Neal's Notes

When you think of key geographic locales for technology startups, odds are Silicon Valley immediately comes to mind. Ditto with the Route 128 corridor near Boston, perhaps Northern Viriginia/Washingon, D.C.

But San Diego? Add ‘America’s Finest City’ to the list. The city is fast becoming a hotbed for successful tech startups in a wide variety of verticals thanks in part to a number of entrepreneur-oriented networking organizations that bring together startup executives, prospective investors, academicians, and more. Some of these include StartUp San Diego, part of the Startup America partnership, and StartupCircle, founded in 2007 by Robert Reyes. The former claims 370 ‘SD Startuppers’ as members and lists three main goals:

• Provide valuable resources and connections to help young companies grow
• Support regional startup ecosystems throughout the country
• Recognize startups as important drivers of the economy

StartUpCircle has also posted some impressive objectives:

• Achieve $1 billion of valuation growth and $100 million of investment
• Support 200 student entrepreneurs to create 50 startups generating $30 million
• Attract 10 international startups to generate over 1,000 local jobs
• Continued emphasis on female entrepreneurs by funding 30 female entrepreneurs
• Complete 10 venture manufacturing deals between Mexico and San Diego

Some startups currently working with Startup Circle, for instance, include Anametrix – the company provides a cloud-based real-time marketing analytics platform; DAR.fm – a free radio recording service; and BUMP Network, which provides software and technology to assist enterprise customers with membership, monetization and communication programs.

StartUp Circle also hosts monthly events providing a showcase for startups to make brief presentations to attendees. Earlier this month, healthcare entrepreneurs flocked to the offices of a well-known law firm, Mintz Levin; keynotes included:

• Portable Genomics – the company founded by Patrick Merel, develops software for comprehensive visualization of personal genomic data.

• Yolia Health – Founded by Alberto Osio, the biomedical device company helps eye care providers preserve, restore, enhance vision through non-invasive treatment.

• Anywhere Science – Established by Brian Noland, the company has developed the LabStrip ecosystem that leverages an iPhone into a personalized mobile lab.

Two other companies in attendance that didn’t make full-blown presentations also merit watching.

As outlined by CEO Alan Remen, San Diego-based MyoStim is a medical device company focused on delivering heart muscle regeneration, blood flow stimulation and wound healing products producing angiogenesis, myogenesis and arteriogenesis results through implementation of the company’s patented electro-stimulation technologies.

Philippe Faurie, CEO of LabATM (web site still being developed), located in Solana Beach, CA, said his fledgling company is dedicated to providing consumers with access to testing platforms and tools to personalize the prevention of chronic diseases and simultaneously enable the company to provide critical material on a large scale to companies focused on genetic, environmental, and health diagnostic analysis, as well as pharmacogenomics.

It’s encouraging that regional startup organizations like the aforementioned are bringing together people and companies from all walks of life; what’s happening now in San Diego will hopefully take root in other cities nationwide!