Booming startups & small businesses
If you’re starting a business in San Diego County, you’ll find an entrepreneurial ecosystem where community is valued over competition within a network of movers and shakers invested in making connections. Experienced mentors and role-models are available to help your idea go from prototype to pitch to practice. Every week it seems another Carlsbad company receives a new round of significant investment, so it’s no wonder our region is consistently ranked as one of the best places to launch a startup. With a small business community growing each year and an increasingly interconnected talent pipeline, it’s clear that Carlsbad is the place to launch your new venture.
Engage with the Community
San Diego Tech Hub
Join the community, be a conduit.
Engage with the Community
SD Startups
Join an active community of San Diego startup leaders and entrepreneurs.
Engage with the Community
San Diego Tech Talks
Network monthly with tech professionals while hearing from local tech leaders.
Engage with the Community
Startup North County
Grab a casual coffee, network, and talk about your latest venture with like-minded colleagues.
- Events & Meetups
- Incubators & Accelerators
- Capital
- Talent
- Nonprofits
Bump into your new business partner
Carlsbad and North San Diego County host many startup and small business support events which will get you connected to fellow entrepreneurs. Here are a few:
- Startup78 Quarterly Meetup: This is a quarterly event for all startup communities along the 78 Corridor to encourage collaboration. Join a community of startups, venture capitalists, accelerators, local industry and cities that are part of developing the startup ecosystem in North County.
- San Diego Tech Hub: This group meets monthly and connects businesses, organizations, and individuals, and leverages their resources and talents to build a stronger San Diego tech community through collaboration.
- San Diego Startup Week: This is a must-attend event that gathers thousands of entrepreneurs, developers, designers, investors, students and community leaders from around the region. Each year Carlsbad hosts an event or a full day of activities as part of SD Startup Week.
- Bio, Tech & Beyond Meetup Group: DIYbio San Diego aims to gather like-minded science fans from the Greater San Diego area.
- San Diego Tech Talks: This Meetup group is for anyone who is interested in or actively working in technology. The group connects tech startup entrepreneurs with talent looking for jobs in the field.
Build your business in a supportive space
Early stage businesses can find needed support from a host of local spaces and organizations.
Below are a few great options in Carlsbad and North County:
- Bio, Tech and Beyond: Provides low-cost lab space and shared resources that make it easy to start a life science company.
- Ad Astra: A female-focused accelerator and fund that concludes with a guaranteed investment. The accelerator’s mission is to equip female entrepreneurs to build, run, and scale investable businesses.
- CONNECT Springboard Program: CONNECT is a regional program that catalyzes the creation of innovative technology and life sciences products in San Diego County by linking inventors and entrepreneurs with the resources they need for success.
- San Diego Sports Innovators: Provides mentoring, networking and other resources for sports-related companies across the region.
Sip coffee with your next big investor
You don’t have to trek to the Bay Area to get funding for your new venture. These super local organizations are here to give you that needed boost for your company’s expansion.
- Elan Capital: Partners with companies generating $1-to-$6 million in EBITDA who seek to accelerate growth.
- NextWave Ventures: Seed to early-stage venture capital firm focused on commercializing university research and advanced technologies.
- Mooring Ventures: A boutique investment firm dedicated to accelerating success for early-stage companies.
- Tech Coast Angels: Provides hands-on practical mentoring, assists in building out management teams, and helps raise additional venture capital funding. TCA focuses mainly on tech and life sciences.
Find the perfect fit for future growth
UC San Diego, University of San Diego, Cal State San Marcos, and San Diego State University are the region’s largest universities graduating bright young talent. Here are a few additional North County institutions that train future skilled workers and innovative leaders:
- Technology Career Institute: Part of MiraCosta College’s Community Education & Workforce Development department. The institute offers local community members the opportunity to enhance their lives and their careers with low cost, hassle-free classes, workshops, and programs.
- The California Community College Workforce and Economic Development Initiative: The community colleges along the 78 Corridor partner with industry to customize curriculum and career pathways so that the students of today are prepared for the workforce of the future.
- Palomar College: A public two-year community college that offers 200 associate degree and certificate programs.
- MiraCosta College: Public community college serving coastal North San Diego County. Offers over 50 AA degrees and bachelor’s in biotechnology.
- San Diego Code School: This specialized school provides its students with a 16-week program that prepares them for careers as developers.
Here to help your business
North County San Diego is full of small business and entrepreneurship advocates:
- San Diego North Economic Development Council: Offers business resources and assistance, markets economic development opportunities and amplifies positive news about North County’s economy.
- San Diego & Imperial Valley Small Business Development Center: Provides a vast array of no-cost and low-cost support to entrepreneurs and small businesses through its four locations, including one in Carlsbad.
- San Diego Entrepreneurs Exchange: Nonprofit run by local entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs interested in life sciences, biotech, pharma, medical devices, tech and alternative energy.