OUR STORY

Twenty five years ago, the City of San Diego (ECD), UC San Diego and the private sector set out to stimulate the commercialization of science and technology discoveries from the local research institutions. They created CONNECT with the mission of commercializing research discoveries through education, mentoring and access to capital. To learn more about the history of CONNECT, click here.

Since 1985, CONNECT has assisted in the formation and development of more than 2,000 companies and is widely regarded as the world's most successful regional program linking investors and entrepreneurs with the resources they need for commercialization. The program has been modeled in almost 40 regions around the world. Key to CONNECT’s success has been the unique "culture of collaboration" between industry, capital sources, professional service providers, and research organizations that was created by CONNECT founding Director Bill Otterson. Learn more about San Diego's pioneers.

In 2008 CONNECT board member Marco Thompson created CONNECT SI as he recognized the sports industry, which thrives in Southern California, did not have a trade organization to create this ‘culture of collaboration’ to connect the people, the research and the ideas to the capital, mentorship, leadership and the programs needed to succeed. In 2010 CONNECT SI rebranded as San Diego Sport Innovators or SDSI, Bill Walton was recruited to lead the organization as Executive Chairman of the Advisory Board and a dedicated staff was brought on to support him & the mission of SDSI.