Category: News

Propel San Diego is a federal grant – awarded to the city of San Diego – to boost the San Diego region’s defense resiliency. The timeline below describes how we worked with and through partners, on the Propel San Diego initative.

• 2012 – OPERATION SAN DIEGO COALESCES
  Amid discussions around the potential impact of sequestration, EDC and the San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC) co-create the Operation San Diego initiative. Operation San Diego is a strategic plan to support the region’s military and defense footprint – a key driver of the regional economy.
• SEPTEMBER 2014 – EDC EXPLORES COLLABORATION WITH OEA
  Home to the largest concentration of military assets in the world, San Diego was a prime candidate for funding from the Department of Defense’s Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA), which had already been funding similar programs in other defense-heavy clusters across the country. The Office of Economic Adjustment urged San Diego to apply for the program, which would help boost San Diego’s defense resiliency.
• JANUARY 2015 – RESEARCH PROVES ELIGIBILITY FOR OEA FUNDING
  As a way to prove eligibility for the grant, EDC conducts an analysis of defense-related workforce trends. The research concludes that many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are dependent on military and defense funding. An OEA grant would help develop programming to diversify revenue streams. Now, EDC and SDMAC must get the right regional partners onboard.
  
• AUGUST 2015 – CITY OF SAN DIEGO SPEARHEADS GRANT PROPOSAL
  Recognizing the need to diversify our economy, the City of San Diego agreed to spearhead the grant proposal and act as the fiscal agent.
• JULY 2016 – SAN DIEGO WINS $1.6M GRANT
  After a lengthy application, the City of San Diego, EDC and additional regional partners receive notification of a $1.6 million grant award for Phase I of the OEA project. Phase I of the project includes a defense industry survey and research report, overhaul of the SDMAC website and the creation of a regional asset map.
• SEPTEMBER 2016 – PROPEL SAN DIEGO DEVELOPED AS ENTITY
  The partners in charge of executing the OEA grant officially name the initiative Propel San Diego, and develop a logo and other supporting materials.
• JANUARY 2017 – PROPEL SD RESEARCH IDENTIFIES DEFENSE ECOSYSTEM
  Research finds that small businesses often derive a large portion of their revenue from defense-related contracts, meaning downward adjustments in military spending at the federal level can have catastrophic impacts on the longevity of military-reliant small businesses.
• SEPTEMBER 2017 – PROPEL SD AWARDED $1.7M FOR PHASE II OF OEA GRANT
  Due to the success of the Phase I OEA work, Propel San Diego was granted $1.7 million to execute Phase II, which will begin in 2018. As part of the Propel San Diego deliverable, EDC and World Trade Center San Diego will run a MetroConnect defense cohort for defense-reliant companies looking to export and diversify their sales portfolio.

And we’re just getting started. In 2018, we’ll release our defense visualization tool. Stay tuned for updates from Propel SD.

In addition to San Diego Regional EDC, Propel SD partners include:

“Congressional action needed to replace San Diego’s aging airport terminal” was originally published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, authored by Mark Cafferty and Joe Terzi.

When you think about the region’s economic prosperity — today and tomorrow — all roads lead to San Diego International Airport. Tourism, business, global trade, the innovation economy, even the defense sector all depend on it.

Last year, our airport served almost 21 million passengers. Terminal 2, expanded several years ago, is a welcoming stage for San Diego. Yet Terminal 1 — now 50 years old and used by Southwest, Frontier and Alaska Airlines — not so much.

That is why the Airport Authority is refining the Airport Development Plan, which includes replacing Terminal 1. But there is a catch — paying for it. Right now, congressional action to lift the cap on the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) is being debated — again — and it is essential for our airport and for our region.

The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority is the airport owner and operator, and it has been busy making a stream of improvements over the past decade. These include the expansion of Terminal 2, a central receiving and distribution center, new general aviation facility, new rental car center using a new on-airport roadway to access the terminals, a parking structure and new international arrivals facility under construction, and much more….

Read the full op-ed online here.

The California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC) is an income tax credit program available to businesses expanding in or relocating to California. Created in 2014 by the California legislature and overseen by Governor Jerry Brown’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), Cal Competes offers variable amounts of tax credits to companies based on commitments to hire full time employees over a span of five years. In 2017, 293 California companies were awarded more than $210 million in tax credits.

Since the CCTC program inception, more than 110 San Diego companies have received $61.1 million in tax credits tied to the creation of more than 8,433 jobs. San Diego consistently ranks among the top three metros in the state for tax credit distribution, with 2017 as no exception. This year, 37 San Diego companies were awarded nearly $24 million (11.35 percent of total) in tax credits in exchange for the creation of 2,000 new jobs, $200 million capital investments and $500 million in wages paid over the next five years. San Diego received the third highest percentage of credits in the state, behind only Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Credit recipients span the region from Oceanside down to Chula Vista, representing businesses large and small across a variety of industries including biotech, software development, manufacturing, defense and more. Of all 37 San Diego companies in 2017, medical device manufacturer NuVasive was awarded the largest credit of $3 million for its commitment to create 245 new jobs over the next five years. Additional recipients in 2017 include Ballast Point spin out Cutwater Spirits ($2M credit for 64 jobs); game developer Psyonix ($1.2M credit for 69 jobs) and LED manufacturer Hyperikon ($975K credit for 75 jobs).

During the CCTC application process, companies are classified as either large or small. Throughout the 2017 rounds, San Diego small companies performed particularly well compared to other metros. Of all credits distributed in the small business category in 2017, 21.2 percent came to San Diego firms – the second highest of all California metros. San Diego small businesses received nearly $8 million in credits, with plans to create 400 jobs in the region over the next five years.

San Diego’s large companies performed admirably as well, receiving $16 million – or 9.2 percent – of the total credits awarded in the large business category, coming in third for highest percent of credits within the category.

The next application round will look to award $100 million in credits and will open January 2, 2018 and close January 22, 2018. Just before the round opens, GO-Biz host a free workshop hosted on Friday, December 8. Businesses interested in applying can register to attend any of the workshops and receive customized technical assistance from GO-Biz staff.

For additional questions about how to complete a competitive application, please feel free to contact Jesse Gipe at jg@sandiegobusiness.org.

In 2016, executives from San Diego life sciences giants Illumina, Human Longevity, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, ResMed and Dexcom approached EDC with a pressing need for a specific type of talent: bioinformatics professionals. Known among peers by their technical title, bioinformaticians develop and apply software tools to understand biological data sets. In San Diego, leaders in genomics and connected health are gathering incomprehensible amounts of data with the power to unlock the human genome, make personalized care a reality and enhance the way we live on a massive scale. Individuals skilled in bioinformatics, data science and computational biology are instrumental in deciphering such data sets – a task with stunning implications across pharma, biotech, healthcare, genomics and much more.

Even with impressive programs at UC San Diego and SDSU, the demand for bioinformatics professionals is simply too high for local universities to fill. As such, EDC launched the Life Sciences Trek to San Diego with the help of our economic development committee, to showcase local opportunities for Masters and PhD’s from across the country. The goal of the program: attract talent who can translate data into actionable results for application in healthcare and medicine. During the trek, the group would visit seven San Diego life sciences staples, presenting a range of career opportunities.

On November 9-10, we were joined by 27 students from across the U.S., representing UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco, University of Michigan, Stanford, Arizona State, UC Riverside, University of Northern Carolina, University of Pittsburgh and Georgia Institute of Technology. Through company tours, presentations and a networking reception, students gained access to influential researchers and executives across many of San Diego’s research institutions and fast growing companies including ResMed, Illumina, the Salk Institute, Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Human Longevity, Inc. From drug discovery to connected devices, genetic sequencing to direct patient care, the breadth of opportunities for bioinformaticians became apparent within San Diego’s diverse life sciences ecosystem.

Though a pilot program for EDC, the Life Sciences Trek to San Diego was largely a success. Providing an employer perspective, ResMed Lead Talent Acquisition Partner Amy Hernandez considered the trek a “fantastic employment branding opportunity” and a “great community event that highlighted San Diego as an attractive employment marketplace to a ripe generation of future leaders.” Additionally, the students were impressed. For one student, the trek displayed “tremendous opportunities to do biomedical research that directly impacts patient lives.” For another, the trek was a “fantastic opportunity and unique experience to get an inside look into companies and a career in Life sciences and in bioinformatics specifically,” saying “it was perfect timing in my last year of my PhD program.”

Looking ahead to 2018, EDC will continue to address the occupational demand for bioinformatics and other life sciences professionals in San Diego. EDC will play host second trek in 2018, and will emphasize the need for data science professionals as a part of the U.S. Chamber’s Talent Pipeline Management program, which takes an employer-focused approach to meeting talent needs.

EDC didn’t need to write talking points, as San Diego spoke for itself. The people we met, spaces we visited and stories we heard over the two days embodied the region’s life-changing identity. Surpassing expectation, the trek has left an undeniable impression on all who participated – students and locals alike.

See more at #SDLifeSciencesTrek.

Understanding our economy begins with strong data. Lucky for us, November means lots of it.

A little about the research products released this week:

Economic Snapshot: San Diego added 16,100 jobs year-over-year

Following an increase in employment during Q2 2017, total nonfarm employment fell 5,800, or 0.4 percent, in Q3. Job gains in the private sector helped offset some of the losses seen in local and state government. Compared to a year ago, total nonfarm employment was up 16,100, or 1.1 percent. Meanwhile, San Diego’s unemployment rate declined by 0.2 percentage points in Q3, and remained 0.6 percentage points below California’s rate and was on par with the national rate.

Key findings from the snapshot:

• San Diego closed Q3 with an unemployment rate of 4.1 percent, the 17th lowest among top U.S. metros and below the state rate of 4.7 percent.
• With the holiday season approaching, retail trade recorded the largest gain, adding 1,400 jobs during the quarter. Healthcare and social assistance continued to grow, adding 1,200 jobs.
• VC dollars in the region increased 25.1 percent compared to the previous quarter.

The Quarterly Economic Snapshot analyzes key economic indicators that are important to understanding the regional economy and the region’s standing relative to the 25 most populous metropolitan areas in the U.S. This releases includes data from July to September (Q3) 2017.

Economic Pulse:

Each month the California Employment Development Department (EDD) releases industry data for the prior month. This edition of San Diego’s Economic Pulse covers October 2017 data, including unemployment, new business establishments and job postings.

Key Findings from pulse:

• The region’s unemployment rate fell to 3.7 percent in October, from a revised 4.1 percent in September, and is a full percentage point below the October 2016 rate of 4.7 percent.
• Nearly every jurisdiction in San Diego saw a decline in unemployment. Imperial Beach saw the largest decline for a second consecutive month.
• Year-over-year, real estate, rental and leasing growth outpaced all other sectors, up 5.6 percent.

“Why San Diego leaders must forge international economic partnerships” was originally published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, authored by Nikia Clarke.

Did you know that the greatest public transportation systems in the world have a direct and important connection to San Diego? The ticketing systems for London, Chicago, Vancouver and Sydney have all been enhanced and modernized through the technologies of San Diego-based Cubic Transportation Systems. And joining this global lineup will be New York City following a $533 million contract awarded to Cubic on October 25, taking The Big Apple to the next level in modern transit payment.

This is just one of the many remarkable ways San Diego companies are connecting abroad to create jobs and opportunities here at home. World Trade Center San Diego — an affiliate of San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation — in conjunction with Congressman Scott Peters, led a delegation of San Diego companies and organizations to London and Cambridge, U.K. last week to strengthen economic ties with one of our region’s top markets for trade and investment……

Read the full op-ed here.

Strengthening ties between San Diego and the U.K., Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) and World Trade Center San Diego led a delegation to London and Cambridge, United Kingdom from October 16 – 19. Check out #SDinUK for the inside scoop.

Rep. Peters and World Trade Center San Diego were joined by more than two dozen San Diego delegates from Cubic Transportation Systems, Qualcomm, San Diego Gas & Electric, Edico Genome, Takeda California, NuVasive, Forge Therapeutics, BioMed Realty, Alexandria Real Estate, Biocom, UC San Diego, San Diego State University and others.

Over the course of the three-day trade mission, two significant announcements, representing both the smart cities and life sciences space, were made.

San Diego became the first west coast city to enter London’s Business Welcome Programme. As part of the agreement inked between World Trade Center San Diego and London & Partners, London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s official economic development and tourism agency, London-based companies will have access to up to three months of free space at WeWork San Diego, as well as a suite of other services designed to accelerate their ability to grow in San Diego.

Continually, San Diego-based Forge Therapeutics announced the launch of BLACKSMITH, a new platform being developed in partnership with Evotec AG’s U.K. team. With more than 23,000 people dying in the U.S. annually due to resistance to anti-biotic superbugs, Forge’s new platform will aid in bringing lifesaving drugs to the market. The partnership will also enable Forge to create additional jobs in San Diego.

Additionally, Rep. Scott Peters and the delegation met with and spotlighted the following companies and held additional meetings and panels to expand on the following topics:

• San Diego-based Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) and its partnership with Transport for London (TfL). During this event, leaders heard from CTS’ president Matt Cole and TfL’s CTO Shashi Verma on how the collaboration moves millions of people across London daily.
• An MOU signing between Biocom and OneNucleus, both trade organizations that represent the life sciences sector in their respective locations, to strengthen partnerships.
• A conversation about leveraging electric vehicle technology as a key platform for smart cities in the U.K. with Qualcomm and SDG&E. During the panel, it was announced that Chargemaster, a licensee of Qualcomm’s wireless electric vehicle charging technology, has just opened the world’s first EV Experience Centre in Milton Keynes in the U.K. and is looking to expand elsewhere around the world.
• A partnership agreement in Cambridge for a ground-up development project by San Diego-based BioMed Realty, comprising 100,000 square feet of laboratory and office space for growing life sciences companies. The partnership launch was attended by newly-elected Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayor James Palmer.
• A tour and best practices exchange with Knowledge Quarter, a one mile area of London comprised of eight higher education institutions, 22 museums and galleries, 34 libraries and archives, 580 research centers, 3,000 scientists, 13,700 academics, 57,000 staff and 98,500 students. Knowledge Quarter is home to companies including The British Library, Google, The Guardian, University of London and others.
• San Diego-based Edico Genome and a partnership with U.K.-based Congenica. Simultaneously, Edico Genome, in partnership with Amazon Web Services and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORD title for “Fastest time to analyze 1,000 human genomes.” The award was presented at the American Society of Human Genetics 2017 Annual Meeting in Orlando.

The U.K. is one of San Diego’s most vital trading partners. U.K.-based companies directly support more than 10,000 local jobs and have poured more than $3.9 billion in greenfield investment (2003-2015) into San Diego’s economy. The U.K. is also one of the top 10 largest export markets for San Diego-produced goods and services.

The trade mission was organized by WTC San Diego, with assistance and support provided by the U.K. Department of International Trade.

Each month the California Employment Development Department (EDD) releases industry data for the prior month. This edition of San Diego’s Economic Pulse covers September 2017 data, including unemployment, new business establishments and job postings.

Highlights include:

• The region’s unemployment rate fell to 4.1 percent in September from a revised 4.7 percent in August, and is below the September 2016 rate of 4.6 percent.
• Every jurisdiction in San Diego experienced a decline in its unemployment rate. The largest drops occurred in the cities of El Cajon and Imperial Beach.
• The labor force grew in September, for the fourth consecutive month, adding 8,600 workers.
• Year-over-year, real estate, rental and leasing job growth outpaced all other sectors, up 7.9 percent.

Read San Diego’s Economic Pulse here.

Last week, thousands of MFG Day events were held across the country to celebrate modern manufacturing. In San Diego, more than 50 companies participated in events – from facility tours to regional resource fairs – to showcase a wide range of job opportunities. This included a private tour of Samsung’s maquiladora in Tijuana, which employs upwards of 6,000 workers, alongside Rep. Susan Davis and more than 20 EDC partners. Fun fact: San Diego’s MFG day is one of the only bi-national celebrations in the country. The week culminated at EDC’s annual breakfast event, attended by more than 200 local business and civic leaders.

The goal of MFG day is to change public perception of the sector, and introduce people to manufacturing careers. Even though San Diego has a smaller concentration of manufacturing employment than the national average, the region is home to nearly 110,000 manufacturing jobs, spread across more than 300 industries¹. These are not just team assembler and machinist roles; there are hundreds of unique occupations from finance to marketing to engineering. And these are good paying jobs. In 2016, the average annual salary exceeded $79,000 in San Diego².

Dismissiveness toward manufacturing comes from a track record of employment declines that began well before the Great Recession, in large part due to increases in automation. However, with a focus on advanced manufacturing, San Diego has fared much better. Since 2007, when the recession began, manufacturing employment declined 11.2 percent nationwide. During that same time, manufacturing in San Diego grew 3.2 percent, adding more than 3,400 jobs³.

This is because manufacturing in San Diego is driven by the innovation economy that makes aircrafts, medical equipment and semiconductors. Of course, there are also apparel makers, plastic producers and world-famous breweries. But the top eight manufacturing industries, accounting for more than 61,000 manufacturing jobs, are all in advanced industries such as aerospace and biotech⁴.

Strategic development of San Diego’s defense and life science clusters, as well as the strong partnership with Baja California, has helped the region’s manufacturing sector remain relevant and competitive.

^1-4EMSI 2017.3.