Kicking off this year’s BIO International Conference, San Diego Regional EDC and World Trade Center San Diego (WTSCD) hosted an Invest in San Diego breakfast event together with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Biocom. The regional ‘pitch’ event played host to more than 100 attendees representing international delegations including South Korea, Canada, Taiwan, France, and more.
With idyllic views of the harbor and downtown, City of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria kicked off the program highlighting the Life Sciences industry as a crucial pillar of San Diego’s economy. He underscored the region’s commitment to fostering industry growth through initiatives such as the Life Sciences Industry Accelerator, designed to streamline permitting for Life Sciences projects within San Diego.
EDC SVP and Executive Director of WTCSD Nikia Clarke then presented on San Diego’s competitive advantages:
- San Diego is a top three Life Sciences market with a robust research and development hub and a growing manufacturing sector. With more than 66,000 total Life Sciences jobs countywide, 32 percent are dedicated to manufacturing.
- The region boasts more than 80 research and 25 post-secondary institutions. Conferring approximately 17,000 STEM degrees annually, San Diego is growing its degree-holding population at a faster rate than any other California metro.
- San Diego’s proximity to Mexico provides dynamic cross-border economic opportunities for businesses to access additional skilled talent and Baja California’s manufacturing expertise in medical devices and more.
The event concluded with a panel moderated by Miguel Motto, Vice President, Strategic Operations and San Diego Office Head of Biocom, together with panelists Matt Abernethy of Neurocrine Biosciences, Sarah Boyce of Avidity Biosciences, Alison Budelsky of Eli Lilly, and Jeff Labbadia of Element Biosciences. With representation from Life Sciences companies of all sizes, the panelists shared why they continue to expand in San Diego. Although their individual stories are unique, they all made one thing clear: they invest in San Diego because of its diverse and highly skilled talent pool, collaborative spirit, and unrivaled quality of life.
Interested in investing in San Diego?
EDC and WTCSD work directly with companies—free of charge—to help them grow in San Diego. Contact our team today:
Emily Irion
Manager, Economic Development