Ashford University and the Downtown San Diego Partnership led a panel of experts during the San Diego Startup Week aimed at sharing strategies on developing San Diego’s thriving startup scene. The event brought together more than 70 attendees, including entrepreneurs, investors, and educators. The primary objective of the discussion is to foster collaboration, growth, and development of the startup landscape in downtown San Diego.
According to Kris Michell, the president and CEO of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, innovation thrives on collaboration. Tech startups continue to search for environments that can allow smart people and great ideas to come together with ease. Therefore, the region’s ability to compete globally depends on its ability to attract and retain innovation within the urban areas. More than 70 tech startups currently exist in downtown San Diego, with over 30 companies from a variety of industries relocating to the region in the past 18 months.
As part of the discussion, the panelists identified two priorities for the growing tech start-up economy in San Diego. The first is fostering relationships among like-minded individuals in the tech community, which is considered essential, as finding the right team can be incredibly challenging. The second priority is the expansion of opportunities for venture capital and other forms of funding to support new businesses. The seed stage is considered one of the most difficult stages in the industry, and finding the right people and venture capital firms with the “right” vision could not only help the startup ecosystem but also the city of San Diego.
Feedback from the discussion will be taken back to the Downtown Partnership’s Tech Startup Committee, to be included in a comprehensive recruitment and retention strategy focused on bringing talent to the urban core. The Partnership created its Tech Startup Committee in 2013 to support and grow Downtown’s tech community, a key area of focus in its 20-year vision plan called “Imagine Downtown.”
Dr. Richard Pattenaude, president and CEO of Ashford University said that creativity, knowledge, and experience are essential combinations required for an exceptional strategy that fuels continuous innovation and business growth. He added that the Forbes School of Business at Ashford University’s Bachelor of Arts in Entrepreneurship program supports new business growth, and students who complete the program will have very specific theories, concepts, and skills that are essential in the creation of new business.
The panel discussion was moderated by Rich Karlgaard, the publisher of Forbes magazine and was sponsored by Ashford University’s Forbes School of Business. Andrew Clark, the founder of Bridgepoint Education, Inc., kicked off the event with opening remarks since Bridgepoint Education Inc., owns and operates Ashford University.
The Downtown San Diego Partnership is a non-profit, member-based organization that serves as the leading advocate for the revitalization and economic health of Downtown. To learn more about the Downtown Partnership, visit www.downtownsandiego.org.
See more in News.