a united front will ensure San Diego continues to compete on the global stage.
“San Diego holds such tremendous opportunities for candidates, yet when recruiting top talent from outside of the region we still encounter the false perception that career options in the area are somewhat limited,” said Melinda Del Toro, SVP of People & Culture, Viasat. “The toolkit provides resources that reinforce the message we’ve been telling candidates for years: San Diego is a dynamic, rich environment with incredible opportunities to have both the career and life you want, that you just don’t find in other regions.”
The toolkit includes recruitment resources such as fast facts, imagery and b-roll, infographics, industry overviews, social media posts and more. Users can sign up for free access to the toolkit online here.
The map was designed so potential recruits and those interested in learning about careers in San Diego can visualize the breadth of companies throughout our region. Representatives from tech, life sciences or lifestyle companies may also request to add their company to the map.
For more information about ways to leverage the campaign, visit SDlifechanging.org.
MetroConnect is WTC San Diego’s comprehensive export support program, presented by JPMorgan Chase. Each year, 15 companies are chosen to receive support that will accelerate their global growth through exporting. Critical to the success of this program areWTC San Diego’s network of MetroConnect partners.
SYSTRAN is a pioneer in translation services and technology, delivering real-time language solutions for companies and government agencies that require the most high-performance translation services on the market. Founded in La Jolla in the midst of the Cold War, SYSTRAN has been a trusted provider of translation solutions to companies such as Symantec, Cisco, Airbus, and Barclays, as well as the U.S. Intelligence community.
SYSTRAN introduced the very first hybrid machine translation engine on the market, with software that automatically learned from existing and validated translations. More recently, SYSTRAN Pure Neural® Server will push the quality and fluency boundary further than ever before, according to SYSTRAN’s Global CTO, Jean Senellart.
As a two-time sponsor of the MetroConnect program, SYSTRAN has made its entry level suite of translation and consulting services available to the 30 participating companies, free of charge. This has allowed companies such as CureMatch and Envision Solar to focus on what they do best (saving lives and the environment) and leave the translation to the experts.
Just this past month, SYSTRAN celebrated its 50th anniversary of helping connect people around the world.
WTC San Diego played host to more than 50 delegates from CCCME, a leading Chinese chamber of commerce with more than 10,000 members. The delegation, which consisted of developers, business executives, and government officials, was interested in learning about real estate, manufacturing, and investment opportunities in the San Diego region.
WTC provided an overview of the regional economy and business opportunities in San Diego with partners from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, Imperial Valley EDC, and Cali-Baja Binational Mega-Region.
MetroConnect is WTC San Diego’s comprehensive export support program, presented by JPMorgan Chase. Each year, 15 companies are chosen to receive support that will accelerate their global growth through exporting. Critical to the success of this program are WTC San Diego’s network of MetroConnect partners.
The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) is a non-profit that provides business support services to companies expanding to Japan. JETRO is organized and managed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and maintains 74 overseas offices, 44 regional offices in Japan, and headquarters in Tokyo and Osaka.
With the support of JETRO’s trained staff and advisors, clients can incorporate their business; receive visa, immigration, and HR support, find dedicated office space, identify local government incentives, receive market reports, and more.
One of the MetroConnect companies that received support from JETRO as part of this year’s cohort is Foxfury, a portable lighting solutions company for emergency response and law enforcement. JETRO delivered a curated list of manufacturers and distributors and conducted outreach on Foxfury’s behalf. JETRO also represented Foxfury in initial meetings with distributors. These introductions eventually led to an arranged meeting, sales, and a partnership between Foxfury and Ostrich International, which will demo Foxfury products at trade shows in Japan.
Next month, join WTC San Diego for the finale of the 2017-2018 MetroConnect export assistance program. MetroConnect, presented by JPMorgan Chase, is a comprehensive export support program designed to help San Diego companies accelerate their global growth. Fifteen San Diego companies were chosen to participate in the 2017-2018 program, representing a variety of sectors including life sciences, maritime, craft goods, and cleantech. These companies received a $10,000 grant and services to help them increase international sales.
On June 7, WTC San Diego is inviting four of the top performing companies back to compete for an additional $35,000. The catch? These companies will be looking to the audience to judge and award the extra cash. Make your vote count at the Grand Prize Pitchfest, as these promising local companies make their final case to be MetroConnect champion.
The event will take place from 2:30 – 5:30 PM at The Alexandria at Torrey Pines. Matt Cole, president of Cubic Transportation Systems will deliver the keynote address. Networking reception to follow.
WTC San Diego attended the World Trade Centers Association General Assembly (GA) in Leeuwarden, Netherlands alongside leadership from the Port of San Diego. Programming for the GA included educational sessions on global trade and investment, company tours, and networking events.
Following the GA, WTC arranged meetings for the Port of San Diego relating to aquaculture and maritime technology. Post-GA programming included meetings with Dutch ports, trade organizations, centers of excellence, water tech companies, fish farms, and maritime incubators.
San Diego is among 15 cities being considered for the Army Futures Command, a new major command for the United States Army that will incubate emerging technology and innovations. San Diego Regional EDC will be submitting a joint response with the City of San Diego to the Army’s request for additional information on the City.
“ San Diego easily checks all the boxes for the Army Futures Command. We have a community that embraces its innovation economy, an unparalleled workforce, and top-tier universities,” said Mark Cafferty, president & CEO of San Diego Regional EDC. “ But beyond that, San Diego has a long history of collaborating with the military to spur innovation and protect national security.”
The new Army Futures Command will employ both a military and civilian workforce, creating nearly 500 jobs.
“Your city appears to have a combination of talent, commercial, and academic innovation, and quality of life that we are looking for in locating the command,” said Under Secretary of the United States Army Ryan D. McCarthy in a letter. The document also states that the Army favors locations with a growing technical workforce and is looking for a concentration of occupations including engineers (biomedical, chemical, computer, electrical), as well as software developers.
SAN DIEGO’S COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
In early 2018, Robert Half staffing company named San Diego the number one city for tech job growth in the first half of 2018. Additionally, STEM jobs are 34 percent more concentrated in San Diego than the U.S. average, based on a San Diego Regional EDC analysis of EMSI data.
According to the San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC), the San Diego region is currently home to the largest concentration of military in the world. The military generates one out of every five jobs in the San Diego region. While the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard have a significant presence in the region, the Army Futures Command would establish a new military branch in San Diego.
San Diego is also the headquarters of the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), which is responsible for supplying the U.S. Navy with innovative technologies. According to a separate SDMAC study, SPAWAR pumped $1.77 billion into the regional economy in 2014 alone.
“Like San Diego, many cities in the running offer a strong quality of life and skilled workforce. However, San Diego’s legacy of military innovation sets us apart,” said Jesse Gipe, senior manager of economic development at San Diego Regional EDC who handles the organization’s military portfolio. “If the Army views a long history of collaboration with military personnel, a focus on commercializing military technologies and a highly-skilled workforce with security clearances as an asset, then San Diego has a competitive chance of becoming the new Army Futures Command headquarters.”
The other cities being considered include Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Raleigh, San Francisco and Seattle.
EDC and the City of San Diego will send in the requested information by the May 10, 2018 deadline.
Each month the California Employment Development Department (EDD) releases industry data for the prior month. This edition of San Diego’s Economic Pulse covers March 2018 data, including unemployment, new business establishments, and job postings.
Highlights include:
The region’s unemployment rate was 3.2 percent in March, down 0.3 percentage points from February’s revised rate of 3.5, and 1.0 percentage point lower than a year ago.
Every jurisdiction saw a decrease in the unemployment rate from the month prior.
The labor force contracted slightly, shedding 8,700 workers during the month. The labor force is now up 1,800 compared to a year ago.
The largest job increases in March came from education and health services, up 1,200 jobs. Retail saw the largest decline during the month, losing 1,000 jobs.
