Follow the Money

San Diego’s Correlation Ventures raised $200 million for its second fund.

Non-Profits Learning from Startups

Voice of San Diego offers a brief on a new effort to help non-profits become social entrepreneurs. Led mainly by three organizations—Impact Without Borders, Mission Edge, and San Diego Impact Investors Network—the goal is to help non-profits think more like startups in terms of developing their revenue streams and addressing problems. On another front, the San Diego Foundation has brought in Fab Labs Director Katie Rast to help develop training for non-profits. Ironically, non-profits and startups in San Diego both face the same big challenge—finding local funding.

New Data Shows Software Engineers in Demand

The San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation has a new data drop available. The Pulse will dig into employment data and circle back with our economy and how it is affected. This first installment shows that software engineers are still in high demand in San Diego. That position has the third highest number of current job openings.

App Maps the Party Crowds

Acting as a local event map, new app Bubbl allows users to put an event on the map for others to find. Let’s say you are downtown on a Saturday night after dinner and want to see what is going on near you—you check Bubbl. It also links to your public Facebook events. The focus has been on San Diego and San Francisco, but the app can be used anywhere and a more robust expansion into other cities is part of the plan. The founders joined up at UCSD where one comes from the Rady School and another was a professor at Jacobs.

Are H-1Bs in Danger with New Administration?

The technology sector is watching with intense interest the new administration of President Donald Trump to see whether or not he will follow through on his promises to end or drastically change the H-1B visa program. An important hiring tool for companies needing engineers, the program has long been one of the few political issues championed by the technology community.

Pivots and Opportunities

Versant Ventures made some team changes in advance of launching a new fund, including naming Clare Ozawa managing director of San Diego, where she will lead investments in San Diego and the Bay Area.

SDSI Springboard Taking Applications

San Diego Sports Innovators’ Springboard accelerator program is taking applications. The program accepts growing companies with what it calls the “it factor for success.” According to its website, there is a pretty good track record with 89% of their graduates still in business today and $47.5 in funding for their 61 graduate companies. Applications are being accepted through February 13.

Be There or Be…

• SCALE: Smart Cities and the Climate Action Plan in San Diego
  Tuesday, February 7, 6-8 p.m., Downtown Works, 550 West B Street
  How can the innovation community help address the city’s climate challenges?

Tags: Blogs, Startup Buzz