Category: News

San Diego’s Good News of the Week – March 22, 2024

By Liz Muthoni,

Every week, ‘Good News of the Week’ features a curation of positive headlines from San Diego, delivered straight to your inbox. A blend of aggregated stories from San Diego’s most trusted news sources and original EDC-created content, GNOTW provides a comprehensive recap of the region’s best stories from the past week. GNOTW is sponsored by Manpower San Diego.

Get Good News of the Week in your inbox every Friday. → Sign up

For the week of March 22, 2024, here’s what we’re reading:

…and here are some events and opportunities:

Maximize your growth internationally

Join World Trade Center San Diego for a dynamic one-day program on April 17 featuring speakers from the U.S. Commercial Service, the Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and more. Whether you’re a seasoned exporter or new to the international market, this event will equip you with the network, knowledge, and tools necessary to navigate exporting while adhering to critical regulations.

Register Here

Business information and resources page

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Liz Muthoni
Liz Muthoni

Coordinator, Economic Development

San Diego’s Good News of the Week – March 15, 2024

By Liz Muthoni,

Every week, ‘Good News of the Week’ features a curation of positive headlines from San Diego, delivered straight to your inbox. A blend of aggregated stories from San Diego’s most trusted news sources and original EDC-created content, GNOTW provides a comprehensive recap of the region’s best stories from the past week. GNOTW is sponsored by Manpower San Diego.

Get Good News of the Week in your inbox every Friday. → Sign up

For the week of March 15, 2024, here’s what we’re reading:

…and here are some events and opportunities:

EDC’s Annual Dinner: June 18 at Petco Park

EDC invites you to Annual Dinner, our signature event of the year, gathering more than 900 business and community leaders to celebrate our region and organization. We are back at Petco Park and promise great food, thoughtful conversations with your colleagues and friends, and a short program. Sponsorship opportunities available, contact Jennifer Storm for more information.

Get Early Bird Ticket 

Business information and resources page

Be in the know – sign up below to receive future editions of GNOTW.

Want to submit your event or news update to our weekly newsletter? Contact us for more information.

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Liz Muthoni
Liz Muthoni

Coordinator, Economic Development

San Diego’s Good News of the Week – March 8, 2024

By Liz Muthoni,

Every week, ‘Good News of the Week’ features a curation of positive headlines from San Diego, delivered straight to your inbox. A blend of aggregated stories from San Diego’s most trusted news sources and original EDC-created content, GNOTW provides a comprehensive recap of the region’s best stories from the past week. GNOTW is sponsored by Manpower San Diego.

Get Good News of the Week in your inbox every Friday. → Sign up

For the week of March 8, 2024, here’s what we’re reading:

…and here are some events and opportunities:

EDC’s Employee Retention and Talent Insights Study

EDC is scoping a unique study of local talent that will survey employees directly to draw insights regarding workforce effectiveness, skill readiness, and workplace needs. Insights will inform employee retention, company return to office plans, and office tenant attraction strategies. There is no cost to participate. To join us, please contact our team.

Learn More

Business information and resources page

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Liz Muthoni
Liz Muthoni

Coordinator, Economic Development

Samsung Semiconductor opens customer engagement office in San Diego

By San Diego Regional EDC,

Together with Mayor Todd Gloria, EDC celebrated the opening of Samsung Semiconductor‘s new customer engagement office in San Diego, supporting Southern California customers.

“Samsung Semiconductor’s Memory and Foundry businesses are poised for growth as we innovate and fuel the future of AI, mobile, and automotive,” said Samsung Semiconductor’s U.S. President Jinman Han. “We are expanding in San Diego to better serve our customers in Southern California.”

“Just a few months ago, I led a delegation to South Korea where we visited Samsung’s Biologic offices and other tech giants to strengthen business relationships and to try to grow more quality jobs here at home,” said Mayor Todd Gloria.

“Today, we’re thrilled to see Samsung Semiconductor doubling down on its local tech footprint and making an important and valuable addition to San Diego’s globally connected innovation economy.”

Located in Del Mar, the new San Diego office is home to Memory and Foundry customer engagement teams totaling approximately 20 employees. Both teams support innovations that power AI, mobile, automotive, IoT, the data center, and more.

  • The Memory team partners closely with major local customers to develop and validate memory solutions for mutual end-customers across applications.
  • The Foundry team is responsible for the end-to-end support and engagement with customers in Southern California. This includes identifying the best Foundry technology for Samsung Semiconductor customers’ needs to sustaining production using Samsung’s process technologies ranging from 150nm all the way to 2nm.

Samsung Semiconductor has had offices in San Diego since 2010, with an R&D center focused on SOC, modem systems, RF systems, multimedia, AI, and commercialization. The company employs more than 200 employees in San Diego with plans for additional growth.

About Samsung Semiconductor

Samsung Semiconductor is a world-leading semiconductor company with a wide range of products that power the tools you use every day – including smartphones, electric vehicles, hyperscale data centers, IoT devices, and more. For more information and the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at semiconductor.samsung.com.

About EDC

San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is an independently-funded economic development organization that mobilizes business, government, and civic leaders around an inclusive economic development strategy in order to connect data to decision making, maximize regional prosperity, enhance global competitiveness, and position San Diego effectively for investment and talent.

San Diego’s Good News of the Week – March 1, 2024

By Liz Muthoni,

Every week, ‘Good News of the Week’ features a curation of positive headlines from San Diego, delivered straight to your inbox. A blend of aggregated stories from San Diego’s most trusted news sources and original EDC-created content, GNOTW provides a comprehensive recap of the region’s best stories from the past week. GNOTW is sponsored by Manpower San Diego.

Get Good News of the Week in your inbox every Friday. → Sign up

For the week of March 1, 2024, here’s what we’re reading:

…and here are some events and opportunities:

Opening March 4: California Competes Tax Credit

Is your business looking to grow in, relocate to, or even leave California? You may be eligible for up to $164 million in tax credits from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to stay and expand in the state. EDC’s expert team, which has supported 39 companies in winning more than $86 million in credits, is available at no cost to San Diego companies seeking guidance on the California Competes Tax Credit application.

Learn More

Business information and resources page

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Liz Muthoni
Liz Muthoni

Coordinator, Economic Development

San Diego’s Good News of the Week – February 23, 2024

By Liz Muthoni,

Every week, ‘Good News of the Week’ features a curation of positive headlines from San Diego, delivered straight to your inbox. A blend of aggregated stories from San Diego’s most trusted news sources and original EDC-created content, GNOTW provides a comprehensive recap of the region’s best stories from the past week. GNOTW is sponsored by Manpower San Diego.

Get Good News of the Week in your inbox every Friday. → Sign up

For the week of February 23, 2024, here’s what we’re reading:

…and here are some events and opportunities:

Share your insight: San Diego and Imperial small business survey

EDC and SBDC invite small businesses in San Diego and Imperial counties to participate in a brief survey, which aims to better understand evolving business needs in this ever-changing climate. The aggregated, anonymized survey results will help SBDC provide regional business support and programming via its network of advisors.

Take and Share the Survey

Business information and resources page

Be in the know – sign up below to receive future editions of GNOTW.

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Liz Muthoni
Liz Muthoni

Coordinator, Economic Development

San Diego’s Good News of the Week – February 16, 2024

By Liz Muthoni,

Every week, ‘Good News of the Week’ features a curation of positive headlines from San Diego, delivered straight to your inbox. A blend of aggregated stories from San Diego’s most trusted news sources and original EDC-created content, GNOTW provides a comprehensive recap of the region’s best stories from the past week. GNOTW is sponsored by Manpower San Diego.

Get Good News of the Week in your inbox every Friday. → Sign up

For the week of February 16, 2024, here’s what we’re reading:

…and here are some events and opportunities:

Share your insight: San Diego and Imperial SBDC survey

EDC’s Research Bureau invites local small businesses to participate in the San Diego and Imperial SBDC Network’s survey by March 1, which aims to better understand evolving business needs in this ever-changing climate. The aggregated survey results will help SBDC provide regional business support and programming via its network of advisors.

Take and Share the Survey

Business information and resources page

Be in the know – sign up below to receive future editions of GNOTW.

Want to submit your event or news update to our weekly newsletter? Contact us for more information.

sign up for gnotw

Liz Muthoni
Liz Muthoni

Coordinator, Economic Development

San Diego’s Good News of the Week – February 9, 2024

By Liz Muthoni,

Every week, ‘Good News of the Week’ features a curation of positive headlines from San Diego, delivered straight to your inbox. A blend of aggregated stories from San Diego’s most trusted news sources and original EDC-created content, GNOTW provides a comprehensive recap of the region’s best stories from the past week. GNOTW is sponsored by Manpower San Diego.

Get Good News of the Week in your inbox every Friday. → Sign up

For the week of February 9, 2024, here’s what we’re reading:

…and here are some events and opportunities:

Host summer interns at no cost

Together with the Border Region Talent Pipeline K-16 Collaborative, EDC invites companies in San Diego and Imperial Counties to apply to host fully funded computing, engineering, and/or business interns this summer. Internship applicants are pre-screened and sourced through Advancing San Diego’s Verified Programs, ensuring they are learning the industry’s most in-demand skills.

Apply by March 7

Business information and resources page

Be in the know – sign up below to receive future editions of GNOTW.

Want to submit your event or news update to our weekly newsletter? Contact us for more information.

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Liz Muthoni
Liz Muthoni

Coordinator, Economic Development

Meet the MetroConnect VII companies!

By World Trade Center San Diego,

Add these to your ‘companies to watch’ list

Together with Mayor Todd Gloria and underwriters Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte and JPMorgan Chase & Co., World Trade Center San Diego (WTCSD) unveiled the seventh cohort of companies selected to participate in MetroConnect, the region’s comprehensive export assistance program helping local companies accelerate their international growth.

Since the program’s debut in 2015, 95 MetroConnect alumni have collectively added 302 new jobs to the region, signed more than 522 new contracts, and set up 22 new overseas facilities. On average, cohort companies grow their exports by an average 63 percent and revenues by 40 percent as part of the program. Alumni include Novo Brazil Brewing Co., Access Trax, White Labs, Dr. Bronner’s, Bitchin’ Sauce, Scientist.com, Aira (acquired by Blue Diego Investment Group), Cypher Genomics (acquired by Human Longevity Inc.), and many more.

Now, WTCSD is pleased to welcome the newest set of MetroConnect companies representing the diversity of San Diego’s innovation economy.

Meet the MetroConnect VII companies

  1. Aquacycl
  2. Epitope Diagnostics
  3. Fieldsheer
  4. GALT Aerospace
  5. Harland Brewing Company
  6. Health Innovation Products
  7. Lotus Sustainables
  8. Promo Drone
  9. Selk’bag
  10. Sunday Golf
  11. Surf Loch
  12. VECKTA
  13. VeV Scientific
  14. Visaic
  15. Wearable Sensing

Learn about the companies

The MetroConnect program is highly competitive, with just 15 companies selected based on a variety of criteria, including interest in new foreign markets, assessed impact of funds, current international traction and more. Applicants were assessed by a panel of senior level representatives from Biocom, Connect, CMTC, WTCSD and the U.S. Commercial Service.

“Since its launch, the City of San Diego has been a proud supporter of MetroConnect and the nearly 100 businesses it has helped grow internationally,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “As Mayor, I’m committed to supporting the small businesses that power San Diego’s economy, and international connectivity is an important tool in building economic resilience.”

Why go global?

Amid economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever to help local SMEs build resilience by facilitating increased sales in global markets.

In 2022 alone, San Diego exported more than $32 billion in goods overseas, as well as billions more in services like software, cybersecurity, engineering and research. SMEs produce 92 percent of those goods—driving home the importance of programs like MetroConnect.

“Booz Allen is proud to support international business connectivity in San Diego through MetroConnect,” said Jennie Brooks, EVP at MetroConnect underwriter Booz Allen Hamilton, and EDC board chair. “The metrics don’t lie—it’s clear global companies are more competitive, efficient and successful. We’re committed to continuing this important work in San Diego’s business community.”

Next up for MetroConnect VII

The cohort will gain access to a suite of resources to support expansion into international markets, including executive workshops, flight discounts, language translation, and up to $30,000 in grant funding.

“2024 is filled with great opportunity for those who are prepared to navigate an uncertain and dynamic environment,” said Nikia Clarke, executive director of WTCSD. “Now with new tracks focused on technology, health and consumer goods, the MetroConnect program will ensure San Diego’s rapidly growing firms are equipped to access global markets, share our region’s life-changing innovation with the world, and create high quality jobs here at home.”

Interested in growing your business internationally?

World Trade Center San Diego works directly with companies – free of charge – to help them expand internationally and grow in San Diego. Whether your small company is interested in learning about exporting and international growth, or your SME is ready to export and grow internationally, WTCSD is here to help.

Ready to get involved? Click here to receive our monthly Global Brief Newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.

San Diego flood-related resources

By Mark Cafferty,

EDC board members, investors, and partners:

I hope this message finds you all well. As the rain continues across our region, I wanted to drop you a line with the latest on resources related to the recent flooding in San Diego.

If you know of any businesses in flooded areas that are still in need of assistance, please have them contact:

  • San Diego and Imperial Small Business Development Center (SBDC): sdivsbdc.org
  • San Diego Central Black Chamber of Commerce (which operates the Diamond Business Improvement District): sdblackchamber.org

If you know workers who have been displaced due to flooding, please have them contact:

And if you are looking to make donations in support of the continued clean-up efforts and to help those still unable to return to their homes, please contact:

Additional information on resources can also be found on the following sites:

Please be sure to always work through known and reputable partners in the community in times of crisis. Thank you for your time and attention on this matter and let’s continue to take care of each other.

Sincerely,

Mark Cafferty
Mark Cafferty

President & CEO