Connect Foundation

CONNECT ELEVATES ENTREPRENEURS BY PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, MENTORSHIP, INTRODUCTIONS, AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL. WE HELP INNOVATIVE COMPANIES THRIVE SO THEY CAN MAKE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SAN DIEGO REGION. WE'RE ON A MISSION TO BUILD A WORLD-CLASS INNOVATION ECONOMY.

COOL COMPANIESCOOL COMPANIES PRIVATE EVENT ISAN ANNUAL PROGRAM WHERE CONNECT SELECTS THE TOP CENTURE CAPITAL-READY TECHNOLOGY AND LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES TO BE NAMED A "COOL COMPANY". ALL THE COMPANIES' CEOS MEET INVESTORS IN A PRIVATE INVITE-ONLY EVENT WITH THE INTENTION OF SECURING FUNDING FOR THEIR COMPANY.COOL COMPANIES PUBLIC EVENT IS AN ANNUAL GATHERING FOR THE SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY TO MEET AND LEARN ABOUT EACH COOL COMPANY, AS WELL AS NETWORK, MAKE RELATIONSHIPS, AND CELEBRATE THE NEW COOL COMPANIES.

SPRINGBOARDA BUSINESS CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN WHICH BUSINESS ADVISORS PROVIDE MENTORSHIP TO NEW TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES WHO THEN PRESENT TO A PANEL OF INDUSTRY VETERANS, INVESTORS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS

CDBG/CONNECT ALLCONNECT ALL IS AN INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON INCREASING DIVERSITY AMONG ENTREPRENEURS TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS AND THE INNOVATION ECONOMY. THE ORGANIZATION IS OPERATING AS A CONTRACTOR FOR JACOB'S CENTER FOR NEIGHBORHOOD INNOVATION FOR THE OPERATION OF A BUSINESS ACCELERATOR OPERATING AGREEMENT ON PROPERTY TO BE USED FOR THE ACCELERATOR SPACE

CONNECT INNOVATION REPORTA REGIONAL QUARTERLY INDEX WHICH TRACKS THE HEALTH OF THE SAN DIEGO INNOVATION ECONOMY BY COMPARING DATA YEAR TO YEAR AND QUARTER TO QUARTER, PROVIDING A COMPARISON ACROSS TECH INDUSTRY CLUSTERS TO SELECTED REGIONS AND MONITORING AVAILABILITY OF VARIOUS TYPES OF CAPITAL. THE DATA HELPS POLICYMAKERS AND TRADE ORGANIZATIONS PLAN AND ADVOCATE EFFECTIVELY FOR INNOVATION ECONOMY INCLUDING AVAILABILITY OF VISAS AND WORKFORCE TRAINING FOR TALENT IN HIGH GROWTH CLUSTERS, BUILDING AN ATTRACTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR CAPITAL INVESTMENT, ALLOCATION OF GRANT FUNDING, REFORM OF THE PATENT SYSTEM AND ZONING;FRAMEWORKS WORKSHOPSFRAMEWORKS WORKSHOPS ARE HALF-DAY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS STRUCTURED TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF BUSINESS BASICS THROUGH 'FUNDAMENTALS': A VOCABULARY, FOUNDATION AND 'FRAMEWORK' IN WHICH BUSINESS LEADERSHIP CAN BE BUILT AROUND, AND 'ADVANCED WORKSHOPS': A FOCUSED AND DETAILED LOOK AT SPECIALIZED AND INDUSTRY SPECIFIC TOPICS CUSTOMIZED TO FIT THE NEEDS OF A START-UP COMPANY;SBIR@CONNECTSBIR@CONNECT AIMS TO DRIVE INNOVATION AND BRING NON-DILUTIVE FUNDING TO THE INNOVATION COMMUNITY BY FOSTERING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT;VENTURE OUTLOOK/VENTURE SUMMITVENTURE OUTLOOK PROVIDES A YEARLY UPDATE FROM EXPERTS ON INNOVATION, THE ECONOMY, AND INVESTING TO THE SAN DIEGO INNOVATION COMMUNITY;VENTURE SUMMIT IS A TWO-DAY CONFERENCE CONNECTING SAN DIEGO'S COMPANIES TO INVESTORS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THE FIRST DAY FOCUSES ON SAN DIEGO LIFE-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES IN MULTIPLE TRACKS, PITCHING TO INVESTORS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THEN THE INVESTORS AND KEY PLAYERS FROM THE SAN DIEGO INNOVATION COMMUNITY HEAD TO A NETWORKING EVENT FOCUSED ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND ELEVATING THE SAN DIEGO ECOSYSTEM. THE SECOND DAY BRINGS IN UP-AND-COMING VENTURE CAPITALISTS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO GIVE EDUCATIONAL TALKS. THE ATTENDEES ALSO HAVE THE CHANCE TO NETWORK AND MEET THE COMPANIES THAT PITCHED FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY. THE PROGRAM WAS SUSPENDED DURING FISCAL YEAR 2021 DUE TO COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS, BUT WILL RESUME IN FISCAL YEAR 2022;MEET A MENTORMEET A MENTOR IS A PROGRAM THAT MATCHES EARLY-STAGE COMPANIES WITH GENERALIST MENTORS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS RANGING FROM IDEAS, BUSINESS PLANS, MARKETING, AND MORE;OFFICE HOURSOFFICE HOURS PROVIDES ENTREPRENEURS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PRIVATE, PRO BONO PROFESSIONAL ADVICE;CONNECT CAPITALCONNECT CAPITAL INTRODUCES TECHNOLOGY AND LIFE SCIENCE ENTREPRENEURS TO POTENTIAL INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS;CEO SKI TRIP/SUMMITCEO SKI TRIP/SUMMIT IS A GATHERING OF CEOS, INVESTORS, AND ADVISORS FOCUSED ON ELEVATING THE SAN DIEGO INNOVATION SECTOR AROUND VARIOUS ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS.