EDC’s own World Trade Center San Diego (WTCSD) was honored today with the President’s “E” Award for Export Service.
Presented by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce
Gina Raimondo at a ceremony in Washington D.C., the “E” Award recognizes WTCSD’s commitment to growth of exports and jobs, especially through MetroConnect and Export SBDC. This is the highest recognition a U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports.
“We are so proud to be named among the President’s “E” Award recipients. Whether through our flagship accelerator MetroConnect or the direct counseling we provide to exporters as an SBDC, our team is committed and passionate about supporting the growth of local businesses and showcasing all that San Diego has to offer to the rest of the world. As we often say, our work here is just getting started!” —Lucas Coleman, WTCSD Director
About MetroConnect
Using a cohort-based model, WTCSD’s MetroConnect accelerator equips sets of 15 San Diego companies with the resources and partners to increase international sales. For specialized assistance, the next cohort of MetroConnect VII companies will each be placed into one of three specialized tracks reflecting San Diego’s economic strengths—life sciences, strategic technology, and consumer goods.
In its first six years, MetroConnect has helped 95 local, small and mid-sized businesses generate a net increase of $97 million in international sales, 522 international contracts, and 32 overseas facilities. This international growth has coincided with 319 new hires here in the San Diego region.