Startup Buzz: San Diego Finds New Recruits in Silicon Valley

More than 1,500 people showed up to hear about San Diego jobs

Follow the Money

A Scripps Research Institute spin-off was buoyed by $50 million in funding last week in a round that was led by Arch Ventures and Versant Ventures, and included previous investor Cardinal Partners. Vividion Therapeutics has developed technologies that could expand the range of drug targets, although it hasn’t said which drug targets.

Nuviz has brought in $9 million from Perier Industrie AG that will be used for product development, sales, and marketing. The company has developed head-up display technology for motorcycle helmets.

SD Heads North to Recruit

Last week the San Diego Venture Group hosted a job fair in the Bay Area to lure high quality talent to San Diego. The event was part of a larger strategy carried out by SDVG CEO Mike Krenn and others to utilize the resources of Silicon Valley for San Diego companies. Other efforts include a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to develop a permanent San Diego outpost in Silicon Valley. Take Lessons Founder Steven Cox made the trip north for the job fair and said it was well worth it. “You wouldn’t believe the number of highly qualified people that are interested in coming down to San Diego! They are sick of the traffic, the rat race, and the overly-inflated housing prices in the Bay area. It was staggering — over 1,500 people showed up for tacos, beer, and conversations.”

And Maybe This Approach is Bigger Than San Diego

Andrew Gazdecki, the founder of Bizness Apps, has penned another perspective on not having your startup in Silicon Valley. He very publicly moved his business from the Bay Area to San Diego last year. Now he’s once again, in TechCrunch, heralding the approach being driven by the San Diego Venture Group. He thinks businesses in other cities should take note and begin taking advantage of Silicon Valley resources without moving businesses there.

Local Company Part of First Commercial Portal on the Space Station

Locally-based ATA Engineering will be working with NanoRacks to support the first commercial portal on the International Space Station. According to GeekWire, NASA has asked NanoRacks to provide the first air lock that would serve as a commercial portal. ATA will be “in charge of structural and thermal analysis, testing services, and support of the air lock.”

San Diego Innovation at the Super Bowl

You may have seen a quick shot during Lady Gaga’s performance on Sunday evening of a circular piano. The mastermind behind the technology that makes that piano possible is one of San Diego’s own. Here is the scoop on how the piano came about and what its creator Dave Starkey thought when he saw it on the world stage from a television right here in San Diego. Not to mention his startup company, PianoArc, received an Edison gold award in 2015 for the version of the circular piano that folds in half.

Be There or Be…

Ignite Conference
Wednesday, February 22, 7:45 a.m. -8:30 p.m., UCSD Price Center
SDVG and UCSD host the Ignite Conference featuring numerous speakers and events including Scott Chisolm, CEO and co-founder of Classy and Jon Belmonte, CEOof Spoutable.
Intellectual Property for Entrepreneurs hosted by San Diego Entrepreneurs Exchange
Thursday, February 23 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Hera Hub, 4010 Sorrento Valley Blvd., Suite 400