As with every week, EDC’s ‘Good News’ sifts through the noise and provides a roundup of the positive headlines made by businesses, entrepreneurs, and others across the San Diego region. With 2022 nearly behind us, this edition serves to spotlight the biggest stories of a year marked by ‘normalcy’—a return to in-person gatherings, world travel, VC cooldown, and more.
Here’s San Diego’s Good News of the Year:
Investing in innovation
Venture capital and other investments into the region were strong, with sustained emphasis on Life Sciences and Technology innovation. Some 2022 standouts:
- Pfizer acquires San Diego’s Arena Pharmaceuticals for $6.7B
- Bristol Myers Squibb acquires Turning Point Therapeutics for $4.1B
- ResMed acquires German firm for $1B, expanding software footprint in Europe
- Software startup Drata lands $200M series C, reaching $2B valuation in two years
- POTUS’ CHIPS and Science Act promises funding for San Diego’s key industries, employers
Going global, again
San Diego travel came back with a bang, with 18.4M travelers through San Diego International Airport (SAN) as of October, and greater connectivity to and investment from key international markets. Global news of the year:
- Lufthansa resumes nonstop service from SAN to Munich
- Air Canada adds nonstop flights from SAN to Montréal, and resumes Toronto service
- Sempra completes wind farm expansion in Baja California
- MaxLinear acquires Taiwan’s Silicon Motion for $3.8B
- Israeli biotech Lineage establishes new R&D center in Carlsbad
- General Atomics wins $31.7M contract on behalf of Belgian government
Build back better, literally
While remote and hybrid work prove they’re here to stay, San Diego real estate expansion and investment marched on. Developments worth noting:
- Snapdragon Stadium, home of SDSU, San Diego Wave, and San Diego Legion, debuts to 15,000 Aztec fans
- Apple expands San Diego footprint with 67-acre purchase in Rancho Bernardo
- UC San Diego opens Park & Market in East Village, with other residential development planned
- Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. continues to support Life Sciences growth with $125M UTC campus, UTC lease agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb, and Element Biosciences’ HQ at SD Tech by Alexandria
- Port of San Diego unveils $3.5B Seaport Village project
- Sharp HealthCare launches $2B Memorial Hospital expansion and additions to emergency and trauma unit in 10-year building program
- U.S. Navy seeks bids to revitalize NAVWAR campus, homebase to 5k Cybersecurity jobs
Local education systems score rightful kudos
The driving force behind our region’s talent pipeline, San Diego colleges and universities are globally renowned—scoring funding, top accolades, and record enrollment rates. The education wins of 2022:
- EDC and SDICCCA secure $18M for the region’s K-16 curriculum to better prepare students for quality jobs
- SDSU and Techstars partner to create local startup accelerator program
- UC San Diego named among world’s top 20 universities
- MiraCosta College named only CA community college recipient of $4M Strada grant
- USD receives $1.5M to launch program for Black students, named among top Law programs in country
- CSUSM ranks #1 in U.S. Social Mobility Index, #39 Economic Mobility Index
#LFGSD
San Diego knocked it out of the park this year, earning top spots in live, work, play rankings and staking its rightful claim as a ‘sports town.’ A few of the many we’re proud of in 2022:
- San Diego Wave, Loyal, and Padres make playoffs in an electric season
- San Diego ranks among the most innovative cities in America; best cities in the world
- Port of San Diego named world’s best cruise port
- Barrio Logan ranks #6 coolest neighborhood in the world
- San Marcos ranks #20 in best places to live for families
- North County welcomes return of the X-Games
- San Diego post-pandemic tourism beats out LA, SF
EDC’s own good news
Top 10 in 2022
San Diego’s good news is EDC’s good news. With and through our investors, our year in review includes a new board chair, increased commitments to Inclusive Growth, a fresh brand in a new home, and much more. See it all in EDC’s Top 10 in 2022.