Since 2015, Cool Companies have raised over $900M (just in Series A) Thank you to the Class of 2024 Cool Companies Sponsors Announcing the Cool Companies of 2024!   If you’re searching for the latest innovative tech and life science companies in Southern California, check out Connect’s Class of 2024 Cool Companies. We’ve sifted through numerous submissions this year with the assistance of our esteemed judges to bring you the standout selections below. All Tech LifeSci Consumer Amptron Medical At Amptron Medical, we are developing solutions to increase life expect ..read more

By Jeff Clemetson (Originally published February 14, 2024 on sdbj.com) San Diego, California (February 14, 2024) –A self-funding and growing source of financial capital to fuel San Diego’s innovation economy – that is the vision behind TL Fund, a new venture fund thought up by and launched out of Connect San Diego. “The mission is to propagate growth around San Diego,” said Connect CEO Mike Krenn. Although Connect had a heavy hand in designing TL Fund, the fund is actually run by its own 501c3 foundation, TL Foundation, Krenn said. TL Fund has so far raised more than $1.5 million and beginn ..read more

A YEAR IN REVIEW It’s 2024, Happy New Year and welcome back to the Springboard Corner! Despite 2023 being a somewhat challenging and mixed year, Springboard companies nonetheless received funding, achieved critical milestones, and continued to grow and scale their companies. Here are some of those achievements this past year. Founded in 2017, DTx Pharma was acquired by Novartis for $500M plus an additional $500M upon completion of pre-determined milestones. Did you miss how in six years, this homegrown company went from being a scrappy startup to being among one of the largest Sa ..read more

Welcome To The Springboard Corner The Springboard Corner is your go-to source for the latest updates on the remarkable journey of life science and hi-tech startups that have participated in Connect’s Springboard program. We are thrilled to share the most recent milestones achieved by these extraordinary Springboard companies. So, stick around, and let’s dive into the inspiring stories of innovation and progress! Fenix Space – founded in 2018, Fenix Space is a low-orbit satellite launch startup developing the next-gen air launch platform for orbital and suborbital hypersonic launch mis ..read more

Think Global, Shop Local. When you buy locally, you put dollars back into our incredible community. We have the choice to invest where our roots are and make a positive impact with our dollars. You may recognize a few of these companies from this year’s Innovation Day at Petco Park. We love our San Diego companies, and always want our friends to think and buy locally. Together, we are building a better San Diego. Abstract Home Art Alive Ferments Bear Bar Foods CAMEREYE Cromchies Earth Fan Surf Equelle GOVX Gryphon Online Safety H2OM Hempress Hygienics ..read more

Featuring ShipCalm, Yolia Health, and GroundWorx® The Class of 2023 Cool Companies is paving the way for the future of innovation. We want to share and celebrate the incredible advancements being made right here in San Diego. Let’s take a deeper look at a few companies from this year’s cohort. ShipCalm is an e-Commerce fulfillment and third-party logistics provider headquartered in Carlsbad. Founded in 2017, ShipCalm provides a number of logistics services aimed at helping online businesses solve their shipping problems. ShipCalm provides solutions for e-Commerce business owners with A ..read more

Welcome To The Springboard Corner Happy 2024! Welcome back to the Springboard Corner where we highlight recent milestones of life science and hi-tech startups which we have worked with through Connect’s Springboard program. The big announcement last month was the news of Inhibrx being acquired by pharma giant Sanofi for a total sum of $2.2B. A clinical stage biotech company developing cancer and rare disease therapeutics, Inhibrx last year was granted Fast Track Designation for its drug candidate, INBRX-101, the main drug of interest by Sanofi. Inhibrx has a pipeline of several other ..read more

In the heart of San Diego, amidst the vibrant landscape of innovation and technology, lies a hub of groundbreaking research and development. As part of the second session of the Spring 2024 XEO program, the 30 members of the cohort got to witness firsthand the cutting-edge research being conducted at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility. DIII-D, operated by General Atomics on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy, is advancing the science and technology necessary for the development of nuclear fusion as a viable energy solution for future generations.   Led by expert guides, the XE ..read more

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – Connect is thrilled to announce the selection of its third cohort of exceptional individuals joining the XEO program. Following the resounding success of previous cohorts, the XEO program continues to bring together outstanding leaders from forward-thinking companies dedicated to workforce development and innovation. The trailblazing group of participants from past XEO programs have left already left marks in the tech and life sciences industries, and continue to grow into difference-makers for the better of San Diego. With a diverse assembly of leaders from various ..read more

Connect Receives $30,000 Grant from U.S. Bank Foundation San Diego, California (December 13, 2023) – Connect, a nonprofit organization that has cultivated and grown San Diego’s life science and tech communities for 35+ years, today announced it has received a $30,000 grant from the U.S. Bank Foundation. The grant will be used to support Connect’s XEO program which focuses on building the next generation of diverse innovation leaders. “Creating equitable opportunities for our community requires resources, and we appreciate the support from the U.S. Bank Foundation, which helps us contin ..read more