Neal Bloom takes the stage at the 2026 San Diego Angel Conference Knowledge & Networking Event at SDSU to walk a room full of aspiring and active angel investors through the four questions he uses to evaluate early-stage companies. Using live audience exercises - pitching Uber, Airbnb, and Palantir in one sentence, debating whether Viori was a pass or a miss - he turns startup evaluation from an abstract skill into something visceral and personal. This isn’t theory. It’s how the sausage gets made when real capital is on the line.

Key Topics

* The four-question framework for evaluating startups

* Why clarity is a test of the founder, not the investor

* One-sentence pitching exercises with Uber, Airbnb, and Palantir

* Venture scale outcomes vs. good small businesses

* Salt Couture vs. Reef vs. Vuori - three paths from the same starting point

* How EBITDA, CAC, and growth get valued differently across business types

* Excitement as signal, not hype

* The calendar test: would you spend one more hour on this company?

Links & Resources

* San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC)

* SDSU Fowler College of Business

* Evo Nexus

* NuFund

* Vuori

* Rising Tide Partners

Connect on LinkedIn

* Neal Bloom

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

April 2

Manifold Security Raised $8M

Rybodyn Raised $10 Funding

Shield AI Raises $2B

Condor Software Series A

Q1 2026 Funding Report

2026 Cool Companies

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

2026 SD Hardtech 50 Release Event - April 30

TechCon SoCal May 21-23

In this episode, Neal sits down with Sheldon Lewis and Bobby Ocampo, co-founders and managing partners of La Jolla-based Blueprint Equity, to unpack their “early growth equity” strategy - investing in bootstrapped SaaS companies doing $1–7M in ARR and growing fast.

They share their journey from 2008 investment banking crash, near-billion-dollar exits, to building Blueprint from scratch. Along the way, they break down why they call themselves “anti-VC,” how AI is reshaping SaaS economics, and why raising less capital can actually create better founder outcomes.

If you’re building in SaaS - especially outside Silicon Valley - this is one to study.

Key Topics

* What is Early Growth Equity?

* From I Banking in 2008 to Building a Fund

* The PayLease Story

* Why They Call Themselves “Anti-VC”

* How AI Is Changing SaaS (But Not Killing It)

* Hands-On Portfolio Support

* Fund III: $333M Closed

* Why Great Companies Can Be Built Anywhere

Links & Resources

* Blueprint Equity

Connect on LinkedIn

* Sheldon Lewis

* Bobby Ocampo

They explore the tension between acquisition and retention, why subscription is often misunderstood, and how community-driven ecosystems accelerate operator learning faster than content ever could.

In this episode, they cover:

* Why the best subscription brands win on acquisition first

* The difference between real personalization and surface-level tactics

* How AI is improving research, CX, and performance marketing

* Why e-commerce multiples compressed - and what that means for founders

* The power of Utah’s Commerce Catalyst community

* Balancing growth targets with long-term subscription LTV

Resources & Links:

* Commerce Catalyst

* Subscription Prescription

* Sign up for Matt’s Newsletter

Connect on LinkedIn

* Matt Holman

* Neal Bloom

After building early-stage life science companies, launching BioLabs in San Diego, and working across venture and banking, Susie is now placing focused bets in overlooked but meaningful spaces - starting with sleep, rest, and recovery in hospitality.

We dive into why sleep is emerging as a foundational performance lever, how design and “invisible care” shape human experience, and why Susie is building at the intersection of science, hospitality, and wellness. We also unpack her next venture concept, SuperHRO - an offboarding support platform for professionals navigating career transitions.

This episode is about investing with conviction, building from lived experience, and designing for how humans actually feel - not just how systems operate.

Key Topics

* Growing up in San Diego as a refugee immigrant and discovering venture capital during the dot-com era

* Why Susie chose to support scientists curing disease instead of becoming a doctor herself

* Building BioLabs and designing physical hubs for “maximum human collision”

* The difference between luxury and “invisible care”

* Why sleep is the most underleveraged performance tool in modern life

* The science behind circadian rhythms, REM quality, and cognitive performance

* Sleep tourism and the opportunity in hospitality wellness

* Launching Sencie and partnering with The Bower in Coronado

* Why some opportunities are too niche for traditional VC — but perfect for focused capital

* Introducing SuperHRO: rethinking HR and support during job transitions

Links & Resources

* Inspirafund - Personal investment platform backing overlooked, high-impact ideas

* Sencie - Sleep and well-being experiences for hospitality and travel

Connect On LinkedIn

* Susie Harborth

* Neal Bloom

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

3/12

* Seasats visit debrief

* BlueNalu tasting debrief

* SD Angel Academy Debrief

* $100 Genome by Element Bio

* New fundings:

* Candid Therapeutics reverse merger of $500M+

* Spinogenix

* Qureator

* NuFund Ventures Closes Most Successful Year Since 2021

* BAE Systems wins support contract for F-16

* Carlsbad proposed for undersea hub for cables between US and Australia

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

Longevity Innovation Forum 2026 March 11

San Diego AgTech Gathering March 19

March Mingle March 25

SD AI x Bio March 26

In this episode of the AI Builders Roundtable, the builders cross a line.

Instead of just discussing AI-native companies, they use one - Polsia AI - to start new businesses live on the show.

Neal, Craig, and Greg spin up real ventures, fund them, and watch agents begin executing tasks in real time. MVPs get scoped. Outreach campaigns get drafted. Websites get built. Autonomous execution starts.

What begins as a demo turns into a deeper conversation about ownership, liability, trust, agent-to-agent commerce, and what happens when company creation becomes a commodity.

This isn’t a thought experiment. It’s builders testing the edge.

Key Topics

* Launching AI-native companies live with Polsia AI

* Funding autonomous agents to build and operate startups

* When execution collapses toward zero

* Agent-run outreach, marketing, and MVP development

* Who holds liability when agents transact autonomously

* Micro-venture economics and short business life cycles

* Building for agents, not just humans

* Why emotional trust may become more valuable in an autonomous world

Links & Resources

* Polsia AI

Connect on LinkedIn

* Neal Bloom

* Craig Lauer

* Greg Moser

Peter shares how his background in software and defense tech led him to a simple realization-while billions have been spent on weapons and command systems, military logistics still runs on spreadsheets, whiteboards, and paper. The conversation explores why future conflicts will be won or lost on decision speed, not firepower, and how Rune is turning logistics into a real-time, data-driven decision system used by the Army and Marines today.

This episode dives into defense innovation, software in degraded environments, and why fixing logistics isn’t just a military problem-it’s a cognitive one.

Key Topics

* Why logistics decides wars

* The problem with spreadsheets and whiteboards in the DoD

* Turning logistics into a real-time decision system

* Defense tech speed vs legacy procurement

* Software for disconnected and high-stress environments

* Lessons from Ukraine and the Pacific theater

* When logistics becomes the bottleneck

* Building resilient software for the physical world

Links

* Rune

Connect on LinkedIn

* Peter Goldsborough

* Neal Bloom

In Episode 3 of the AI Builders Roundtable, the conversation jumps right into deployment.

Craig, Greg, and Derrick break down what it actually looks like to run AI agents inside real companies - from shipping production code with Cursor to publishing crowdsourced sports data on-chain, to experimenting with autonomous bots that learn in public.

This isn’t a hype conversation. It’s builders comparing notes while actively rewiring their businesses around AI-native workflows.

The throughline:The interface is changing. The architecture is changing. The buyer may not even be human anymore.

Key Topics

* Why founders can’t afford to “wait and see” on AI

* Edge models vs. cloud models - and why local compute is resurging

* OpenClaw, Claude Code, GLM, and the new agent toolchain

* Publishing data to blockchain as an AI settlement layer

* Turning APIs into agent-friendly microtransactions

* How AI compresses feedback loops inside product teams

* SEO in a world where agents, not humans, query first

* Building for networks vs. building for agents

Links & Resources

* ScoreStream

Connect on LinkedIn

* Neal Bloom

* Craig Lauer

* Greg Moser

* Derrick Oien

What started as a mission-driven app tying workouts to food bank donations evolved - through COVID, retailer shutdowns, and customer pull - into a platform helping brands drive measurable retail velocity across Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, and beyond.

This conversation dives into what it really takes to pivot, how offers power demand generation, and why grocery may be one of the most complex - and fascinating - battlegrounds in tech today.

Key Topics

* How Vizer pivoted from consumer app to enterprise CPG platform

* Why COVID forced a rethink of the original marketplace model

* The fragmented world of grocery offers: paper, rebate, retailer apps, and beyond

* Turning marketing impressions into measurable retail conversions

* Compressing the funnel with QR codes, paid media, and off-site offers

* The tension between DTC, Amazon, and in-store retail strategies

* Why data in CPG has historically lagged behind DTC

* How brands are thinking about AI in retail

* What drives trial and long-term retention in grocery

* Creative campaigns: sweepstakes, surprise-and-delight, and experiential activations

Links & Resources

* Vizer

Connect on LinkedIn

* Samantha Pantazopoulos

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

2/22

* SD Wind Tunnel Debrief

* Biotech Mixer Debrief

* Cal AI acquired

* Atrium Spins out from Novartis with $270M

* Tandem Diabetes bests $1B in sales

* Software programs decline except at ucsd

* https://x.com/aakashgupta/status/2024710361950384531?s=20

* Fred named to SDBJ Black Leaders of Influence

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

* SDAC Founder Applications are due this Thursday March 5

* SD Founders Hike March 6

* SD Angel Academy March 6

* Alliance Societal Impact - Family Office Summit March 15-16

* March Mingle March 25

And what happens when it starts compounding instead.

The conversation spans Troy’s decades-long journey through clean energy, wind, solar, and transmission, the real bottlenecks slowing the energy transition, and why underground infrastructure may be the fastest path to unlocking renewable power, AI data centres, water systems, and broadband at scale. From melting granite with plasma to navigating regulation as a registered utility, this episode is a masterclass in deep tech, systems thinking, and building for generational impact.

Key Topics Covered

* The origin story of EarthGrid and plasma-based tunnel boring

* How a Navy SEAL plasma cutting torch inspired a new approach to excavation

* The 10–20 year reality of permitting overhead power lines

* How underground infrastructure cuts permitting timelines dramatically

* Troy’s background in wind and solar and building multi-billion-dollar energy platforms

* Plasma excavation vs traditional drilling, blasting, and tunneling

* EarthGrid’s patented “Thunderdome” spoils removal system

* Trenching vs tunneling use cases for data centers, utilities, and substations

* Why EarthGrid operates as both a contractor and a utility

* The BOOM model: Build, Own, Operate, Maintain

* Underground infrastructure as long-term, cash-flowing real estate

* AI-driven data center demand and the infrastructure crunch

* Why regulation can be a competitive advantage, not a blocker

* Troy’s long-term vision for quality-of-life improvements through infrastructure

Links & Resources

* EarthGrid

Connect on Linkedin

* Troy Helming

* Neal Bloom

Craig Lauer (longtime Qualcomm builder turned angel investor), Ross Young (CEO of Clinically AI, building tools for behavioral health), and Greg Moser (CEO of ShipCalm) break down what they’re seeing… then Greg takes it from theory to practice with a real demo of how he’s deployed autonomous agents inside his company via Slack.

Key Topics:

* Why OpenClaw’s biggest breakthrough wasn’t just autonomy - it was memory + agency

* The difference between 1:1 AI chat and social, collaborative AI inside teams

* Why “execution” may no longer be the moat - mental models might be

* How to think about AI security when giving agents real power

* What the “adoption layer” means - and why it may be the next big opportunity

* How companies can move from AI-curious to AI-native

Links & resources

* ShipCalm

* Clinically AI

* Cursor

Connect on LinkedIn

* Craig Lauer

* Ross Young

* Greg Moser

* Neal Bloom

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

2/18

TechCon Southwest Debrief

Fund raises:

Shield AI - possibly raising $1B on $12B

Seasats $20M Series A raise

Karmel Capital new fund

Plantible FDA Approval

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

SD Gaming Tech Leaders Gathering - Feb. 24

Biocom Investor Conference - Feb. 24-26

SD Angel Academy - March 6

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

2/13

Super Bowl ads worth mentioning:

Rain Drop Agency. Manscape, TurboTax/Intuit, Poppi/Pepsi (local investors)

SD Regional GDP/Economics report & event debrief

UCSD leading NASA missions

Biotech

Iambic inks $1.7B deal with Takeda

Former DermTech CEO launched a new co.

Neomorph Signed New Lease - 83,000 SFT

Tech

Natilus Raised $28M in Fresh Funding

Hauler raised $16M

Opaque raised, CEO is in SD, team is in SF

Drata Opens SF office

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

Alliance Societal Impact - Family Office Summit March 15-16

March Mingle March 25

Neal sits down with Craig Lauer and Ross Young on a day both Anthropic and OpenAI dropped major releases to talk about what it actually looks like to build with AI right now. Ross walks through how his team at Clinically AI built an internal AI operating system using Claude Co-work - from voice-interviewing department heads to capture tribal knowledge, to running full pipeline reviews from HubSpot in natural language.

Craig shares how LaunchMate, the AI co-pilot he’s building for student founders at SDSU’s Zip Launchpad, uses persistent memory and multi-agent communication to keep founders moving. The conversation moves from tools to workflows to a surprisingly honest riff on identity - and what it means when intelligence is no longer your competitive advantage.

Key Topics Covered:

* The Anthropic 4-6 / OpenAI Codex same-day release and what it signals

* LaunchMate: AI agents with persistent memory for founders, mentors, and cohort management at SDSU Zip Launchpad

* “Tidbits” — auto-generated founder progress updates (”share without sharing”)

* Ross’s AI operating system at Clinically AI: markdown knowledge bases, Claude Co-work projects, HubSpot integration, voice-mode interviews for tribal knowledge capture

* The AI capability spectrum: chatbots → cloud agents with tool access → local agents with full computer access

* OpenClaw vs. Co-work: excitement vs. enterprise readiness and security

* Craig’s LettaBot/WhatsApp cautionary tale

* Natural language as the new programming language - and why social workers may outperform engineers at agent programming

* Processes they’ll never go back to: manual contract redlines, email triage

* Identity in the age of AI - detaching professional worth from intelligence

Links & Resources:

* Clinically AI

* SDSU Zip Launchpad

* Claude Co-work by Anthropic

* LaunchMate (in development)

Connect on LinkedIn:

* Craig Lauer

* Ross Young

* Neal Bloom

In this episode of Tacos & Tech, Neal Bloom sits down with Juanny Romero, founder and CEO of Mothership Coffee Roasters, for a raw and deeply human conversation about building businesses rooted in belonging—not hustle.

Juanny shares her journey from growing up in Queens, leaving New York after 9/11 in search of agency, opening her first café in Las Vegas with no business plan during the Great Recession, and learning math from fifth-grade textbooks to keep the business alive. What started as a single café became Mothership—now an eight-figure company built around community, connection, and purpose.

The conversation explores loneliness in modern society, why baristas are “architects of meaning,” and how revenue becomes a byproduct when people feel they belong. Juanny also shares her bold next chapter: slowing down, rejecting hustle culture, and empowering 1,000 women to become millionaires by giving Mothership away like seeds.

Key Topics

* Failing forward and finding agency

* Building community as the real product

* Opening during the Great Recession

* Learning numbers to trust intuition

* Scaling without losing soul

* COVID, chaos, and creativity

* Belonging as a business advantage

* Mentorship, incentives, and boundaries

* Redefining success beyond money

Links

* Mothership Coffee Roasters

Connect on LinkedIn

* Juanny Romero

* Neal Bloom

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

2/9

Debrief from 2026 VC Outlook

January 2026 Funding Recap

Solve Energy IPO & Once Upon A Farm IPO

Rakuten Medical $100M Series F

Macro

Layoffs

Amazon 16,000

Traditional tech stocks are down

Illumina partners with the SD Zoo Frozen Zoo

New Dexcom CEO

Neal is back on twitter/X

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

SD Founder Hike - Feb 6

SDAC Angel Investor Knowledge Night - Feb 10

AFCEA West - Feb. 10-12

TechCon Southwest Austin - Feb. 12-13

Together, Neal and Cathy unpack how San Diego’s culture differs from Silicon Valley, why experiential learning matters for both founders and investors, and how the San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC) has become a critical on-ramp for new angel investors while putting meaningful capital to work in local startups. The episode also marks the kick off of SDAC Fund VIII, with applications now live for both startups and aspiring angels.

Key Topics Covered

* Cathy’s journey from electrical engineering at UCSD to global semiconductor sales at Texas Instruments

* Early San Diego wireless startups and Qualcomm’s role in shaping the ecosystem

* Why San Diego’s startup culture feels fundamentally different from Silicon Valley

* The leap from big tech to startup leadership at PacketVideo

* Creating EvoNexus as a free incubator for serial entrepreneurs

* How SDSU transitioned from an “island” to an active startup ecosystem connector

* Student-led startups and the power of founder–market fit

* Why SDSU focuses on connecting founders to existing accelerators instead of duplicating them

* The evolution of local angel investing in San Diego

* How the San Diego Angel Conference trains and activates new angel investors

* What makes SDAC a “learn by doing” model for early-stage investing

* The structure, timeline, and goals of SDAC Fund VIII

* Why local capital pipelines matter for long-term ecosystem health

* How students are now being embedded directly into the angel investing process

San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC) Highlights

* Applications for startups are now open

* Startups from across the U.S. are eligible (with in-person requirements later in the process)

* Investor Knowledge & Network Event: February 10 at C3 Bank

* SDSU 2026 Angel Academy: March 6

SDSU SDAC program is designed for accredited investors who want:

• A structured way to learn early-stage investing

• Exposure to real startups and real diligence

• A peer group to learn alongside

• Deeper connection to the San Diego startup ecosystem

* Meetings kick off week of March 9th thru late May

If you’re curious, SDSU is hosting a 2026 SDAC Information Sessions:

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 4:00 pm

* Zoom link: https://SDSU.zoom.us/j/89569142579?jst=2

Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 12-1 pm

* Message me for the link

Links & Resources

* San Diego Angel Conference

* Lavin Entrepreneurship Center

Connect on LinkedIn

* Cathy Pucher

* Neal Bloom

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

1/24/2026

* Blueprint Equity new fund 3 $333M

* Seasats wins $24 million DoD award

* Trust & Will new product

* New hires at mPower and funding?

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

* 2026 VC Outlook - Jan. 29

* Farmers Open - Jan 29 - Feb 1

* AFCEA West - Feb. 10-12

* TechCon - Feb. 12-13

It’s not from more events.

It’s from proximity, repetition, and trust.

🎧 On The Radar — Episode 5

Jared shares his journey from decades in telecom and corporate innovation to building Ripcurrent, a marketing and automation agency focused on Main Street businesses. Together, Neal and Jared unpack how generative AI and no-code tools have radically lowered the barrier to building, why small businesses are both overwhelmed and empowered by tech, and how the next era of marketing isn’t about shouting louder - it’s about removing friction so humans can show up where it matters most.

Key Topics Covered

* Jared’s path from telecom and corporate innovation to founding Ripcurrent

* Early days of San Diego’s startup ecosystem, Founder Dinners, and CTO roundtables

* Building “startups inside big companies” and why that experience matters

* The moment GenAI unlocked solo building and rapid experimentation

* Vibe coding, no-code tools, and the rise of AI-native workflows

* Why small and Main Street businesses struggle with modern marketing tech

* Google Business Profiles, search, and what visibility means in an LLM-driven world

* Automation as a way to remove transactional work - not human connection

* Where AI agents help brands and where they can quietly destroy trust

* Why trust and brand moments matter more than the underlying technology

* Parallels between AI adoption and autonomous driving trust curves

* Using technology to give business owners their time - and humanity - back

* The optimism (and responsibility) that comes with building in the AI era

Links & Resources

* Ripcurrent

Connect with Jared & Neal

* Jared Ruth

* Neal Bloom

It’s not about music.

It’s about how talent develops -slowly, quietly, over time.

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

1/15/2026

* CES debrief

* JPM happening now

* Fundings & Acquisitions:

* Ventyx acquired by Lily for $1.2B

* Mirador Therapeutics Raises $250M Series B

* ibio $26M in Private Placement Funding

* BlueNalu Funding

* Cubic & Palantir teaming up

* Resmed gets FDA approval on AI CPAP

* Air Surgical Lands $2.6M Grant

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

TechCon Austin - Feb 12-13

Eric breaks down why LiDAR has struggled to reach mass adoption, how Omnitron rethought the problem from first principles, and why the same core technology is now attracting attention from trillion-dollar hyperscalers looking to radically reduce data center power consumption. Along the way, they dive into biomimicry, energy efficiency, manufacturing constraints, and what it really means to build a “painkiller, not a vitamin.”

Key Topics Covered

* Eric’s path from Navy research labs to Google, Tesla, and founding Omnitron Sensors

* Why LiDAR reliability - not hype - has been the biggest blocker to autonomous systems

* How MEMS-based silicon micro-machines replace failure-prone mechanical LiDAR components

* The “war on LiDAR” and why cameras alone still fall short in autonomy

* Omnitron’s breakthrough in building large, high-force, highly reliable MEMS mirrors

* Why physical AI and robotics are converging right now

* How Omnitron’s technology extends beyond automotive into AI data centers and optical switching

* Saving massive amounts of energy by keeping data optical instead of electrical

* The hidden challenges of scaling hardware, manufacturing, and global supply chains

* Why MEMS has historically been underfunded - and why that’s changing

* Biomimicry as a tool for engineering breakthroughs

* Advice for engineers and operators thinking about taking the leap into startups

* Why the best startups solve urgent pain, not “nice-to-have” problems

* Eric’s very non-consensus taco pick (hint: it’s a legendary San Diego burger)

Links & Resources

* Omnitron Sensors – https://www.omnitronsensors.com

Connect with Eric

* Eric Aguilar on LinkedIn

and what changes when the work doesn’t stall anymore.

Whether you’re a founder preparing to fundraise or an aspiring angel investor doing your first deal, this session is packed with sharp insights and war stories - from spotting red flags on cap tables to identifying green flags that signal breakout potential.

Moderated by Cathy Pucher, this conversation offers a rare dual lens: from the investor side and the legal side.

Key Topics Covered:

* Why due diligence is different for early-stage companies

* How to structure founder equity and employment terms the right way

* Why investor scorecards work best as conversation tools, not decision tools

* When to walk away - even after doing the work

* How investors stay involved after the check clears

Connect on LinkedIn:

* Sebastian Lucier – Mintz

* Cathy Pucher – SDSU ZIP Launchpad

* Neal Bloom – Rising Tide Partners

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

1/5/2026

Draft numbers of total VC Investment into SD Companies in 2025: $3.4B

Select top fundings:

* Tech:

* ShieldAI $240M, Cybereason $120M, Flock Fleight $60M, Clearspeed $60M, FABRIC8LABS $50M, Equip $46M

* Biotech:

* Crystalis Therapeutics $205M; Timberlyne Therapeutics $180M; Protego Biopharma $130M; Aspen Neuroscience $115M; Raythera $110M

2025 Acquisitions:

* Avidity $12B by Novartis

* Cidara Therapeutics $9.2B Merck

* Capstan Thera $2.1B by AbbVie

* Arthrosi Thera $1B

* Kate Thera $1.1B

* Regulus Therapeutics acquired by Novartis ($1.7B)

* Nalu Medical $500M

IPOs:

* Aardvark Thera

* Aptera

* Once Upon A Farm

* Carlsmed

* MapLight Therapeutics

2026 Predictions

* More IPOs & M&A, market up

* Fundings up, in specific areas, more in other markets than SD

* More return to office, in specific areas

Carta Startup Ranking - San Diego #6

Trust & Will Holiday Bowl

TED announced move to SD

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

CES - Jan. 5-10

Carlsbad Industry Exchange - Jan. 6

JPM - Jan. 12-15

State of Venture event - Jan. 29

This episode isn’t about discipline.

It’s about what changes when friction is removed instead of resisted.

That’s what’s on my radar.

Not because the technology was impressive -

but because of what happened to my attention once I stopped needing to be alert.

This episode isn’t about autonomy.

It’s about what changes when vigilance disappears.

That’s what’s on my radar.

We cover the structure and implications of different entity types (C-Corps, LLCs, S-Corps), the nuance behind valuation caps and discounts, the benefits of pro rata rights, and the tax advantages of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS). Whether you’re gearing up for Fund 8 or thinking about writing your first check, this session equips you with the frameworks and real-world insights you need to invest smarter.

Key Topics Covered

* Why SDAC is building year-round investor education & networking events

* Overview of startup legal structures: LLCs vs. C-Corps (and why Delaware still leads)

* What investors should understand about SAFE agreements

* How post-money valuation caps really work (and how they differ from discounts)

* Why side letters can protect your upside: pro rata, info rights, MFNs, and more

* How convertible notes differ from SAFEs and when they might be preferable

* Real red flags on cap tables and what they tell you about a company’s past

* What to know about Zombie SAFEs (and how to avoid them)

* Tax advantages of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) and recent updates to eligibility

* The evolving dynamics of angel rounds, bridge financing, and recapitalizations

Links & Resources

* San Diego Angel Conference Website

* Qualified Small Business Stock Overview – IRS

Jared shares how a Mailchimp newsletter led to their first investor, Mark Cuban, and why he believes San Diego is the global epicenter for biosensing innovation. With a focus on serving the largest segment of the diabetes population and plans to expand into broader metabolic and stress biomarkers, Biolinq is changing what’s possible in wearable health tech.

Key Topics Covered:

* How Biolinq’s microneedle platform works and why it matters

* From sweat-based sensors to skin-based semiconductors

* Lessons from nearly a decade of R&D and pivots

* Measuring glucose, lactate, and now cortisol - what’s next?

* How a newsletter sign-up brought Mark Cuban in as the first investor

* Navigating FDA clearance and commercialization strategies

* San Diego’s competitive edge in biosensing, diabetes tech, and medical wearables

* The growing importance of AI and multi-analyte sensing in personal health

* Reflections on community, startup persistence, and tacos (Fish 101 for the win)

Links & Resources:Learn more about Biolinq

Connect with Jared Tangney:LinkedIn

From visual effects to streaming-era music deals to real-time game personalization powered by AI, this episode dives into what’s working now, what’s being disrupted, and what’s coming next. Whether you’re a founder, artist, developer, or fan of the future, you’ll walk away with clear-eyed insights on where media and tech are headed.

In this episode, we cover:

* Why AI is more workflow revolution than job replacement—and how creators are adapting

* The rise of AI-as-inspiration in music, gaming, and film

* How independent creators can build real businesses with the new tools (if they think like founders)

* Why monetization and royalties are still the biggest friction points in music tech

* What’s coming next: global content, micro-audiences, and curated experiences in the AI era

* The growing importance of local innovation ecosystems like Burbank in a rapidly decentralized creative economy

Featured Speakers:

* Nova Renay– Host and moderator, composer, producer, and creative technologist

* George Karalexis and Donna Budica of Ten2 – Music entrepreneurs helping artists monetize through content transparency and UGC

* Alan Lasky – Former VFX and studio exec, speaking on the evolution of visual effects and media economics

* Cody Germain – Founder of Bear Club Games, previously at Riot and Epic Games, sharing how AI is transforming real-time gameplay and player experience

Key Topics Covered:

* The myths vs. realities of AI in creative work

* How generative tools like Suno and Sora are being used behind the scenes by major producers

* AI in game engines, browser-based games, and new distribution channels

* The death of theatrical? What it means for local film production

* Independent vs. major label artist trajectories in the TikTok era

* The opportunity for cities like Burbank to lead through local investment in experimentation, talent, and infrastructure

Links & Resources:

* Tailored Space – coworking host location

* Burbank Economic Development Division

* Ten2 Media

* Rise and Tide Partners

* Upcoming Burbank Events:

* Burbank Tech Talks: [Tech, Talent & the New Learning Economy] – January 20, 2026

Watch the Recording:

📺 Full Video Link🎬 Event Recap Teaser Clip

In this special edition of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, we dive into the action-packed day that was the SDSU ZIP Launchpad Fall 2025 Startup Bootcamp. Designed to push student founders from idea to impact in just four hours, the students go from brand new ideas on a whiteboard, using AI co-pilots to get quick customer development simulations, building a first product with generative AI, and then actually selling pre-orders or actual sales - all in less than 4 hours.

This bootcamp introduced a two-track system - Problem-First and Idea-First - giving students the chance to either discover a real-world problem or go all-in on an idea they already had.

We cover how over 100 students used AI tools, street interviews, customer empathy techniques, and rapid prototyping to validate their assumptions, build MVPs, and in most cases - make actual sales.

Craig Lauer, Cameron Brock, Erica Snider, and the SDSU ZIP Launchpad/Lavin Entrepreneurship Center led an incredible day to support founders from the start.

In this episode, we cover:

* The design of the two-track builder experience: Track A (Problem-First) and Track B (Idea-First)

* What it means to validate ideas through customer currency

* Why teams that pivoted based on user feedback outperformed others

* Key takeaways from the guest session with Chris Barber on deep customer empathy

* Behind-the-scenes reflections from mentors and organizers

* Final results: over 222 real-world sales transactions in just four hours

Key Results:

* 222+ real-world transactions by student teams

* Dozens of MVPs launched using GPT, Canva, V0, and no-code tools

* Multiple teams built landing pages, got preorders, and refined pitches based on live feedback

* Winning teams were recognized for best problem validation, most sales, and strongest empathy-driven design

My dream is for every (SDSU) student to start their first week of school with a sprint like this—where they learn their own potential by building, validating, and selling on Day 1. The ZIP Launchpad and Lavin Entrepreneurship Center make that possible, but only with continued community support.

If you’d like to help fuel more student builders, you can contribute to the SDSU Lavin Seed Fund here:

https://business.sdsu.edu/news/2025/11/lavin-entrepreneurs

We set up shop right on the concourse and captured conversations with the builders, technologists, students, and community leaders shaping the region’s innovation economy. From cybersecurity to community impact, from AI in education to employee scheduling powered by LLMs—this episode captures the real pulse of San Diego tech, one voice at a time.

Oh, and plenty of taco recommendations.

Episode Highlights:

* Julie Oliveira, Director of Tech at South Bay Union School District, shares how COVID reshaped education and why student creation over consumption is key.

* RingCentral’s Erica and Natalie talk AI, seamless work-life blending, and mobile-first sales workflows.

* John Stern (Ringpin) shares how location-based QR tech is transforming retail hiring.

* Bill Smith (Chrome Roads) explains how a smart ID badge is changing how workers log in, stay secure, and get help fast.

* Cal State San Marcos and SDSU students reflect on entering the workforce during the AI boom - and how they’re already using AI to job hunt.

* Citroen Cooperman leaders dive into fractional CFO services, ERP upgrades, and what happens when AI + accounting get serious.

* Jeff Blanton (Conscious Curiosity SD) breaks down how B Corps and values -driven leadership are shaping a new tech economy.

* Marco Thompson (Arcus Nexus) recaps a decade of cross-border startup support and nearshoring before it was cool.

* Cheryl Goodman (Mind the Machine podcast) explores AI’s human implications and why the next big thing isn’t the tool - but the culture shift it forces.

* European founders visiting via the YTILI program reflect on their first impressions of San Diego’s startup scene.

* Ron Nielakes and Shirin Alipana highlight how the YMCA of Escondido is evolving to serve its community with purpose, tech, and tacos.

Taco Intel You Didn’t Know You Needed:

* Anaheim’s Tacos Los Cholos and Escondido’s TJ Tacos made the list

* Learn about the loaded fries that may or may not have been invented in North County

* Where to find the best post-party tacos near Snapdragon Stadium (hint: Tacos El Gordo and Puesto)

🔗 Connect & Explore:

* Top Tech Awards San Diego

* Mind the Machine podcast

* Arcus Nexus

* Citroen Cooperman

* YMCA Escondido

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

11/21

BlueTech Week / UCSD Space Symposium

Defense Tech in SD is going

Prebys Ventures writes 5 checks

Brainstorm Thera wins NVIDIA Award

Technology Fundings

Fabric8Labs Raises $50M

Muse Software Raises $4.5M

Infracost Raises $15M Series A

Biotech Fundings

Iambic Therapeutics $100M Series B

Model Medicines Raises $3M

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

From making parking frictionless to redefining what it means to be a digital concierge, Julie and her team are building more than a venue - they’re crafting a next-generation, tech-enabled community destination. Neal and Julie discuss everything from women’s sports and live entertainment to infrastructure partnerships with Cox and supporting local chefs and rising performers.

Key Topics Covered:

* Julie’s career journey from Accenture to real estate to OC Sports & Entertainment

* What OC Vibe is and how it’s reshaping the Southern California experience

* Building a “smart” sports + entertainment district from the ground up

* How tech enables seamless, immersive guest experiences

* Collaborating with Cox and other partners on broadband and infrastructure

* Supporting women’s sports, the 2028 Olympics, and the World Volleyball Championship

* Launching a curated food hall and investing in local culinary talent

* The role of data in powering the digital concierge and connected community

* What it’s like building tech leadership on a greenfield project

About Julie Sokol:

Julie is the Chief Technology Officer of OC Sports & Entertainment, leading the digital and tech transformation of OC Vibe - a 100+ acre mixed-use sports, entertainment, hospitality, and residential district built around the Honda Center in Anaheim. Previously, she held senior leadership roles at Accenture and the Irvine Company.

Resources & Links:

* OC Vibe Website

* Learn more about the Honda Center

* Connect with Julie Sokol on LinkedIn

They explore how modern warfare is redefining innovation cycles, why our national supply chain needs a rethink, and how San Diego is quietly becoming the epicenter of U.S. defense tech.

Key Topics Covered:

* Mike’s journey from blue-collar trade school to Marine Corps Special Operations

* What most people misunderstand about military tech adoption and procurement

* How frontline innovation - like in Ukraine - reveals deeper supply chain insights

* Why the defense supply base is aging, fragmented, and missing credit infrastructure

* The role of marketplaces and automation in rebuilding America’s industrial edge

* How Imperium is working to reduce friction and increase trust between buyers and suppliers

* Why we need more engineers at the front lines, not just HQ

* San Diego’s unique strengths: hard tech talent, military end-users, and lifestyle advantage

* The difference between building tech for persistent problems vs. fleeting missions

* Thoughts on labor, robots, AI, and the human cost of “re-industrialization”

* What’s next for the defense tech ecosystem and how founders, veterans, and investors can plug in

Links & Resources:

* Learn more about Imperium

* Read more about Lux Capital

Connect with the Guest:

* Mike Sims: LinkedIn

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

11/8

Eric Topol AI x Healthcare talk debrief

GA launches new drone

Scripps and UCSD win $4M grant for stem cell research

GSK pens a $750M deal with SD-based Empirico

Qualcomm Ventures Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Tide Rock Reaches $1B in Acquisition Capital

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

From mentoring early-stage companies to securing a $14M NOAA grant, Vanessa is building the bridge between science, startups, and global sustainability right here on the California coast.

Key Topics

* What is Bluetech? And why it goes far beyond just the ocean

* The origin and evolution of the StartBlue Accelerator

* Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s century-long legacy of innovation

* Why Bluetech needs business minds and scientists

* How San Diego became a hub for ocean startups and blue data infrastructure

* The importance of community, collaboration, and programs like I-Corps

* What to expect at Blue Tech Month, including in-water demos and tall ship meetups

* Startup highlights: Hybrid Reef, Del Mar Oceanographic, Ocean Motion, Kaipono, and more

Links & Resources:

* StartBlue Accelerator

* Scripps Institution of Oceanography

* Blue Tech Month Events via TMA BlueTech

* BlueNalu – Cultivated Seafood Innovation

Connect with Vanessa:

* LinkedIn – Vanessa Scott

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

10/30

Uncharted : Pitches Debrief

M&A News

Avidity Acquired by Novartis for $12B

Hologic Acquired by Blackstone and TPG

State of Life Sciences

The SD Investor List goes live

Fundings

Walla raise $5M

Unigrid Battery Receives $2.9M Grant

Wildcat Discovery Technologies $4.9M

ASML / Cymer competitor comes out of stealth

Qualcomm AI chip

EDC Recognizes 30 Top Companies in San Diego: Nautilus, LENZ Therapeutics, etc.

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

SD Founders Hike - Nov 7

Faisal shares how his engineering roots led him into roles scaling teams of three to three thousand, the value of building across verticals, and why he sees writing, mentorship, and convening not as extracurricular, but essential to long-term impact.

He also unpacks the origin story of TechCon Global, and what’s next as the cross-regional tech summit expands from San Diego to Austin and beyond.

Key Topics:

* The difference between being an operator and being a scaler and why you need both

* What startups can learn from big companies (and vice versa)

* How blogging became Faisal’s medium for frameworks, reflection, and teaching

* The importance of building bridges between startup ecosystems and the design of TechCon as that connective tissue

* Why giving first is the only real long-term strategy for community leadership

* How AI tools are changing how we write, work, and relate but not how we connect

Links & Resources:

* TechCon Global

* TechCon Southwest – Feb 12–13, AustinTechCon Global

* TechCon SoCal 2026 – May 22–23, San Diego

* Use the special discount code SOCAL26RTP at the link here to get 15% off regular tickets

* Find all books here → Faisal Mushtaq on Amazon

Connect with Faisal

* Follow Faisal on LinkedIn

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

10/10

SD Startup Week debrief

State of Biotech Ecosystem

Funding News

* Turnout $21M Seed

* Crystalys Therapeutics $205M Series A

* Once Upon a Farm IPO

Snapdragon Summit - Qualcomm announcements & Eyepop AI announcements

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

SD Founders Hike - Oct 10

Stocktoberfest Oct 20-22

Carlsbad Industry Exchange - Biotech - Oct 22

SD Defense Tech Coffee / Build Day Oct 23

Matt shares his journey from hedge funds and quant trading to early-stage venture capital, with stops at Bloomberg, WorldQuant, and Third Point before joining Social Leverage. We talk about the firm’s investing thesis, from Robinhood and Alpaca to the social side of investing with Stocktwits and the upcoming Stocktoberfest event in San Diego.

From deep dives on compliance tooling and wealth advisor rollups to the convergence of trading, crypto, and sports betting - this episode maps the edges of where fintech is headed next.

Key Topics covered:

* Matt’s path from hedge fund data scientist to early-stage investor

* The origin story of Social Leverage and how its partners found each other

* Fintech then vs. now: what’s changed and what hasn’t

* Why wealth management is ripe for disruption

* Regulation, crypto, and the blending of gambling, investing, and community

* How Stocktwits matters even more in a Robinhood world

* The magic of Stocktoberfest and how in-person density builds stronger networks

* What it’s like building and investing from San Diego

Links & Resources

* Social Leverage

* Stocktwits

* Stocktoberfest - October 20-22, 2025

Connect with Matt

* LinkedIn

* X

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

10/3

Defense Tech Gathering debrief

Fred’s story on Harpoon’s Black Flag

Avenzo Therapeutics series B

Crinetics wins FDA approval

Biolinq receives de novo designation

Eli Lily new ribbon cutting

Alvys Series B

Airport opened T1

New Alaska Airlines lounge coming

Cal San Marcos Receives $10 million for STEM building

Sempra selling a $10B stake in Sempra Infrastructure

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

Startup Week Oct 6-10

Connect New Leadership Event

SD Defense Tech Gathering - Oct 23

Aleksey shares his journey from growing up near a Soviet airfield to becoming an aerodynamicist at Piper and Kratos. He walks us through the founding story of Natilus, early pivots from seaplanes to blended wing bodies, and how customer feedback (and cold emails) helped shape the company’s strategy. Plus, we dive into capital efficiency, certification pathways, and how Natilus is carving out space in a market long dominated by Boeing and Airbus.

Key Topics Covered:

* The legacy of aerospace in San Diego and why Natilus is doubling down here

* Aleksey’s path from Piper Aircraft to Kratos to Natilus

* Lessons learned from military-grade drones and commercial aviation

* The first MVP: a 30-foot autonomous seaplane built in 14 months

* Why cargo came first - and how airlines asked for passenger planes next

* The Kona and Horizon: aircraft designed for freight and people, optimized for fuel, volume, and cost

* Navigating testing, tooling, and certification with just $15M in capital raised

* Why wind tunnels, FAA approvals, and Brown Field are key San Diego assets

* How India became a fast-moving market for commercial orders

* The future of aviation as seen from South County, San Diego

Links & Resources

* Natilus

* Learn more about Rising Tide Partners

Connect with Aleksey & Neal

* Connect with Aleksey on LinkedIn

* Connect with Neal Bloom on LinkedIn

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

9/19

Broader Defense Tech:

Harpoon x Firestorm Mixer Debrief

El Segundo Defense Tech Mixer Debrief

Firestorms Labs opens 60,000 SFT Facility in Mira Mesa

Biotech:

Treeline Biosciences emerges from stealth with $200M backed by ARCH Venture.

Arnatar Therapeutics focused on precision RNA therapies emerges from stealth.

Debut Bio raises and expands to Asia

Yatiri - acquired another startup

Luna Diabetes raises a Series A

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

Sept 26 - Defense Tech Gathering

Oct 3-5 - Startup Weekend

Oct 6-10 - SD Startup Week

Rose shares how her legal career evolved from the capital markets and energy sectors to launching her own firm, Rose Bowlus Law, where she now advises early-stage startups and funds. They talk legal tech, Web3, fintech moats, and what founders often overlook when raising capital. Plus, Rose unpacks her growing role as an investor, how she’s empowering other lawyers through her Angels in the Law network, and what she looks for in the next generation of legal innovation.

Key Topics

* Rose’s career path from Berkeley to in-house counsel to founding her own law firm

* Legal insights for fintech, Web3, and capital markets

* How regulation shapes - and lags - innovation in financial services

* Trends in legal tech adoption and where traditional firms are falling behind

* Her philosophy of “give first” investing and building a founder-friendly syndicate

* The origin story of Angels in the Law and the rise of lawyer-investors

* Why clarity is everything when supporting (or funding) founders

* Rose’s controversial taco take: Islands, North County edition

Links & resources

* Rose Bowlus Law

* Rising Tide Partners

* Women’s Venture Summit

Connect on LinkedIn

* Connect with Rose on LinkedIn

* Connect with Neal on LinkedIn

They unpack how Eric turned an early failed Kickstarter into a business with over $1M+ in revenue (with zero ad spend!), the importance of discovering product-market fit through real customer feedback, and the emotional rollercoaster of running and eventually selling a hardware startup during a downturn. From bootstrapping to navigating COVID, tariffs, and copycats - Eric shares what it really takes to get to the finish line (and how the finish line is just another beginning).

Key Topics Covered:

* From basement builds to business: Eric’s early love for inventing and entrepreneurship

* The SDSU ZIP Launchpad, finding community, and the startup that wasn't a fit

* Why the wrong customers helped him discover the right market

* Pivoting from skate culture to the growing micro-mobility movement

* Scaling from 3D printers to overseas supply chains - and the lessons from doing it the hard way

* How Kyle and Eric’s founder relationship helped them navigate burnout, illness, and transition

* Building trust with manufacturers and how one trip to China changed everything

* Financial forecasting, staying lean, and prepping for an acquisition

* The gritty, real story behind selling a business - and what Eric’s learned about what comes next

Links & Resources:

* ShredLights

* Meepo Electric Skateboards

* Physics Girl on YouTube

Connect with Eric & Neal

* Connect with Eric Birkemeier

* Connect with Neal Bloom

In this episode, Drew shares his journey from early design days and Flash websites to building Plasso, navigating acquisition, and diving headfirst into GenAI-powered product development. He also gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what’s coming with Opacity, why he’s bullish on version control for designers, and how tools like Midjourney and Claude are shaping his build stack.

Key Points

* Building Plasso as a solo founder and selling to GoDaddy

* Going through YC while still working at GoDaddy

* Launching (and shutting down) a modern digital bank

* The origins of ValioCon and why it’s back after 9 years

* The inspiration behind Opacity and the future of visual coding

* Building products in the GenAI era — what’s actually different

* His go-to North County burrito and tales from Cave Week

Links & ResourcesLearn more about OpacityGrab your ticket to ValioCon

Connect with Drew & NealFollow Drew on Linkedin & XFollow Neal: LinkedIn & X

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners, building and investing in community.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

Aug 22

Defense Tech Founders Event Recap of autonomous tech and military end-users

New org leaders: Connect - James Z.

Naturally San Diego - Renee Solares

Techstars - Misti Cain

BuyBack Ventures launches

Funding

Srt Therapeutics - $47M

Ceresti $11M

Ilundent - $4M Seed Round

M&A

GroGuru acquired by Goanna Ag

Gatsby acquired Klayvio

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

Defense Tech Build Day - Aug 28

Gaming Gathering Build Day - Sept 2

SD Defense at SoCal Deep Tech - Sept 16

Larsen shares the journey from serving Team USA to launching a venture fund focused on what he calls the Freedom Stack - critical technologies like AI, autonomy, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing that shape not just industry, but national security and global stability.

They explore how Harpoon was early to the intersection of tech and geopolitics, why San Diego is uniquely positioned to lead in hardtech and defense innovation, and how founders can better navigate the path to working with the U.S. government through Harpoon’s new initiative: Black Flag Incubator.

Key Topics Covered:

* Larsen’s Olympic and Navy SEAL background, and how it shaped his service-driven mission in venture

* The original thesis behind Harpoon Ventures - and how the market caught up

* Defining the "Freedom Stack": AI, cyber, energy, compute, defense, and more

* The rise of government demand for critical technologies

* Black Flag Incubator: helping founders navigate government engagement

* Why San Diego is poised for hardtech and national security innovation

* Advice for early-stage founders working in dual-use or deep tech

* The importance of founder communities, ecosystem building, and paying it forward

* Larsen’s go-to taco spot (hint: it’s inside Petco Park)

Links & Resources:

* Harpoon Ventures

* Black Flag

Connect with Larsen & Neal:

* Larsen Jensen on LinkedIn

* Neal Bloom on LinkedIn

* Follow @NealBloom on Twitter

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

Aug 15

SDEE event debrief

Biotech layoffs: Thermo, Poseida Therapeutics

Equillium raise

Scale Bio acquired by 10X Genomics

Plantible opens a 100-acre manufacturing module in Texas

BAE Shipyard Gains Defense Build Contracts

Prebys Foundation Donates $1M to support grant medical research

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

Defense Tech Build Day - Aug 28

Gaming Gathering Build Day - Sept 2

SD Defense at SoCal Deep Tech Week - Sept 16

Madeline shares how a frustrating search for a custom engagement ring sparked the idea for Gemist, which now powers customization, stone sourcing, and hyper-realistic rendering for jewelry brands and retailers. With deep product insight and two previous startups under her belt - including an appearance on Shark Tank and an exit into the gaming space - Madeline unpacks how her creative background and startup experience led her to build scalable tech that’s reshaping a centuries-old industry.

They talk about her time on The Pitch (where she met Neal and landed Gemist’s first investment round), her vision for modernizing the jewelry shopping experience, and why customization is no longer optional for today’s customers.

Key Topics Covered:

* How Madeline turned a personal pain point into Gemist’s founding story

* Her Shark Tank experience - and why the deal didn’t go through

* What it’s really like to bootstrap vs. fundraise

* Why user testing came before writing a single line of code

* The tech stack behind Gemist’s jewelry customization engine

* Scaling B2B SaaS in a traditional industry

* The future of Gemist: watches, new verticals, and profitability

* Startup lessons from interior design to jewelry tech

* Why every founder needs grit, agility, and a chip on their shoulder

Links & Resources:

* Gemist

Connect with Madeline & Neal

* Madeline on LinkedIn

* Neal Bloom on LinkedIn

* @NealBloom on Twitter

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

August 8

Debrief Startup SD 1st Mondays event at KILN Rancho Bernardo

New Connect CEO

AI products:

* Seismic AI

* Metro MOIC

Fundings:

* Equip Health $47M

* Trovata $9M Extension Series B

Saronic moves into SD

AgX Food Hub moves forward

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

SD Defense Build Day - Aug 28

Gaming Build Day - Sept 2

SD Defense at SoCal Deep Tech - Sept 16

In this special episode of the podcast, host Neal Bloom takes us inside the Burbank Startup Pitch Fest - an exciting evening of innovation, capital, and community hosted in partnership with the City of Burbank and Rising Tide Partners.

We kick things off with a welcome from Burbank’s Economic Development team, highlighting why the city is fast becoming a tech and media hub. Neal then moderates a candid conversation with early-stage investors Amy Harmon (Innovent Capital) and Ben Kahan (Pegasus Angel Accelerator) about today’s venture landscape - from what they look for in a pre-seed deal to how AI and founder-market fit are shaping startup success.

Then, five founders take the stage to pitch their startups:

* KATSHID: A frictionless, passwordless biometric identity platform

* Geri Gadgets: Sensory tools supporting cognitive wellness in dementia and neurodivergent populations

* Blip Industries: Drone-powered logistics, imaging, and defense systems

* Health-e-Habits: Digital wellness programming helping families build mindful relationships with tech

* Aspivix (Winner): A modern, non-traumatic alternative to the gynecological tenaculum, improving IUD and reproductive care

From pitch insights to early-stage investing frameworks, this episode is packed with startup wisdom and a strong dose of real talk from the entrepreneurial front lines.

Recorded live at Burbank Startup Pitch Fest 2025.

Join us at the next Burbank Tech Talks on October 14 during #LATechWeek.

Cody and Neal reflect on startup missteps, co-founder breakups, raising from friends and angels, and how real trust (and real checks) get built over breakfast, not pitch decks. From being fired from his last venture to scaling Trust & Will to tens of millions in ARR, Cody shares a decade's worth of hard-won lessons with humor, humility, and insight.

Whether you're a first-time founder, active angel, or just startup-curious, this candid session is packed with real talk about how relationships, not just revenue, power great companies.

Key Topics Covered

* Cody’s path from SDSU student to three-time founder

* The co-founder breakup that led to Trust & Will

* Lessons from getting fired as a CEO

* Why Neal invested in Cody before a product even existed

* Raising from 26 angels with $10K–$40K checks

* What great investors do before they wire money

* The power of monthly updates and founder–investor trust

* Behind the scenes of Techstars, Series A/B, and scaling to tens of millions in ARR

* Advice for founders on protecting themselves and choosing aligned investors

* How angels can create value before, during, and after the check clears

Links & Resources

* Trust & Will

* Rising Tide Partners

* San Diego Angel Conference

Connect with Cody

* Cody Barbo on LinkedIn

Connect with Neal

* Neal Bloom on LinkedIn

Alex shares the origin story of Puesto, early pivots that reshaped their entire concept, how Toast and DoorDash changed the game for their operations, and how they’ve kept taco trends and consumer tastes at the heart of their menu. Plus, we talk about non-alcoholic innovation, building culture at scale, and yes—his all-time favorite taco.

Key Topics Covered

* The family roots of Puesto and why hospitality was a leap of faith

* How Puesto went from food stand concept to a multi-state operation

* The early pivot from fast-casual to full-service that changed everything

* Why crispy cheese and house-made tortillas are non-negotiables

* How Puesto adapted during COVID—and doubled down on delivery

* Tech tools that transformed operations (Toast, DoorDash integrations)

* Balancing menu staples with taco trend experimentation

* Why they built their own non-alcoholic tequila alternative

* Expansion news: new Puesto location, new concepts, and out-of-state growth

* Filet mignon taco, pistachio-serrano salsa, and why they still ring the bell

Links & Resources

* Puesto Restaurants

* Marisi La Jolla

Connect with Alex Adler

* LinkedIn: Alex Adler

Connect with Neal Bloom

* LinkedIn

* Twitter: @NealBloom

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

July 11

* Funding:

* Firestorm $47m Series A

* Field Medical raises again

* Tang Capital acquires

* SoftEye acquired

* AI Launches:

* Trust & Will launches new AI platform

* Wealth tech Copia AI new partnership

* Comma AI valued at $1B

* Clickup’s AI Agent gets top ranking by G2

* Atrium Energy powering commercial properties

* Alexandria Signs 466k Lease with Big Pharma

* Oku launches into Sprouts

* Modal AI in the new U.S. Defense Department video

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

We dive into what makes a podcast studio succeed, how to think about production versus authenticity, and why audio always matters more than video. Plus, we get real about gear recommendations for on-location podcasting, changes in podtech like Substack and Spotify, and what it takes to attract the right clients - from beginners to corporate teams.

Key Topics Covered

* The unexpected origins of Podhaus - and how it pivoted from a music studio to podcast-only

* The difference between polished production and authentic podcasting - and why authenticity wins

* Why good audio trumps everything else (yes, even video)

* Three studio setups Podhaus offers and how creators pick their aesthetic

* Who the ideal client is (hint: it’s not always beginners)

* Studio tips for on-location recording (gear, lighting, and sound)

* Tech trends: Substack’s clip editor, Spotify’s new comment features, and the race to own podcaster workflows

* Favorite LA taco spots from classic lengua to artisanal lamb

Links & Resources

* Podhaus

Connect with Arman & Andrew

* Arman Zeytounyan

* Andrew Zeytounyan

Connect with Neal Bloom

* LinkedIn: Neal Bloom

* Twitter: @NealBloom

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

July 7

Events debrief - Andy Ballester/SD Tech Founders event

Macro market is feeling positive

Carlsmed files for IPO

Capstan Thera acquired

Aquacycl - International expansion through MetroConnect

Blossomhill Therapuetics moves in new HQ

Fundings:

Gallant Therapeutics - $18M

Arialys Therapeutics - $14M

Kelly Slater moved his brand to SD

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

July 8 - Afternoon Founders Hike

July 29 - Dev & Data x CTO Talks: Healthtech Night - link coming soon

Jeremy shares how his product and marketing background led him to build Cabana with a blend of operational efficiency, software tooling, and local team empowerment. He dives into his strategy around vertical SaaS, customer experience, and the importance of trust and taste when scaling service-based businesses.

Key Topics Covered

* Why the pool industry is primed for tech-enabled reinvention

* Cabana’s approach to building a national brand through software and service

* How acquisitions, W-2 teams, and onboarding systems set Cabana apart

* Why founder psychology and team culture matter in field operations

* Applying tech tools (including ML) to streamline quoting and scheduling

* Lessons from going through Y Combinator

* What “slope over Y-intercept” really means in early team building

* Jeremy’s San Diego taco go-to and what makes a taco technically superior

Links & Resources

* Cabana Pools

Connect with Jeremy

* LinkedIn

Connect with Neal Bloom

* LinkedIn: Neal Bloom

* Twitter: @NealBloom

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

June 27

Dr Squatch acq again, this time for $2B

IPOs - Chime, Coreweave, eToro, Circle doing well and Wealthfront just filed.

Quidel acquired LEX

New Insulin results

Fundings:

Clearspeed series D

Firestorm raised new funds, according to SEC filing

Lilo of Carlsbad wins a Michelin Star

Deloitte Fast 500 nominations open

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

June 27 - Pitch Night at Bermuda Club

July 1 - SD Tech Founders with Andy Ballester, GoFundMe and Eyepop AI co-founder

July 4 - Founders Hike

July 8 - Afternoon Founders HikeJuly 29 - Dev & Data x CTO Talks: Healthtech Night - link coming soon

Andrew unpacks his investment strategy, discusses founder-alignment, thesis-driven sourcing, and how Channel Equity delivers capital with intention. Plus, he reflects on the power of long-term partnerships, why market cycles don't shake his thesis, and of course, his favorite San Diego burrito spot.

Key Topics Covered

* Channel Equity’s unique approach to early growth equity

* How Andrew’s public markets background shapes his private investing lens

* The “Ideal Founder Profile” and why alignment matters more than hype

* Examples of successful thesis-driven investments (e.g., CreatorIQ, restaurant CMS tools)

* The impact of AI on go-to-market efficiency and capital needs

* Fund I formation and raising capital in a challenging market

* Why IPOs aren’t the goal, and how $100M exits can be life-changing

* Breakfast burritos, New York pizza, and San Diego sunshine

Links & Resources

Channel Equity Partners

Connect with Andrew

LinkedIn

Connect with Neal Bloom

LinkedIn: Neal Bloom

Twitter: @NealBloom

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

June 20

Recent events debrief: MedTech, AI, GP/LP

BIO in Boston

Startup activity in SD

Recent Carta funding data in relation to San Diego and by stage

Fundings

* Retrorate - podcast &

* Seaside Equity raises $723M for two funds

Cadre AI coming out of stealth

Qualcomm acquisition of AlphaWave Semi for $2.4B

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

July 1 - SD Tech Founders with Andy Ballester, GoFundMe and Eyepop AI co-founder

July 4 - Founders Hike

July 8 - Afternoon Founders Hike

July 29 - Dev & Data x CTO Talks: Healthtech Night

With a career that spans NBA, NHL, NFL, and the rapid rise of Las Vegas as a sports tech capital, Vikrant offers a front-row look at how venue technology is evolving and why immersive, secure, and seamless experiences are now the industry benchmark.

Key Topics Covered:

• Vikrant’s journey from IT help desk to VP of tech at major league sports leagues and venues• Lessons from working behind the scenes in the NBA, NHL, and NFL• What it means to reverse engineer a Super Bowl or Stanley Cup experience• Why “infrastructure first” is the key to delivering at stadium scale• The evolution of venue tech: from 10GB to 100GB+ internet circuits• How ASM Global prepares for record-breaking digital demands• Cybersecurity as a culture, not just a checklist• The role of AI, facial recognition, and immersive media in the future of fan engagement• Las Vegas' emergence as a leading sports and entertainment tech city• How recognition from Top Tech Awards validates years of behind-the-scenes leadership

Links & Resources:

* ASM Global

* Allegiant Stadium

* Las Vegas Top Tech Awards

Connect with Vikrant:

* LinkedIn

Connect with Neal:

* LinkedIn

* Twitter

Key Topics:

* A walk through Andy’s product career - from EA to Apple to Redfin

* Why assumable loans are the key to unlocking a stuck real estate market

* The origin story behind RetroRate and solving a problem most people don’t know exists

* The impact of locked-in low rates on buyer power and seller mobility

* Lessons learned building, scaling, and selling a mortgage startup (Approved)

* Navigating startup life post-acquisition and deciding to build again

* The evolving San Diego startup landscape and why it’s a great place to build

* Real talk on balancing work, life, and entrepreneurship with family in tow

* Leveraging AI and design thinking in modern proptech

* Andy’s favorite taco

Links & Resources:

* RetroRate

Connect with Andy:

* LinkedIn: Andy Taylor

Connect with Neal:

* LinkedIn: Neal Bloom

* Twitter: @NealBloom

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Rising Tide Partners.

My co-hosts in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

June 6 Tech News

We recorded this week’s pod live on LinkedIn here. What did you think?

General Atomics Fusion Reactor Tour

Funding Roundup – Q2 So Far

* Flock Freight raised $60M Series E

* RevenueCat raised $50M Series B (co-founder based in SD)

* BioLink: $100M Series C

* Hyatt Therapeutics: $65M Series A

* ClearPoint Neuro: $110M public offering

Executive Moves

* Mark Fields named Chief Information & Innovation Officer at Illumina

AI Spotlight

* Personal AI partners with NVIDIA and launches an AI receptionist tool

* Headquarters moving to SF, but SD office remains

* Still a top contender in SD’s AI ecosystem

* Qualcomm & NVDIA making big AI moves

Microsoft x Activision Blizzard

* Global deal, local impact: High Moon Studios (Carlsbad) now under Microsoft

* Gaming community expanding: new meetups + co-working hub in the works

Consumer Brand News

* Jack in the Box (HQ in SD) struggles with Del Taco; 200 stores closed

* Everbowl hits 100th location milestone

* Rapid growth since franchising

* Built-in construction arm WeBuild fueling national expansion

Robotics on the Big Stage

* Local startup Psyonic featured by YouTuber Marques Brownlee (MKBHD)

* Two million+ views on their bionic hand demo

* Another big win for SD’s hardware + health tech community

Events Roundup – June Highlights

For full list, check out The Social Coyote newsletter

* June 6 - SD Founder Hike

* June 9 - Future In Review 2025 Conference

* June 10 - Carlsbad Sports Active Lifestyle Industry Exchange with Naturally San Diego and SDSI

* June 11 - SD Founders Afternoon Hike

* June 12 - Best Ideas Dinner

They explore how this next-generation technology is shifting the medical world from slow, reactive testing to real-time, accessible diagnostics for both humans and animals. From Jamie’s early days at Quest Diagnostics to Pictor’s move from New Zealand to San Diego, this episode is a front-row seat to how health innovation really happens.

Whether you’re building a biotech startup or just curious about how your body actually works, this conversation reveals what’s next for diagnostics-and why it matters now more than ever.

Key Topics Covered

* What proteomics is-and why it matters more than ever

* The shift from DNA-based tests to real-time protein diagnostics

* Pictor’s expansion to Carlsbad and why San Diego is a healthtech hotspot

* How regulatory clarity is speeding up innovation

* Lessons in leadership and conviction from Jamie’s founder journey

* Making diagnostics faster, cheaper, and more personal

Links & Resources

* Pictor Diagnostics

Connect with Jamie

* LinkedIn

Connect with Neal Bloom

* LinkedIn

* Twitter

In this episode of the, Neal Bloom chats with Jesse Taylor, Senior Manager of Identity and Middleware Services at UNLV. Jesse shares his journey from early exposure to technology with Atari and Apple II to becoming a technical leader in higher education. They discuss the evolution of technology, the role of AI in augmenting human capabilities, and Jesse’s approach to authentic leadership and team development. Jesse also highlights his work in identity management at UNLV, his involvement in the Las Vegas tech community, and his recognition as a Top Tech Vegas award recipient.

Key Topics Discussed:

* The evolution of technology in education and hospitality sectors

* AI as a tool for enhancing human capabilities

* Leadership strategies for building and supporting high-performing teams

* The importance of workforce development and apprenticeships in tech

* The Las Vegas tech ecosystem and connections with San Diego

Links & Resources:

UNLV’s identity and middleware services

Society for Information Management (SIM) Las Vegas Chapter

Nominate a leader for the Top Tech Awards

Connect with Jesse:

LinkedIn

Connect with Neal:

LinkedIn: Neal Bloom

Twitter: @NealBloom

Here’s who I’ve been meeting with over the last week:

Met the Covanos cardiovascular team thanks to Jose Arrieta.

Shared notes with Cheryl Turnbull of the Ohio State University Entrepreneurship Center on bridging inventors into startup founders thanks to Derrick Brent.

Great walking meeting with Eli Carlson on supporting our founder friends.

Erik Groset and I caught up with Casey Dickinson to hear about Superfaction, his latest gaming startup.

Interviewed Jamie Platt, CEO of new-to-U.S./Carlsbad diagnostic company Pictor Dx.

Caught up with Brett Crosby to learn about his new adtech AI startup AdZen.

Coffee with Puesto founder Alex Adler to talk tacos and tech ;)

Met with the founding team of LumaLake AI Botond Szatmary and Drew Senyei to learn about the future of senior care monitoring.

Attended the graduation ceremony of the latest Founders Institute San Diego & Veteran Class! Congrats, well done Mike Sherbakov and team, and thanks John Z for hosting.

Enjoyed a great event by Whittier Trust bringing together local investors to talk about the current economic environment. Thanks to Sandip Bhagat for your deep insight and Jeff Treut for the invite. Welcome officially to San Diego!

Impromptu San Diego Angel Conference meeting with Cathy Pucher, where we are co-emceeing the June 5 finale event. Come join us!

Internal check in with my Athena team to keep building the partnership.

Recorded a gem of a conversation with Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO of Cabana on the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

Good check in with the City of Burbank Economic Development team Marissa Cardwell and Odette Zakarian and Brittany Hodge in planning out June’s PitchFest and the next year’s worth of community building events.

Quick catch up on the state of the San Diego SaaS ecosystem with Brad Corona of Vertical Venture Partners.

Debriefing/planning for next bootcamp session with the SDSU ZIP Launchpad team Cameron Brock, Erica Charlonis, and Craig Lauer.

Into the mountains with Tim Ryan for a retreat to do long term startup ecosystem planning including the next cohorts of Startup 101, Founder Build Day, SD Tech Founder events, physical hub design, and much more to come.

Have a great week and keep building!

Key Topics:

• San Diego Product Management Summit (June 5-6)

• Evolution from Intuit leadership to Product Rebels

• Building Product Tank's 2,500+ member community

• Customer-centric product development methodologies

• San Diego's maturing tech ecosystem

Links & Resources:

* Product Management Summit - Use discount code: TACOS to get 10% off

* Product Rebels

Connect with Vidya:

- LinkedIn: Vidya Dinamani

Connect with Neal:

- LinkedIn: Neal Bloom

- Twitter: @NealBloom

Key Topics:

- Introduction of Misti Cain as the new Managing Director

- Overview of Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU Year 3

- Application details: Open from April 8 to June 11, 2024

- Ideal founder and company profile

- Benefits of the SDSU partnership

- Updated investment terms: $220,000 total with $200,000 uncapped MFN safe

- Importance of community and mentorship

- Shoutout to Ryan Kuder for his contributions to Techstars in San Diego

- Misty's favorite taco spot: Puesto

Links and Resources:

- Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU Information

- Refer Founders

Connect with Misti Cain:

- LinkedIn: Misti Cain https://www.linkedin.com/in/misticain/

Connect with Neal Bloom:

- LinkedIn: Neal Bloom https://www.linkedin.com/in/nealbbloom

- Twitter: @NealBloom https://twitter.com/NealBloom

Available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and other major platforms.

👋 Welcome!

Welcome to This Week in San Diego Tech!

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

Joining me as always is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego Substack, covering startups, funding, and M&A across the region.

🗞️Top Headlines This Week:

🎶 Music Tech Meets the Symphony - link

* Interlock Capital hosted 30+ tech leaders for a behind-the-scenes tour of the newly renovated Jacobs Music Center ($150M remodel!)

* The tech community showed up at the San Diego Symphony’s Discovery Night, featuring jazz, Mardi Gras flair, and remarks by ResMed CEO Mick Farrell

* The call to action: it’s time for the next generation of founders to support arts, science, and innovation in SD

🚀 Startup 101 & Founders Funnel Kickoff - link

* Neal and Tim Ryan launched Startup 101, a community event for early-stage builders to explore the “car, plane, or rocket ship” path of growth

* 10 attendees, curated cohort, high demand for more, filling a new cohort each quarter - and Founders Build Day now expanding to 3 monthly locations in May!

💰 Funding Rounds

* Symphonic Capital raises $13.5M for its debut fund, led by Sydney Thomas (ex-Precursor), focused on fintech and digital health

Read Fred’s article »

* Bliss AI, an aesthetic-focused AR software platform, secures Series A funding (co-founder based in North County)

* Biolinq raises $90M for non-invasive glucose sensing - originally spun out of UCSD labs and now scaling hard

SEC filing »

🧬 NIH Funding Shakeup & Market Headwinds - link

* UCSD sees $150M+ in NIH funding paused or cut, impacting researchers and early-stage startups

* Federal agency funding delays (FDA, DOD, SBIR) creating ripples in life sciences and defense tech

* Tariffs, market uncertainty, and reduced VC capital raise concerns for hardware and deep tech founders

🧱 Real Estate & Ecosystem Expansion

* Pfizer moves to new Torrey View campus

* Novartis to build a $1.1B San Diego R&D hub

* Prebys Foundation acquires Wells Fargo Plaza for $40M (previously $148M), signaling interest in downtown tech corridor

* GemPharmatech, Qpex, and BioLabs expanding presence in the region

* EvoNexus UTC set to open new space for medtech/life science founders in May

👟 SDSU Goes Jordan

* San Diego State men’s basketball team debuts custom Air Jordan 4 PEs - only 50 pairs made!

See them here »

🗓️ Community Events & Ecosystem News

* One Million Cups is back!

* Every Wednesday at 8am @ Ansir Innovation in Convoy

* Two startup presentations + community feedback

* Event photo recap »

* Interlock Capital LP + Portfolio Founder Day

* LPs and founders will be connecting in curated roundtables to move the needle on growth

* The Social Coyote has your curated event list:

Subscribe here »

💬 Final Shoutouts

* Thanks to Michael Robertson and other listeners for your feedback - we’re testing a shorter intro song this week!

* Follow Fred on Substack » and Neal on Fresh Brewed Tech »

They talk about life safety systems, the rise of AI tools in design, the Padres’ Wi-Fi network, and how Floyd’s team at TechNet is scaling services across all 50 states.

Floyd also shares what it meant to win the Top Tech Award in 2024—and why he’s excited to help spotlight other behind-the-scenes innovators this year.

🔑 Key Takeaways & Timestamps:

* [2:00] Floyd’s start: lessons from his grandfather’s Navy electrician days

* [5:30] How TechNet grew from a storage-unit office to 300+ employees

* [9:00] Life safety tech: upgrading USC’s 911 system and keeping infrastructure resilient

* [12:30] Data center growth + designing for sustainability

* [17:00] From Padres Wi-Fi to MLB partnerships and stadium-scale solutions

* [21:00] Floyd’s long-running partnership with Cox Business

* [26:30] Winning a Top Tech Award and inspiring the next wave of tech leaders

* [29:00] Advice for founders and future tech leaders: love the work, and find mentors

* [33:00] 🌮 Taco Talk: Floyd’s go-to spot is TJ Tacos in Escondido

🏆 Top Tech Awards:

Floyd was recognized at the 2024 Top Tech Awards - and now he’s helping select the next generation of unsung tech heroes.

👉 Know someone making tech magic happen behind the scenes?

Nominations are now open for the 2025 Top Tech Awards!

Submit yours before May 2 at toptechawards.com

🔗 Links:

* Floyd Auten on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/floyd-auten-rcdd-364a4410

* TechNet Partners: technetpartners.com

* Top Tech Awards Nomination: toptechawards.com

* TJ Tacos: Yelp link

Inspired early on by A Shark Never Sleeps, Jeff set out to become a sports agent, only to pivot right after law school and dive into entrepreneurship. His first venture began with a bold move - calling his employer’s bluff and walking out to start his own company, only to face a major hiccup when payroll checks were accidentally sent to clients.

Through trial, error, and big wins, Jeff has honed his entrepreneurial philosophy:

“If you can live in your greatness, success is guaranteed.”

That philosophy was put to the test when he dreamed up what would become Everbowl. Despite critics pointing out he wasn’t a chef - and that most restaurants fail - Jeff saw the opportunity. Why? Because business owners, not chefs, build successful restaurant brands. From that insight, he coined:

“Experience is the most overrated prerequisite to starting a company.”

From the lessons of building Everbowl, Jeff launched his latest venture - WeBuild - a company that helps others bring their physical business ideas to life by streamlining construction and buildouts.

Jeff also shares insights weekly on his podcast, The Jeff Fenster Show, where he interviews top performers, athletes, entrepreneurs, and creators about what makes them great.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Jeff approaches building multiple businesses at once

• The role of self-awareness in entrepreneurial success

• His 5 core principles for life and business

• His latest book, Relationship Capital, which dives into the power of networking, mentorship, and building value through people

• Business relationships with names like Neil Patel, Drew Brees, Shaq, and the GoFundMe founders

• Why he believes investing in people is the ultimate multiplier

• His new venture, WeBuild, and what he’s solving next

• And the power of storytelling through The Jeff Fenster Show

Plus, we get into tacos (of course):

Jeff’s favorite taco spot: Casero Taqueria

His taco order: The al pastor, shrimp, and whatever the weekly special is.

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

My co-hosts in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

April 4, 2025

* Padres 7-0, Dodgers 8-0 in their starts

* Fred’s Q1 report

* Class of 2025 Cool Companies

* Fundings:

* Thatch AI

* Global M&A data

* Red markets because of tariffs

* Qualcomm acquisition news: Acquires Gen AI company & rumored to be considering acquiring UK semiconductor company

* Cymbiotika ranks 10 fast-growing companies

* Leadership changes

* Blender CEO Steps up

* Shield AI New CEO

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

* 1st Mondays SSD April 7

* 1 Million Cups April 16

* Connect Summer Social June 3

Join us for a roundtable with three longtime builders of San Diego’s startup scene: Jonah Peake of The Social Coyote and The Career Coyote Hussein Yahfoufi of Startup Beach Neal Bloom of Fresh Brewed Tech and Interlock Capital Designing Events That Actually Build Community

In this episode, we dive into the elements that actually make an event meaningful—from location and check-in experience to dress code and follow-up community building.

We also talk about the growing energy around co-working gatherings and the potential for turning pop-up events into permanent spaces that foster connection, creativity, and collisions.🔥 Episode Highlights:

• What it would look like to convene the region’s top CEOs—and lessons learned from the OC CEO Leadership Alliance

• The evolution from North County Startup Mixer to San Diego County Startup Mixer

• How events like March Mingle, Indie Hackers, Launchpad San Diego Founders & Investors, and 1 Million Cups are shaping the ecosystem

• Why details like venue vibe, entrance flow, and even what people wear can set the tone for true connection

Whether you’re an event host, startup founder, or just love showing up to meet great people, this episode is packed with insights on how we can all keep building together.

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

My co-hosts in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

3/27 News

We recorded this week’s pod live on LinkedIn Live here. What did you think?

Neal speaking at Escondido City Council in support of the new AgX Hub

NCAA update for UCSD & SDSU

Pura Vida sold for $1m

23&Me bankruptcy

Events.com buying spree

Natalie Rocha leaving the UT for NYT Fellowship

Entos Pharmaceuticals Expands in Canada

Natilus 250,000 sq. ft. facility

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

Marching Mingle - March 26

StartupSD Co Working Day - March 28

Bootstrappers Event April 1

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Follow Fred on LinkedIn and X

Follow Neal on LinkedIn and X

On with the show!

3/20

UCSD/SDSU Basketball in the brackets!

Exits:

Gretel acquired by NVIDIA

Wiz acquired by Google

Poppi acquired by Pepsi

ServiceNow - made an acquisition

Fundings:

Trust & Will Series C

Occuspace Raises $6M

Tiderock AI

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

Dev & Data Night x CTO Talks - March 20

SD Startup Mixer - March 24

SD Hardware Meetup - March 25

Marching Mingle - March 26

In Part Two of this roundtable discussion, we go deeper into why tech ecosystem builders Jonah Peake of The Social Coyote and The Career Coyote and Hussein Yahfoufi of Startup Beach, are building their platforms.

We discuss their founder journeys, the problems they each saw worth solving, and how the local startup ecosystem looks different—and better—thanks to their solutions.

Highlights:

* Celebrating The Career Coyote’s exciting milestone: the platform's first successful job placement and its first unsubscribe (a true marker of success!).

* How the "Coyote Super Pack" is making networking events more impactful and intentional.

* Why community-focused platforms, like Startup Beach and The Social Coyote, are crucial for founders, job seekers, and investors to thrive.

Upcoming Events Mentioned:

February’s North County Mixer - Feb 26

Pack of One: Solopreneurs, Remote from HQ, and Han-Solos - March 6

March SD Founders Hike - March 7

Help shape our community: fill out this short survey and tell us what events you think San Diego still needs!

Other links referenced on the pod:

* Invest Like the Best podcast with Marc Andreessen

* SDx

* Arta Finance

In this special roundtable episode, we dive into the power of in-person events in building and strengthening the San Diego startup ecosystem. I’m joined by two of my ecosystem-building besties: Jonah Peake of The Social Coyote and The Career Coyote and Hussein Yahfoufi of Startup Beach. Together, we discuss why community-driven events are essential, how they fuel startup growth, and what it takes to build a thriving local network.

Jonah Peake has been a driving force in centralizing and curating San Diego’s startup events through his Social Coyote newsletter. His passion for making connections easy has led him to compile the “Who You Need to Know in San Diego” list and build a resource hub for founders, job seekers, and ecosystem players.

Hussein Yahfoufi saw a gap in the local event landscape and built Startup Beach, a platform that makes it easier for organizers and attendees to discover, share, and engage with events. The platform just hit 100 live events and recently launched the Asks & Offers feature to help the community better support one another.

Links & Resources Mentioned:

📌 Jonah’s Who You Need to Know in San Diego List: LinkedIn Post

📌 Startup Beach – Your hub for local startup events: Website

📌 Startup Beach Asks & Offers – A new way to connect: Check it out!

Action Item!

What events don’t exist in San Diego but should? Let’s make them happen! Submit your event ideas here: Event Ideas Form

🎧 Tune in to hear how Jonah and Hussein are shaping San Diego’s startup scene—one event at a time!

In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, Neal Bloom sits down with Scot Chisholm, the founder of Highland and co-founder of Classy, to discuss what it truly takes to scale leadership alongside a growing company. After leading Classy from a small startup to its acquisition by GoFundMe, Scot saw firsthand that scaling a company is only possible if you scale its leaders.

That insight led to the creation of Highland—a community-driven leadership experience designed for high-growth founders to navigate the challenges of leadership, build better teams, and sustain long-term success. Scot shares the key inflection points in his own journey, the biggest lessons learned, and how founders can avoid the leadership pitfalls that stall growth.

🔥 In This Episode, We Cover:

• The hardest challenges Scot faced as a founder and how they shaped his leadership.

• Why scaling a company is impossible without scaling leadership.

• How Highland is redefining leadership development for high-growth founders.

• The “Founder Mode vs. Leader Mode” framework and how to transition effectively.

• The mindset shift from running a company to empowering teams to run it with you.

• And of course, his favorite taco spots! 🌮

🚀 Resources & Mentions:

🔗 Scot Chisholm’s Website

🔗 Classy

🔗 Highland

🔗 How to Scale Your Company in Founder Mode

🔗 The article Scot mentions getting good PR during the hard times

🔗 Previous Tacos & Tech Episode with Scot Chisholm

🌮 Tune in to hear how Scot turned leadership challenges into a playbook for growth—and why Highland is the community every founder needs.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

My co-hosts in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

AND Jonah Peake, runs The Social Coyote & the Career Coyote newsletters , promoting events and jobs in the San Diego tech ecosystem.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

1/30/2025

Fred’s trip debrief

Dent AI debrief

Any SD Super Bowl ad sighting predictions?

Fundings:

Biosapien $7m seed

Take on 2025 already - new administration, opportunities for SD

Iridia sends crypto wallet to the moon

Viasat contract

Northrop contract

Passing the torch at Biocom

Howlin’ Jobs! By Career Coyote

Top clicked jobs and companies

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

North County Startup Mixer breaks 200!

Founders Institute San Diego applications due this Sunday - Feb 2

Feb Founders Hike - Feb 7

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

My co-host in this episode is guest host Jonah Peake, who previously co-hosted with me and runs The Social Coyote newsletter, promoting events in the San Diego tech ecosystem.

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

1/24/2025

TechCon SoCal debrief

Future of Healthcare debrief

Fundings

AskTuring Seed $1M

Deep Vector Seed $1.5M

Xilo Series A $7.2M

Sonocharge Energy $23.5M

Netradyne Series D $90M

Biggest deal of 2024 - Vuori

Biggest VC fund raise of 2024 - Neos and StepStone

Howlin’ Jobs! By Career Coyote

Top clicked jobs and companies

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

Carlsbad Life Action Tech/Sports and Active Lifestyle Gathering - Feb 4

North County SD Startup Mixer

San Diego Cyber Group Meetup

Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms.

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

My co-host in this episode is guest host Jonah Peake, who previously co-hosted with me and runs The Social Coyote newsletter, promoting events in the San Diego tech ecosystem.

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Tech Community.

1/16/2025

Sending love to our friends and family in LA

The Career Coyote!

Carlsbad revives commercial flights

Fundings

Timberlyne Therapeutics $180M Series A

Light Horse Therapeutics $62M Series A

Rybodyn $4M PreSeed

CES Announcements

Qualcomm - a lot of diverse chip use cases and AI ecosystem building

Illumina & Nvidia collab!

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

TechCon SoCal Preview - Jan 17 & 18

The Future of Healthcare - Jan 22

Carlsbad Life In Action Fashionphile - Feb 4

How to Angel Invest? - Feb 6

SD Founders Hike - Feb 7

From the Pack:- Product Roundtable Lunch- AI + Indie Hackers Happy Hour!- Dent:AI Startup Showcase Reception

Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms.

Tacos and Tech Podcast – Episode with Alexandra Renee Poelstra of Startup Grind Carlsbad

🎙️ Guest: Alexandra Renee Poelstra, Chapter Director of Startup Grind Carlsbad

📅 Episode Date: January 13, 2025

📍 Event Mentioned: Startup Grind Carlsbad - SG Global Pitch Battle Carlsbad (Neal will be a pitch judge)

🔗 Links:

• Alexandra Renee Poelstra on LinkedIn

• Startup Grind Carlsbad

• SG Global Pitch Battle - Carlsbad Event This Tuesday Jan. 14

• Global Pitch Battle Info

• Startup Grind San Diego - Neal’s Past Interview

Episode Overview:

In this episode of the Tacos and Tech Podcast, Neal sits down with Alexandra Renee Poelstra, the dynamic Chapter Director of Startup Grind Carlsbad, to discuss the exciting return of Startup Grind events in Carlsbad. Alexandra shares insights into how Startup Grind is reigniting the local entrepreneurial spirit and dives into details about their upcoming SG Global Pitch Battle Carlsbad event, where Neal will be serving as a pitch judge.

They talk about the role Startup Grind plays in fostering startup communities globally and locally and how the Carlsbad chapter plans to support founders in the region. Alexandra also shares her own journey into entrepreneurship and community building.

Neal reflects on his own past experience being interviewed by Startup Grind San Diego, bringing the conversation full circle as he now returns to the community in a new role supporting emerging founders.

Topics Covered:

• Alexandra’s journey into the startup world and Startup Grind

• Reviving Startup Grind Carlsbad after a hiatus

• Details about the SG Global Pitch Battle Carlsbad and how founders can get involved

• The importance of community in supporting founders

• Neal’s previous experience as a guest on Startup Grind San Diego and now serving as a pitch judge

Upcoming Event Details:

📅 Event: SG Global Pitch Battle - Carlsbad

📍 Location: Event Link - Jan. 14

📝 Pitch Application Form: Apply Here

Also mentioned Carlsbad Life In Action event on Feb. 4

Connect with Startup Grind Carlsbad:

🌐 Startup Grind Carlsbad Website

📲 Follow Alexandra on LinkedIn

Thank You to Our Partners:

This episode is brought to you by Fresh Brewed Tech, serving up tech insights with a side of San Diego flavor, for everyone to savor.

Subscribe & Review:

Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the Tacos and Tech Podcast on your favorite streaming platform!

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! 

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

1/9/2025 Top headlines

Predictions 

5 VC Investors Share Hot Takes and Predictions

Neal’s predictions - IPO market, M&A, Fundings, In person

M&A

Coursekey buy out by PSG

Poseida deal closed, up $500m in purchase price. $1b to $1.5b

Funding

Gaming Startup Simulation Theory Raises $2M Seed Funding

Crop Diagnostix raises $3.5M Seed Round 

Deep Vector Raises $1.5M

Developments 

$85M film studio under construction in Chula Vista

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

Startup Grind Carlsbad is back Jan 14

Angel Conference events on Jan 14 and Feb 18

Rumi AI HH - Jan 16

TechCon SoCal - Jan 17-18

The Future of Healthcare - Jan 22

ACG San Diego | CapCon24 - Feb 21-22

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

12/5 News

Funding - SD VC funding through Q3 & Fred’s tweet

Carlsbad’s Vuori secures $825M in funding, reaches $5.5B valuation

Amprion raises $15M Series B

Acquisitions/M&A

Kate Therapeutics acquired by Novartis for $1.1B

Roche Acquires Poseida for $1.5B

Lundbeck acquires Longboard Pharmaceuticals in $2.6B

Neos Partners new fund - $1.37B

JLABS supports 190+ biotechs

Events – For full list – check The Social Coyote

SD Founders Hike - Dec 6

Tech The Halls - Dec 6 - THE tech holiday party!

JP Morgan Healthcare conference January 13-16 (SF/Bay Area)

TechCon SoCal - Jan 17-18

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

7/26

Fundings

* $1B in VC funding for Q2

* Athletic Brewing raises $50 at a $800m valuation

* Term Labs raises $5.5m Seed

* Kandji raises another $100M

* Element Biosciences raises a $277m Series D

* Kratos new hypersonic vehicle takes flight

Fashionphile is launching a Coronado pop-up this summer in Coronado

Eli Lily inks a deal with Radionics that could be worth $1B

Novartis is shutting down their SD office and cutting 100 jobs

An’s Gelato is #1 Gelato in the U.S.

Events – For full list – check The Social Coyote

Event debrief - Carlsbad Life In Action Tech Gathering - July 16, next one Sept 23

Cheryl Goodman’s new book launch - July 26

* Listen in to our interview with Cheryl here

Carlsbad Life in Action Cleantech Gathering - Aug 5

SD EDC Summer Bash - Aug 22

TEDxSanDiegoWomen - Aug 28

Interlock’s event calendar - look for what’s public and what’s private that we’re involved in

We’re trying out Substack and I hope you enjoy it. I put out 1-2 podcast episodes per week so it’s time to share those more widely. Listen in to this week’s latest This Week in San Diego Tech News and reply with your feedback. What do you want us to cover?Show notes for this week’s episode:Listen & subscribe on Apple, Google, Spotify, and other platforms.

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

Little Tech Agenda by Marc Andreesen

7/8 News

* Eli Lilly, Pfizer, J&J incubating the next big drug in San Diego

* Liquid Instruments Closes $12 Million Round

* Huega House Hats nearly doubled its 2023 revenue

* Aptera monetizes its IP portfolio for $130 Million

* Sonocharge raises $8.5 Million

* SD’s Artiva plans IPO to fund NK cell therapy’s autoimmune trials

Events – For full list – check The Social Coyote

* Look for upcoming Community CoWorking Days – Aquillius and SDx

* July 11 Morning with Aquillius

* SD Founders Hike – July 12

* Do you want this weekly? Let Neal know

* SDx events

* 💻 AI Hacker Club: Tue, July 16th, 6-8pm | https://lu.ma/dtwrgba3 

* 📚 AI Paper Club:

* Thu, July 11th, 6-8pm | InstructPix2Pix: https://lu.ma/zg441svz – presented by Panna Felsen

* Thu, July 25th, 6-8pm | Scaling Monosemanticity: https://lu.ma/v2aqei21 – presented by Diego Caples

* Carlsbad Tech Founders event – July 16

* Carlsbad Cleantech Founders – July 29

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

6/27 News

A word about Brant Cooper

Industrial & Logistics Tech event debriefs

Dexcom layoffs

Illumina spins off Grail again

Unigrid raises $12m in Series A

Biotech fundings

Rapport filed for IPO

Iambic Therapeutics Raises $153M Series B

Bright Peak Therapeutics Raises $90M Series C

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

SDx events
SD Founder Hike - 7/12

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

6/9

Congrats to Fred on completing his MBA, starting a Masters in Real Estate and writing for the SDBJ again!

TechCon Debrief

Rubio’s bankruptcy

Cue Health

Fundings

Hauler Hero- $2m

Allez Health - formerly Zense - $60M

South 8 and Porsche partnership

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

Connect Summer Social - 6/13

Aquillius Agtech Symposium - 6/19

SD Founder Hike - 7/12

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

5/17 Stories

Nearshoring/Friendshoring Debrief

North County Event Debrief

SD Angel Conference Debrief

Iambic Therapeutics raised $29M

Biotech office shutdowns/layoffs

PacBio/Omniome shutting SD office

Takeda to shut down San Diego research center

UCSD Talent Foundry

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

Aquillius: Medical Devices Symposium May 15

Techstars San Diego: Ask Me Anything & Happy Hour May 16

SDx:HackerClub May 16

Carlsbad Biotech Gathering May 20

Welcome to the Tacos and Tech Podcast, where we interview innovative builders and leaders.

This week I am excited to interview Ryan Kuder, Managing Director of Techstars San Diego Powered by San Diego State University.

Ryan is a serial startup operator, ecosystem builder, and Techstars Accelerator leader. He was previously on the podcast and you can listen in to hear more about his background here.

In this latest conversation, he shares the benefits of an accelerator and what kind of company is right for Techstars. Applications are due by May 22, 2024 for the Techstars San Diego Fall 2024 Accelerator. Apply here.

Ryan is consistent in his taco choice, which is the acclaimed meats and ingredients from El Nopalito in Encinitas and making the tacos at home.

Subscribe and share this podcast to enable us to tell great stories about great people.

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

5/6 

Fintech founders debrief

Cool Companies debrief

Yembo partners with Atlas Vans

Logistics tech density and CEO gathering

New CEO for Quidel

Escient pharmaceuticals acquired by $750M

Endera Motors $6m raise

NuFund Hits Investment Milestone with 100th Startup

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

Nearshoring SD/TJ Event - May 8

SD Angel Conference - May 9

SD Founders Hike - May 10

Welcome to the Tacos and Tech Podcast, where we interview innovative builders and leaders.

On today's show we have Jodi Duva, Vice President of Cox Business, California and Chris Whelan, Director of Enterprise, Cox Business, San Diego.

Cox Enterprises is a 126 year old fourth-generation family run company. It has been at the forefront of media and connectivity, from its early days in newspapers, to its latest in connected infrastructure.

On this episode we talk about trends the leadership team is seeing in broadband, AI, managed services, and San Diego's newest arena, Frontwave Arena, the new home to the San Diego Clippers.

Tune in to hear what Jodi and Chris are hearing from businesses as technology needs and their favorite taco spot.

Remember to get your nominations in for your favorite tech exec for the Top Tech San Diego Awards in by May 8!

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

4/29

Headline Stories

Naturally San Diego Pitch Slam Competition 

Other event debriefs

Q1 Funding Hits $1.57B

Log10.io raise

RevenueCat Series $12M Series C

Behind Genius Ventures Fund 2

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

Founders Hike - May 10

Get Connected to SD Tech Ecosystem - May 16

TechCon SoCal - May 24

Welcome to the Tacos and Tech Podcast, where we interview innovative builders and leaders.

This week I am THRILLED to bring back our one-on-one interview format with the Deputy Director of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) and Deputy Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property, Derrick Brent. 

Derrick joined me in conversation while attending the AUTM conference in San Diego. We immediately bonded over innovation ecosystem building and music.

Listen in to our conversation to understand why now it's all hands on deck for the U.S. to lead in innovation especially in intellectual property.

Subscribe and share this podcast to enable us to tell great stories about great people.

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

4/15 Headline Stories

Illumina new execs

Startups acquiring other startups 

     Drata acquired Harmonize.io

     Shield AI acquired Sentient Vision Systems

Platform Science raise $125M in growth capital

Trident IoT raises $10M seed

Battery tech ecosystem      

     Carlsbad cleantech hub - including Zap, Smartville, ALE, Aptera

     Carlsbad cleantech ecosystem event April 29

     Cleantech Showcase April 24

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

ASU+ GSV edtech in SD April 14-17

From Dorm Rooms to Board Rooms April 17th at UCSD

Get Connected to SD Ecosytem April 19

Alternative Protein Conference at SDSU April 22

Escondido AgX Gathering April 23

Cleantech Showcase April 24

Carlsbad cleantech ecosystem event April 29

SD Founders Fintech lunch April 30

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

4/8

Biolinq raise

Natilus - Interlock participating in their latest round

Defense tech ecosystem

Harpoon defense tech meetup debrief

Alterome Therapeutics raises $132M Series B

Splash raise $4.5m

Tide Rock acquires CABLENET Aerospace

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

SaaS Diego – Fundraising for your SaaS Startup April 9

Welcome to SD Virtual Gathering - April 19

TechCon SoCal May 24

Founders Hike May 10

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

4/1 Headline Stories 

Contineum Therapeutics IPO

Former Prometheus execs raise $400M

Most Active Tech VCs

Daasity Acquires Red Fox Analytics

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

March Mingle recap

Harpoon Ventures Defense Tech Meetup April 4

April Founders Hike April 5

San Diego Angel Conference (Tickets now live - May 9th)

CleanTech Happy Hour (Apr 10)

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

3/22 Headline Stories 

Dev and Data CTO Talks debrief

Bio Fundings

Capstan Therapeutics raises $175 million

Engrail Therapeutics $157M Series B

Carlsmed Series C

Q1 VC Funding Report 

Brain Corp $32M investment

Taner donates $25M to UCSD

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

March Mingle March 27

Use discount code fresh-brewed-tech for 10% off

Harpoon Ventures Defense Tech Meetup  April 3

TechCon SoCal - May 24

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

3/18 Headline Stories 

Boundless Bio IPO

AgX Hackathon Debrief

SD Clippers G-League in Oceanside

Techstars Anywhere 2024 cohort announced - SD company Namara Water Tech in the cohort

Techstars San Diego applications are open, due May 22

Firestorm raised $12.5m Seed

Rakuten Medical raised $119M Series E

Argonaut Bio Manufacturing raised $45m

Looq AI raise $2.6M Seed

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

SDSU Chinyeh Hostler Social Venture: H20 Impact Challenge March 15

Dev & Data Night & CTO Talks - March 19

SDx AI coffee meetups - every other week

Listen in and join us March 7-9, 2024 for the Escondido AgX Startup Hackathon!

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

2/26 Headline Stories 

Maya’s Cookies

Edge Theory

Crowe PR acquires Eckis Marketing

QuidelOrtho fires CEO Douglas Bryant

Funding News

Rally Corp raises seed funding

Headlight Health raises $18 million led by Matrix and EPIC Ventures

Qualcomm & Intuit Ventures invest in Anthropic (valued at $15B+)

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

StartR Demo Day (February 27)

SDx@HDSI2 (February 28)

SD CTO Talks (February 28)

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

2/19 News

Qualcomm earnings news - grew 10% last year

Change in leadership, CFO becoming COO

Black Tech Link - new events for STEM learning and careers

Welfie - healthcare platform

New company KRBN coming out of stealth

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

SDSI event debrief 

VC Outlook 2024 debrief

ACG event Feb 21-23

Fred’s ACG article

AgX Hackathon March 7-9

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup community.

2/13/2024 News

More multi-billion $ biotech exits

Inhibrx - $2.2B

Axonics in OC - $3.7B

Talked Ambrx for $2B already

Tyra & many other post-IPO raises  

$200M for Tyra Biosciences

$150M for Kura Oncology

Eggscape Entertainment - $4.25M seed

Trust & Will recent raise

Touchdown Ventures, Erie Ventures, Comcasts’ LIFT Labs

Aptera - $33m in crowdfunding

New fund alert! TL Fund by Connect - $15m, all proceeds go back into the fund

Super Bowl ads

In the past - Clickup, Hologic, Cue

Cue Health - layoff 30% of workforce

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

North County meetup debrief

SD VC 2024 Outlook - Feb 13

AgX Hackathon March 7-9

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

1/29/2024 News

Resmed invests in Noctrix Health series C 

Turquoise Health Series B $30M

Qualcomm-powered NASA Mars helicopter completes 3 year mission

CES recap from Cheryl Goodman

Macroeconomic investment trends event recap

Local Tech layoffs

Apple relocating local Siri team - 150 people impacted

NuVasive - 157 people impacted

Vervent raises $180m for fintech product expansion

Events - Brought to you by the Social Coyote SD Tech Events Newsletter

AgX Gathering Jan 30

SD Founders Hike & Plunge Feb 2

Welcome to SD Tech Call Feb 5

Cool Companies applications are due Feb 9

April 30 Cool Companies showcase

SD VC 2024 Outlook - Feb 13

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier from Fresh Brewed Tech.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

1/19/2024

News

ShieldAI increased $500m funding!

Johnson & Johnson acquires Ambrx Biopharma for $2B

TuSimple shuts down US ops

Local breweries are growing again

Novo Brazil Brewing Company open Mission Valley location

New Amazon robotics-powered sorting center opens in Otay Mesa

Events - For full list - check The Social Coyote

Out of town happy hour by Lenny’s Newsletter - Jan. 23

Investing in Macroeconomic Trends - Jan. 23

The REC Ribbon Cutting - Jan. 24

AgX Gathering - Jan. 30

SD Founders Hike & Plunge - Feb 2

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of Business of San Diego substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

News as of January 3, 2024:

Happy New Year!

2023 funding

Looking ahead to 2024

Epic Gardening 

RayzeBio acquired for $4.1B

Events - subscribe to Social Coyote for SD tech events newsletter

SD Founders Hike - Jan. 5

Get Connected to the San Diego Tech Ecosystem - Jan. 5

JPMorgan & CES

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

12/13 News

Petdesk funding - $100m

Harpoon Ventures - $125m

Evofem acquisition - $100m

Techstars San Diego by SDSU Demo Day

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

11/14 News

Payroll Integrations - $20M raise

ShieldAI - $200M raise Series A

Algenisis - $5M raise

Deloitte Fast 500

CEO/CFO post-event debrief

Interlock Capital last call for Fund I

Events by The Social Coyote

7CTOs/0111 post-event debrief

SD Tech Coffee Downtown 

North County Tech Mixer

SD Tech Hub - Nov 14

HomeLab at UC San Diego Nov. 16

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Promote the show: 

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

Week of Oct 30 News

Guest co-host Anshel Sag, Principal Analyst of Moor Insights & Strategy

Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit recap 

Apple M3 Announcement

Acquired Podcast on Qualcomm

Debut Biotech $40M Series B

Daou Wine $900M acquisition

Viasat satellite update

L3 Harris layoffs

Dod impact in SD

Events

SD Startup Week recap

0111 Conference

San Diego Founders Hike - Nov 3

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News by Neal Bloom and Fred Grier.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital and I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Oct 23 - News

Beyond Japan Program Selects San Diego 

Pro Soccer Roundup

SD Loyal

San Diego Wave

SDFC

Tide Rock

Beam Global

SOCI hires Seismic co-founder as President and CRO

Events

San Diego Startup Week is this week! #SDSW2023

Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit - Oct 24-26

Data Science Alliance Data Science Nightmares - Oct 26

Biocom CEO Summit - Oct 27

0111 Conference - Nov 1-3

Please share this podcast to further the reach to builder stronger bonds in the tech and startup community. Thanks!

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.

10/17:

A tough week to stay focused for Neal

Q3 Funding report

Qualcomm layoffs

Iambic

Publisher Barb Chodos leaving SDBJ

Events

TiE AI Shark Tank event debrief

SD Tech Hub HH - Oct 18

SDx events Oct 8, 13, 14, 20

Eyepop AI events Oct 3, 5, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26

San Diego Startup Week - October 23-27

0111 Conference Nov 1-3

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Oct 2

MLS SD new training facility

Blenders new hype

Equip new round

Vuori going to IPO next year

Events

Recent events round up - Fashionphile CEO event, Industrial SaaS CEO event, Women’s Venture Summit recaps

Innovation Night Oct 2

SDx events Oct 8, 13, 14, 20

Eyepop AI events Oct 3, 5, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26

San Diego Startup Week - October 23-27

0111 Conference Nov 2-3

AgTech Startup Hackathon Nov 2-4

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

• Missing Mike Freeman - Mike is no longer at the UT and we miss his voice in the tech community
• ShieldAI raising
• Linear App raised $35m Series B
• Acquire.com moving HQ to La Jolla 
• Rayze Bio $358m IPO

Events

• Innovation Week review
• Announcing Techstars San Diego powered SDSU first cohort podcast
• Women’s Venture Summit - Sept 28 & 29
• San Diego Startup Week - October 23-27

Listen in to get a deep dive and meet the companies in this new program.

Th inaugural 2023 class:

Airbuild | San Diego, CA

Algae panel green roofs for commercial buildings that allow for carbon sequestration and energy production.

Babba | San Diego, CA

Enables parents to feed their baby on the go with the world’s first bottle cooler and warmer.

Cargo Shot | San Diego, CA

A “proof of condition” platform that enables shippers and logistics providers to deliver global supply chain accountability and performance.

CoBroker AI | El Paso, TX

An AI-powered assistant accessible via SMS or WhatsApp that automates research and streamlines marketing operations for brokers.

Craitor | San Diego, CA

Rugged, portable, intelligent 3D printers that can manufacture military-grade parts where and when they’re needed

General Folders | San Diego, CA

Cross-company, cloud-agnostic data collaboration software that allows companies to transfer data securely, monitor the transmission in real time, and easily validate the correct data is being sent.

Mosqitter | New York, NY

A software-driven, non-toxic, outdoor mosquito control solution that protects people from mosquitoes and the diseases they transfer.

Nevemind | Stockholm, Sweden

A desktop application that automatically replies to all your emails and messages

Oblio | Boston Massachusetts, CA

An email-based AI tool that allows college admissions counselors to craft personalized messages for admitted students, leveraging existing data to easily prioritize and communicate.

Remix | Pleasant Hill, CA

A virtual teleporter that lets users freely interact and share complete physical environments from anywhere in the world. 

Site Bionics | San Diego, CA

Computer vision and digital twin technology that gives retailers operational insights about their physical space.

Steno | San Diego, CA

A personalized AI-powered market research copilot that extracts insights from digital content to help brand owners research their market and competition.

Reference: Blog by Techstars about the new cohort.

I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital.

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

Fundraises:

Occuspace - Series A - $3.6m

Shipcalm - Raised $2m - Tech-enabled 3PL

Lights Helmets

Report Therapeutics - $150m Series A

Events:

Top Tech Awards

Innovation Day

Stella Women’s Venture Summit

I’m Neal Bloom, entrepreneur, investor, and community builder.

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

8/21/23:

• SD’s top AI startups 
  • Real World AI Applications panel from Interlock Summit

• Inc.’s 5000 list
  • SD companies highlighted + 89 listed on full list

• Acquire.com moves to SD
  • Welcome back Andrew Gazdecki and team!
• EDC Summer Bash recap  
• AgTech event recap and Escondido AgTech Hackathon on Nov. 2-4

Upcoming tech events:

• Innovation Day Sept 14 / Innovation Week - Sept 12-16
• San Diego Startup Week - Oct 23-27

• Aadeel gives an overview of what PSYONIC is [02:34]

• Aadeel shares his background and how he got interested in building bionic limbs [03:17]

• How did Aadeel get started in bionic engineering [04:17]

• What’s the difference between prosthesis and bionic devices? [07:45]

• Aadeel talks about their product designs, the difference of the devices, and the barriers for patients  [09:03]

• Aadeel shares the founding story of PSYONIC [10:44]

• What’s entrepreneurial life like for Aadeel? [15:12]

• Aadeel compares San Diego and Chicago, and why he chose to move to San Diego [18:05]

• Aadeel explains why their brand is very big on consumer-facing approach [24:00]

• Aadeel shares what’s is like to have a public facing brand [28:19]

• Aadeel talks about where PSYONIC will be a year from now, their future plans, etc. [30:14]

• Aadeel shares his favorite taco spot, City Tacos [32:17]

Resources:

• Videos of testing the PSYONIC advanced bionic hand

Follow Aadeel

LinkedIn

PSYONIC

Website | LinkedIn

Check out our Tacos and Tech Tacos Database to learn where our local SD entrepreneurs and leaders satisfy their taco crave! 

• Davey gives an overview of his work at UC San Diego  [02:23]

• How did Davey end up down the path toward infectious diseases? [03:23]

• Davey talks about the first time he heard about COVID-19 [06:02]

• How did Operation Warp Speed come together and when did Davey get involved? [07:21]

• Davey shares his observations on Model Medicines [11:25]

• Davey describes the technology Model Medicines focus on and how they apply it to many areas [13:10]

• Davey talks about his current involvement such as preclinical testing and preparing for clinical trials [15:05]

• Davey explains why COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses will continue to be a threat, and why new treatments are necessary [16:43]

• Davey emphasizes the need for investing in the science and research to improve next-generation drugs [00:18:55]

• Davey shares how AI is changing the way drug development is being approached today [20:01]

• On the FDA's flexibility and alignment with Model Medicines' plans for testing and development [20:48]

• Davey talks about future plans for Model Medicines, his plans on launching a clinical trial for respiratory viruses, and basket trial [00:22:23]

• Davey shares his take on the technology communities and collaborative and problem-focused culture of San Diego [23:40]

• Davey shares his favorite taco spot on Washington Street, El Cuervo [00:27:05]

Follow Davey

LinkedIn

University of California San Diego

Website | LinkedIn

Check out our Tacos and Tech Tacos Database to learn where our local SD entrepreneurs and leaders satisfy their taco crave! 

• Chrissy gives an overview of what Second Front Systems is [02:50]

• Chrrisy shares how she got into the tech world and how she started her career originally [03:02]

• Chrissy gives a background of what Second Front Systems is and its products [07:53]

• What was Chrissy’s role when she first started in Second Front Systems versus what she’s doing now? [09:32]

• Chrissy shares what she’s learned from her mentors and how they helped in her job [12:02]

• Chrissy talks about Second Front Systems’ technology and where it's affecting the world today [13:33]

• What’s DevSecOps? [15:34]

• Chrissy talks about their Game Warden platform and their next Game Warden product [16:44]

• How does a public benefit organization like Second Front Systems impact the community that they’re staying in? [18:48]

• Chrissy explains what a SkillBridge program is [19:53]

• Chrissy shares what it’s like being a fully remote company and how they utilize the virtual space platform, Gather.town [23:14]

• Chrissy shares her favorite taco spot, Velvet Taco [27:28]

Follow Chrissy

LinkedIn

Second Front Systems

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Check out our Tacos and Tech Tacos Database to learn where our local SD entrepreneurs and leaders satisfy their taco crave! 

I’m Neal Bloom, entrepreneur, investor, and community builder.

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

7/28/23:

AI news:

• Tech companies adding in GPT - Travato, SOCi
• AIxBio event debrief with PersonalAI presentation

ECommerce:

• Sunday Golf
• Sendlane - E-commerce Commerce Roundtable Event in September 18
• Steerpoint Capital acquired Escondido Mall to make it an entrepreneur-friendly mall

CoWorking:

• VentureX CoWorking opened in Scripps Ranch
• Mission CoWorking opened in Mission Valley

Events:

• Welcome to SD Virtual event - August 1
• SD Founders Hike - August 2
• 1st Mondays - August 7 AI panel
• AgTech Gathering - August 17
• Top Tech SD - September 13
• Innovation Day - September 14
• Green.org San Diego Summit - September 16 - Use code Tacos25 for a discount
• Sendlane Commerce Roundtable - September 18
• San Diego Startup Week - Oct 23-27

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

7/24/23:

• Q2 VC Funding Report 

•  

  DTx Pharma acquisition and impact for local community

   

Events:

• SDx Hackathon event review

   

• SD Founders Hike August 2

   

• 1st Mondays with Startup SD August 7

   

• AgTech Gathering August 17

   

• Connect Innovation Day Sept 14

• Jon gives an overview of what Vessel is [02:59]

• Jon shares how he started his first business [07:11]

• Jon recalls his first business, building an e-commerce site, and how it’s different from Vessel [12:54] 

• Jon talks about the shift from having a bad cash flow business to having a successful one, how he applied the marketing techniques he learned to his website, and “growth hacking”

• What made Jon stay as an entrepreneur even after having two successful companies already? [20:33]

• Jon talks about venture and bootstrapping and why he prefers the former [25:14]

• Jon shares his thoughts on going hardware versus software  [27:15]

• Jon talks about the founding story of Vessel [29:04]

• Jon shares how they decide what products or services to add for Vessel, and lessons he learned along the way [33:57]

• Jon talks about their recently launched 2.0, new tests, and Vessel Flex [36:11]

• What are Vessel’s future plans? [38:40]

• Jon shares his favorite taco spots, Barrio Star, Cocina De Barrio, El Agave, and King and Queen Cantina [40:45]

Follow Jon

LinkedIn

Vessel Health

Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

Check out our Tacos and Tech Tacos Database to learn where our local SD entrepreneurs and leaders satisfy their taco crave! 

Join our bi-weekly newsletter for the latest news at https://freshbrewedtech.com/

Subscribe to Fred's Substack at https://sdfounders.substack.com/

• Victoria gives an overview of what thoughtbot is [02:20]

• How did Victoria end up in the tech industry? [02:58]

• Victoria talks about her work experience in the federal area [03:54]

• Is there a lot of development agency work in the government or do they do a lot in-house? [04:40]

• Victoria shares the history of thoughtbot and how it started [05:47]

• Victoria talks about their platform guide and expanding more into their site reliability engineering space [07:08]

• Victoria shares some use cases, particularly in the need for tech in businesses [08:32]

• Victoria shares what other industries she has spent some time in since working at thoughtbot [09:14]

• What’s it like for Victoria to work and collaborate with a team remotely? [10:34]

• Victoria talks about the San Diego scene and the meetup community [12:36]

• Where does Victoria see communities going especially in a way that thoughtbot is looking at engaging developer communities? [15:28]

• Victoria shares her favorite taco spot, City Tacos [18:04]

Follow Victoria

LinkedIn | Twitter

thoughtbot

Website | LinkedIn

Check out our Tacos and Tech Tacos Database to learn where our local SD entrepreneurs and leaders satisfy their taco crave! 

• Hilliard gives an overview of what Cox Mobile is [02:31]

• Hilliard shares his background and how he got into tech [03:56]

• Hilliard talks about what it’s like to launch a new product [05:49]

• Hilliard shares what it’s like testing their new product in different markets [07:05]

• Hilliard talks about his involvement in customer development, and what blueprint sessions are like [08:40]

• What are some of the new use cases Hilliard has seen months after launching Cox Mobile [09:50]

• How did launching Cox Mobile help in terms of building a better portfolio and competing with other companies in the space [10:43]

• Where does Hilliard see Cox Mobile headed in the next two years? [12:37]

• Hilliard shares the customer reception to Cox Mobile and the opportunities he sees from them [14:21]

• Hilliard shares his favorite taco spots, Aquí Me Quedo and bartaco [15:46]

Follow Hilliard

LinkedIn

Cox Mobile

Website | LinkedIn

Check out our Tacos and Tech Tacos Database to learn where our local SD entrepreneurs and leaders satisfy their taco crave! 

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

6/23/23:

• Beam global - acquisition

• Kate Therapeutics - raises $51m, comes out of stealth

• Funding environment update

Events:

• AIxBioxSD June event debrief

• Evonexus Demo Day June 26

• SD Tech Hub Job Fair w/ SD Workforce Development & SD Supplier Diversity June 27

• SDx Hackathon - July 15-16

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

6/16/23:

• CEO change at Illumina

• Ex-Qualcomm leaders pick their SPAC candidate

• Stadium in Midway - Billionaire Stan Kroenke joins development effort

Events:

• Connect Summer Social Debrief

• Evonexus Demo Day - June 26

• SDxAI Hackathon - July 15-16

I’m Neal Bloom, entrepreneur, investor, and community builder.

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

6/09/23:

• Mosaic Series C raise

• Debut Bio Series B raise 

Events:

• Startup San Diego AI post-event debrief

• Connect Summer Social - June 13

• Evonexus Demo Day - June 26

• Masha gives an overview of what Nullspace is [02:38]

• Masha shares her background and how she ended up in the industry [04:09]

• What are some of the different kinds of products and companies Masha has worked on in the past? [06:33]

• Masha talks about how she jumped from engineering to marketing to company founder  [09:07]

• Masha shares how she got connected with IERUS Technologies [11:05]

• Masha explains what a simulation company is and what they do [12:24]

• Masha talks about the status of IERUS Technologies when she got hired as its CEO, and shares a tip when looking for a job  [13:29]

• What’s the current status of Nullspace today in terms of commercializing the technology? [15:41]

• Masha shares the current state of the market in the industry and the technologies they work on [16:48]

• What can the community do to help Nullspace get to where it’s headed in the next one to three years? [21:05]

• What does Masha do during her free time? [23:08]

• Masha talks about the non-profit, Orange County chapter of Engineers Without Borders [23:32]

• Masha shares her favorite taco spot, El Torito [25:18]

Follow Masha

LinkedIn

Nullspace

Website | LinkedIn

Check out our Tacos and Tech Tacos Database to learn where our local SD entrepreneurs and leaders satisfy their taco crave! 

• Zach gives an overview of what Yembo is [02:32]

• How did Zach get into the tech world? [05:04]

• Zach talks about his previous job at Qualcomm [07:51]

• Zach shares how he got started in the startup scene [09:20]

• How did the startup community help Zach in starting a business [11:57]

• Zach gives a background on how Yembo started and how he ended up from working on signal bars to moving industry AI [13:15]

• Zach shares how long it took to start Yembo and the challenges they faced along the way [16:48]

• Zach talks about some of the real values of the Yembo AI, getting clients, and getting feedback from customers [19:54]

• Zach shares the story behind the giant screen from their trade shows [25:16]

• Where is Yembo today? [27:41]

• Zach talks about the current product usage of Yembo [28:43]

• Zach shares the evolution of tools for AI he’s been seeing today [31:16]

• Zach shares his favorite taco spot, Stars & Stripes [33:16]

Follow Zach

LinkedIn

Yembo

Website | LinkedIn

Check out our Tacos and Tech Tacos Database to learn where our local SD entrepreneurs and leaders satisfy their taco crave! 

I’m Neal Bloom, entrepreneur, investor, and community builder.

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

6/02/23:

• Measurabl - $93m raise

• The TJ Tech Boom 

• George Hotz’s Tiny Corp $5.1M 

• Pureboost raises $2.8M
  
  

Events:

• 1st Mondays - 250 tickets as of Thursday

• Founders Hike - June 7

• Summer Social by Connect - June 17th

• EvoNexus Demo Day - June 30th

Subscribe to stay on top of events

Read deep dives into startups in San Diego on SD Founders Substack

• Kevin gives an overview of what Tech San Diego is [02:26]

• Kevin shares the typical companies they engage with [04:03]

• Kevin shares his journey of understanding the talent needs for Tech San Diego, the talent portfolio they have, and their university talent initiative [05:55]

• Kevin talks about the issues recruiting local talent and what they’re doing about it [08:59]

• How does Tech San Diego help in transitioning university talent to the private sector? [11:49]

• What are the things Tech San Diego is currently focusing on? [13:34]

• Where does Kevin see Tech San Diego a year from now? [15:47]

• Kevin explains why they’re more focused on talents fit for technical jobs [17:08]

• Kevin shares how they make transitioning university talent to the private sector easier [18:42]

• How can a company looking for talent or students looking for jobs connect with Tech San Diego? [20:06]

• Kevin shares his favorite taco spot, a taco place in Escondido [20:55]

Follow Kevin

LinkedIn

Tech San Diego

Website | LinkedIn

Check out our Tacos and Tech Tacos Database to learn where our local SD entrepreneurs and leaders satisfy their taco crave! 

I’m Neal Bloom, entrepreneur, investor, and community builder. 

Fred: I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

For May 19, 2023:

• SD Tech Hub & next SD Tech Hub event May 23 5pm
• TuSimple leadership issues and layoffs
• SD MLS team announced

Events:

• SD Tech Hub event May 23 5pm
• The Pitch social meetup June 7
• Summer Social June 13
• Innovation Week & Petco Park Day Sept 14

Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, and other platforms.

• Suman gives an overview of what Personal.ai is [02:45]

• How did Suman get into the tech industry? [03:25]

• Suman talks about why he decided to continue his education in the U.S. and how it helped him in building a company [04:41]

• Suman shares the original concept for Aira versus what changed and what it is today [07:34]

• Suman shares the technical and business aspect of building Personal.ai [10:33]

• What are some things that Suman learned from Aira to Personal.ai today? [14:44]

• Suman talks about Personal.ai today, the technology development and product [18:52]

• Suman gives his insights about AI and its community today, ChatGPT, and the future of AI [22:31]

• How are people going to be using Personal.ai a year from now? [27:32]

• Where and how can people make a Personal.ai account? [29:27]

• Suman shares his favorite taco spots, Las Hadas and Spitfire [30:14]

Follow Suman

LinkedIn

Personal.ai

Website | LinkedIn

Check out our Tacos and Tech Tacos Database to learn where our local SD entrepreneurs and leaders satisfy their taco crave! 

I’m Neal Bloom, entrepreneur, investor, and community builder.

Fred:  I’m Fred Grier, journalist and author of SD Founders substack. I wrote about the tech industry for the San Diego Business Journal for two years. I covered the ins-and-outs of the startup world for much of that time, breaking news on IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A.

For May 12, 2023:

• Q1 Venture Capital Report by Fred Grier
• Viasat: Launch & Merger
• Upcoming events: Summer Social by Connect