Web3 and digital mental health – new journal article in Frontiers in Psychiatry

Web3 and peer support are a natural marriage. Like peer support, Web3 is a member (rather than industry or government)-driven phenomenon. Because individual members share ownership in this community and its assets, Web3 may encourage and promote community-minded behaviors and mutually supportive interactions. It also offers an opportunity to deepen and sustain communities whose mutual goals are socially beneficial, such as promoting positive mental health.

Read the full article in Frontiers In Psychiatry: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.945830/full

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Local Startup Opens Free Coding School for Adults

Local Startup Opens Free Coding School for Adults

SAN DIEGO, CA, February 2017 – Local edtech startup, ThoughtSTEM, has launched a free coding school for adults. The initiative is called CodingSchool.io, and provides adult-learners with the opportunity to take classes that undergraduates would take in pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree in computer science. Most importantly: it can all be done part-time and at no cost.

For comparison, the cost of getting a computer science degree from a traditional university can range from $12,000 to over $120,000. Several coding “bootcamps” exist in San Diego, all carrying a pricetag of over $10,000. Graduates from 4-year universities and bootcamps can apply for software engineering jobs for which the starting salaries are around $63,000 and can range as high as six figures — according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

By contrast, CodingSchool.io aims to provide free coding education to San Diego residents. The curriculum includes coursework in basic programming, discrete mathematics, data structures, algorithms, and machine learning. Additionally, a huge component of CodingSchool.io’s philosophy is project-based learning, where students do hands-on, real-world programming by contributing to one or more of ThoughtSTEM’s globally distributed educational technologies — e.g.

CodeSpells
Vox-L
LearnToMod

ThoughtSTEM’s CodingSchool.io is free because part of the curriculum involves teaching children in San Diego after-school programs and summer camps. Since 2012, ThoughtSTEM has been San Diego’s leader in K-12 computer science education, currently teaching after-school coding programs at over 40 schools. Check here https://hughesairco.com/. Because ThoughtSTEM gets paid to teach kids; CodingSchool.io students get a free education by helping to teach.

“ThoughtSTEM is in a unique position to help people learn a valuable skill for free, while giving back to the community,” says Dr. Stephen R. Foster, head instructor at CodingSchool.io. He believes that adults and children alike should learn how to code.

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About ThoughtSTEM, LLC
Founded in 2012, ThoughtSTEM currently teaches year-round computer science programs for kids at over 40 locations around the Greater San Diego Area. ThoughtSTEM also develops educational software that teaches computer science to students around the world, with titles including LearnToMod, CodeSpells, and Vox-L.

Contact:
Sara Lucchini
[email protected]
5520 Ruffin Rd. Suite 201
San Diego, CA 92123
Ph: 858-869-9430

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ANNOUNCING FIRST UNIFIED DESKTOP-TO-DESKTOP HOME-MEDIA SERVER

SAN DIEGO — November 29, 2016 — younity today launched the software industry’s first unified, desktop-to-desktop home media server. Previously only desktop-to-mobile, younity’s patented desktop software unifies all of your devices, giving users access to all of their files and content from any device via a single Netflix-like user interface. It requires no syncing, configuration, management, or uploading to the cloud.

The need is overwhelming. Today there are 7.3 devices per person in the US, with a projected increase to 12.3 in 2020, according to Cisco. We can also see a rising correlation between ownership of wifi-connected devices and content fragmentation in the consumer market. Younity solves this problem by unifying across all desktop and mobile devices, operating systems, and storage locations.

“younity caters to the new reality of computing,” said younity cofounder and CEO Erik Caso, “one where we use multiple devices on a daily basis — yet we have limited ability to access and integrate our content across all our devices.”

Users can stream movies stored on their home computer while they are away, merge and listen to music spread across their computers, access their entire photo library, or edit a document stored on a work computer from any home computer.

To date other services have focused on storage as the solution to the access problem. For the billions of people who own a computer, plus several more devices, it’s no longer about where their files are located, but rather what device they would like to use at the moment. younity addresses this problem and allows people to access their files more spontaneously.

Caso continued, “younity users have already unified 2.5 billion files, representing 18 petabytes of content. With this launch we will ultimately close the loop on multi-device unification, further decoupling access from storage.” younity works cross-platform as la jolla mobile car detail, regardless of operating system, enabling Android, iOS, Mac and PC users to connect simultaneously.

ABOUT YOUNITY
younity is a home media server that connects your devices so you can access all your content without syncing, uploading, or configuration. Seamlessly stream, access, and share all of your videos, photos, music, and documents stored across all your computers and mobile devices. With younity, all of your files are kept secure and private on your own devices—no clouds or middlemen involved. Younity is easy to use, and requires no technical setup. Younity is offered in a free version and a newly launched Premium plan that includes Smart Streaming features. Younity is available on Mac, Windows, Android and iOS.

getyounity.com

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The Child’s Primary School Joins Mission to Introduce Students to Computer Science

SAN DIEGO, California (November 21, 2016) – The Child’s Primary School (TCPS) of San Diego, California, today announced that they are joining in on the largest learning event in history: The Hour of Code, during Computer Science Education Week (December 5-11).
The Hour of Code, organized by the nonprofit Code.org and over 100 others, is a global movement that believes the students of today are ready to learn critical skills for 21st century success

Computers are everywhere, changing every industry on the planet, but fewer than half of all schools teach computer science. Girls and minorities are severely underrepresented in computer science classes, and in the tech industry.

With the Hour of Code, computer science has been on homepages of Google, MSN, Yahoo! and Disney. Over 100 partners have joined together to support this movement. Every Apple Store in the world has hosted an Hour of Code and President Obama wrote his first line of code as part of the campaign.

At TCPS, we are using Hour of Code to build on the coding projects we have done all year in every grade. We have technical professionals from Qualcomm, Intuit, Ocean Aero, United States Navy, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, City of San Diego, Microsoft and other great organizations coming in participate in hands-on activities with our students and to give talks on the real-world applications of coding.

On Friday, December 9th from 2 pm to 3pm, we are inviting the community to attend our Hour of Code assembly at TCPS. Visitors can see the coding activities our students worked on during Hour of Code/Computer Science Education week and meet members of some of the fine organizations that are helping us. Please join us.

When: Friday, December 9, 2016 from 2 pm to 3 pm
Where: 3811 Mt. Acadia Blvd., San Diego, CA 92111
Contact: Jen Clark, Marketing Director, (858) 212-2808

About The Child’s Primary School (TCPS)
Founded on the belief that The Child Is Primary, TCPS maintains a commitment to preparing students for the future so that they may be successful in high school, college, and in life. The “future” that faces our students is one that will require them to do more than prepare for the next test. They will be called on to address challenging and complex issues. For over 30 years TCPS has been committed to a philosophy that emphasizes teaching the process of learning, of problem solving, and of critical thinking. Along with a challenging academic program, TCPS mindfully demonstrates to students how to develop the individual and interpersonal skills that will allow them to develop into leaders in the emerging global community. To learn more, please visit our website at www.tcps.org.

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CONNECT Launches CONNECT ALL, Region’s First Diversity-Focused Startup Incubator and Accelerator

Today, CONNECT, a premier innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales great companies in the technology and life sciences sectors, announced the launch of CONNECT ALL, the region’s first diversity-focused start-up incubator and accelerator. Together with San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Chargers Chairman Dean Spanos, and retired Charger Luis Castillo; H. Puentes, Director of CONNECT ALL announced this collaborative initiative. Spanos and the Chargers have committed to housing CONNECT ALL in the new downtown convention center and stadium.

“I’m excited about the collaboration between the San Diego Chargers and the Connect ALL Incubator for Diversity-based CEO’s and start-up businesses,” Chargers Chairman Dean Spanos said. “This perfectly embodies the spirit of why we selected downtown as our preferred site for a multi-use facility that is so much more than a stadium. And, we’ll have tourists to thank for this opportunity to expand the innovation opportunities downtown.”

CONNECT recently launched this important new initiative, CONNECT ALL. The mission of CONNECT ALL is to increase diversity among entrepreneurs, executives, and boards of directors. Findings from national research indicate that one approach to effectively accomplish this goal is to engage diversity at the company’s inception, at the founder level. CONNECT ALL believes startups that begin with diversity at their core will grow to become companies with fundamentally different mindsets and corporate cultures.

“As the son of an entrepreneur I know just how hard it is to make it,” said Luis Castillo, retired Charger and CONNECT ALL Advisory Board Member. “And as a Latina it was even harder for my mom, so I fully understand how important it is to provide entrepreneurs with the resources and support they need to grow.”

Currently the CONNECT ALL initiative operates out of CONNECT DT @DeskHub in downtown San Diego and focuses on bridging the gap between underrepresented groups and tech and life science startups. The CONNECT ALL initiative encompasses a suite of offerings targeted at every stage of the startup lifecycle: outreach and education to underrepresented groups, recruitment and engagement of diverse early-stage entrepreneurs, and delivering programming and mentoring to those startups as they grow.
“Our city is known for tourism, active lifestyles and its innovation economy. So there’s nothing more San Diego than bringing together entertainment, sports and innovation at one location,” Mayor Faulconer said. “There are few things more important than connecting more San Diegans to opportunities to succeed. Programs like CONNECT ALL can give more people the chance to start a small business, make a good living, and live up to their fullest potential.”

The first CONNECT ALL companies include:
• Spacetime, a mobile platform that leverages augmented reality and social media to allow users to share their stories in four dimensions: latitude, longitude, altitude and time.
• TechMeetsTrader, a social trading community for stock and option investors that revolutionizes communication amongst self-directed investors by providing an easy to use, low barrier to entry platform that directly addresses the problems for retail traders.
• Steeltrader, a technology platform that creates new revenue for steel suppliers by matching their surplus inventories to smaller companies searching for a discounted deal. Steeltrader uses location based technology, industry data, and expertise to create an advanced marketplace.
• Say It, Save It, an easy to use mobile app created by a busy mom with no memory. Create profiles for kids, family, friends, business, inspiration and more. Save quotes, text messages and small conversations along with corresponding photos if you choose.

“It’s great to be a part of the CONNECT ALL family,” said Alex Hernandez, CEO & Founder of SpaceTime. “Having the opportunity to collaborate and learn from other entrepreneurs and the doors that H. has opened have been invaluable to me at this early stage.”

For more information on CONNECT ALL, please visit connect.org/connect-all.

ABOUT CONNECT ALL

CONNECT recently launched an important new initiative, CONNECT ALL. Our mission at CONNECT ALL is to increase diversity among entrepreneurs, executives, and boards of directors. Findings from national research indicate that one approach to effectively accomplish this goal is to engage diversity at the company’s inception, at the founder level. CONNECT ALL believes that startups which begin with diversity at their core will grow to become companies with a fundamentally different mindset and corporate culture.

Currently the CONNECT ALL initiative operates out of CONNECT DT @ DeskHub in downtown San Diego and focuses on bridging the gap between underrepresented groups and tech & life science startups. The CONNECT ALL initiative encompasses a suite of offerings targeted at every stage of the startup lifecycle.

To fulfill this mission, CONNECT ALL will focus on three main objectives: outreach and education to underrepresented groups, recruitment and engagement of diverse early-stage entrepreneurs, and delivering programming and mentoring to those startups as they grow.

ABOUT CONNECT

CONNECT is a premier innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales great companies in the technology and life sciences sectors. By creating an environment in which entrepreneurs and C-suite executives have access to the people, capital, and technology resources they need for success, CONNECT has assisted in the formation and development of more than 3,000 companies since 1985. Widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful organizations linking entrepreneurs and C-suite executives with the resources they need for the commercialization of innovative products and services; our program has been modeled in more than 50 regions around the world.

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ADVISOR OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCES AWARDS FINALISTS, CONTINUING EDUCATION

The San Diego Advisor of the Year organization announced today its awards finalists and continuing education initiative. Finalists and winners will be recognized at the upcoming awards program, and select winners will be invited as featured speakers at subsequent events, including the Association for Corporate Growth conference, “The Deals Behind the Advisor of the Year,” at Lomas Santa Fe Country Club on Tuesday, November 15.

The awards program will be held at the world-renowned La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology on Thursday, October 27, starting at 4:00 p.m., with the “GameChangers: Women in the C-Suite” panel followed by the Advisor of the Year program at 5:30 p.m., featuring keynote speaker Ernest Rady. Net proceeds from the event will benefit the Institute.

“We look forward to formally recognizing these finalists,” says Paul Thiel, managing director for title sponsor BNY Mellon Wealth Management. “They are instrumental in the success of the M&A community in San Diego and, until now, have largely gone unnoticed.”
Judges assessed finalists on their professional contribution in the sale, expansion or recapitalization of their clients’ companies. Led by former Broadcom chairman John Major and Histogen founder and CEO Gail Naughton, judges included representatives of UCSD’s Rady School of Management, CSU San Marcos’ School of Business and the La Jolla Institute, as well as several entrepreneurs who have successfully navigated the M&A process.

“This program is about so much more than the recognition,” says Thiel. “It’s also an educational institution that organizes and promotes ongoing M&A seminars and conferences. This fills an important niche in the San Diego business community.”

Finalists for the 2016 Advisor of the Year are: Allen Cinzori and Brad Weeks, Software Equity Group; Andrew Ruff, TGG Accounting; Bruce Knowlton, Moss Adams; Bruce Strumlauf, LevitZacks; Channing Hamlet, Objective Capital Partners; Cheston Larson, Latham & Watkins; Christian Fonss, Klinedinst PC; Craig Garner, Latham & Watkins; Dan Koeppen, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; Dan Lavis, LevitZacks; David Noosinow, BNY Mellon; Hayden Trubitt, Stradling, Yocca Carlson & Rauth; Jason Skolnik, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; Joel Weinstein, W Partners; John D. Tishler, SheppardMullin; Louise Botham, Alan Rich & Associates; Martin Staubus, The Beyster Institute, UCSD; Martin Waters, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; Michael Brown, Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth; Michael Kim, Objective Capital Partners; Mike Friedman, LevitZacks; Miranda Biven, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; Nancy G. Henderson, Henderson Caverly Pum & Charney LLP; Patrick Monroe, Best Best & Krieger; Paul Johnson, Procopio; Ryan Smitt, Torrey Pines Bank; Scott N. Wolfe, Latham & Watkins; Scott Wolfe & Matt Bush, Latham & Watkins; Shane Orr, Kieckhafer Schiffer; Siddharth Chhokar, Chhokar Law Group; Stephen LaSala, SheppardMullin; Steve Fanucchi, CBIZ Mayer Hoffman McCann; Stuart Moss, Keystone Capital Markets; Tim Malott, Shoreline Partners; Todd Wilson & Joel Weinstein, W Partners; Trever Acers, Objective Capital Partners; Victor Ramsauer, LevitZacks; Wade Hansen, Cabrillo Advisors; Zeke Navar, Hammond Hanlon Camp.

To purchase tickets, please visit www.sdadvisoroftheyear.com.

Sponsors of the 2016 Advisor of the Year program are: BDO; Best Best & Krieger; Cabrillo Advisors; CBIZ; Claiborne Advisors; Deloitte; Departure; Friedman Brannen; Haskell & White; Henberger Group; HetzelMeade Communications; LevitZacks CPA, Lindsay & Brownell; NFP Insurance Brokerage & Consulting; Objective Capital Partners; Our City magazine; Polito Eppich; Procopio; RA Capital Advisors; Stradling; SheppardMullin; Torrey Pines Bank; Vantage Point Advisors and W Partners.

About Advisor of the Year
Advisor of the Year is a not-for-profit unincorporated community association that hosts an annual awards event to recognize and celebrate local advisors who provide extraordinary service and value to owners of middle market companies in the sale, expansion or recapitalization of their companies, check out http://www.wundermold.com. The organization also conducts educational workshops and commissions primary research on business and financial trends that affect advisors and their clients. Select winners will be featured in the November ACG program, “The Deals Behind the Advisor of the Year awards.”

About La Jolla Institute
La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology is located at 9420 Athena Circle in La Jolla and is dedicated to understanding the intricacies and power of the immune system to promote human health and prevent a wide range of diseases. Since its founding in 1988 as an independent, nonprofit research organization, the Institute has made numerous advances leading towards its goal: life without disease®.

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San Diego AMA Art Of Marketing Conference Announces Keynote Speakers

The Art of Marketing conference, hosted by the San Diego chapter of the American Marketing Association (San Diego AMA), has announced three keynote speakers for the annual event. Held on Thursday, November 3, 2016, at the San Diego Marriott Del Mar, from 7:30 am – 6:30 pm. The Art of Marketing will feature Aaron Carpenter, CCO of HubNami and former VP of Global Marketing at The North Face; Chris Goward, Founder and CEO of Widerfunnel; and Rob Fugetta, CEO of Zuberance.

With a theme of “Closing the Loop,” the 6t h annual Art of Marketing (#SDAOM) will bring together experts across industries to share knowledge on how to attribute efforts, track consumer interactions throughout the funnel, and continuously iterate on marketing strategies – insights that are critical for allocating a marketing budget and utilizing assets to create the most success.

Carpenter is the Chief Customer Officer and co-founder of HubNami, a social media intelligence platform for global retailers. Carpenter is also the CEO of ACV Consulting where he advises global outdoor brands and technology startups on brand strategy, digital marketing, ecommerce, user experience, sales, and demand generation. Carpenter has 18 years experience in digital marketing, ecommerce, site design, and sales. He was most recently Vice President of Global Marketing at The North Face. Under his marketing leadership, it was the first brand in the VF Corp portfolio to break the $2 billion in revenue barrier.

Goward founded WiderFunnel with the belief that marketing agencies should prove their value. When companies like Google, IBM, Magento, and 1-800 Flowers want to improve their marketing results, they call Goward. He is the brain behind the LIFT Model® and Infinity Optimization ProcessTM , conversion optimization strategies that consistently lift results for leading companies. He wrote the book “You Should Test That!” which redefined conversion rate optimization and has spoken at more than 300 events globally, showing how to create dramatic business improvements.

Fuggetta is founder/CEO of Zuberance, a leading advocate marketing company, and author of the book, “Brand Advocates: Turning Enthusiastic Customers into a Powerful Marketing Force.” Fuggetta was formerly CMO at Genuity, a Verizon spin-out. He also was a partner at Regis McKenna, Inc., the legendary high tech market communications firm in Palo Alto, CA, where he co-led the global Apple account. Fuggetta has spoken on brand advocacy at Ad Tech, TedX, the Word of Mouth Marketing Summit, the Online Marketing Summit and others. The Online Marketing Summit has named Rob one of the Top 40 Digital Marketers in the U.S.

The full lineup of speakers and workshops will be announced in October 2016. Attendees will also have the chance to learn from and connect with these marketing industry thought leaders:

● Shanda Maloney , Director of Digital Marketing and Social Media, UFC
● Wayne Partello , CMO, San Diego Padres
● Mark Weslar, VP of Marketing, Karl Strauss
● Frank Cowell , President, Elevator Agency
● Gary Ware , Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Tower 33 Digital
● Dr. Kenneth Wilbur , Professor, UCSD Rady School of Management

“I’m very grateful for the caliber of accomplished marketing professionals from world-renowned brands who are joining us at the Art of Marketing conference in San Diego,” said David Palmer, president of San Diego AMA. “This conference is fast becoming the San Diego marketing community’s can’t-miss marketing event for mid to senior-level marketers. Attendees will be able to directly apply valuable information about how to drive traffic more efficiently and effectively, convert customers into long-lasting relationships, and more.”

Tickets are on sale now for $299 for non-AMA members. Attendees can save on the cost of registration by becoming an AMA member and purchasing tickets for $149. Professional development discount packages are available for companies interested in sending multiple representatives. For more information on the Art of Marketing conference, including sponsorship opportunities and registration, visit sdama.org/aom.

About San Diego AMA
The San Diego Chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA) is a professional organization that is committed to developing powerhouse marketers within the San Diego business community. For high-performing marketers who are serious about furthering their careers, San Diego AMA is the only education- and networking-focused organization that provides information, resources, international presence, and valuable connections in a fun, approachable environment where its members can achieve their personal development goals. For more information, please visit www.sdama.org.

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CONNECT Announces Finalists for Most Innovative New Product Awards

Today, CONNECT, a premier innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales great companies in the technology and life sciences sectors, announced the 30 finalists for the 29th annual Most Innovative New Product Awards. The prestigious awards ceremony is a CONNECT signature event, held annually in December, that honors San Diego’s stars of innovation along with their newly launched groundbreaking products, like identity verification service by Fully-Verified.

“As an organization born out of the desire to catalyze research from ideation to life-changing products and services and to accelerate the growth of San Diego’s presence on the national and international stage as a hub of successful life science and technology companies, we are honored to present the ‘29th Annual Most Innovative Product Awards’ to companies that are raising the bar and creating a flourishing innovation economy in San Diego,” said Greg McKee, CEO of CONNECT. “The Most Innovative New Product Awards event is our way of celebrating and recognizing the best new market entrants each year, and we are always incredibly impressed by the volume, and also the caliber and high impact of the innovative products and services being launched by San Diego based companies.”

There were a record 111 entrants into this year’s Most Innovative New Product Awards across 10 categories: Bluetech, Cleantech Sustainability & Energy, Defense Transportation & Cybersecurity, Information Communication Technologies, Life Science Diagnostics & Research Tools, Medical Devices, Pharmaceutical Drugs & Biologic Therapies, Robotics & Unmanned Vehicles, Software Digital Media & Mobile Apps and Sport & Active Lifestyle Technologies. Each semi-finalist demonstrated their products in front of an expert judging panel earlier this month, from which 30 were selected as finalists.

Listed below, in their respective categories and alphabetized by company name, are the 2016 Most Innovative New Product Award finalists:

Bluetech:
• Cardinal Point Captains – provides services and technology for government and industry with extensive experience and capabilities supporting complex scientific and maritime operations
• Planck Aerosystems – brings high performance, autonomous unmanned aerial systems to new markets
• Water Pigeon – an alternative solution to existing automated metering infrastructure (AMI) for water

Cleantech, Sustainability, and Energy:
• Camston Wrather LLC – produces sustainable resources and commodities from electronic waste using proprietary patents and green technology
• Measurabl – precision software built to help collect, report and act upon non-financial data
• SDG&E – regulated public utility that provides energy service to 3.6 million people through 4,100 square miles in San Diego and Orange counties

Defense, Transportation, and Cybersecurity:
• B&B Technologies LP – develops advanced magnetic suspension/propulsion shock mitigation technology R&D for the military, medical and professional/commercial markets
• Cubic Corporation – designs, integrates and operates systems, products and services that increase situational awareness for customers in the transportation and defense industries
• Space Micro – an engineering driven small business that focuses on technology advancement and product implementation for highly reliability satellite electronics

Information Communications Technologies:
• Aira – develops remote assistive technology that connects the blind with a network of certified agents via wearable smart glasses and an augmented reality dashboard that allows agents to see what the blind person sees in real time, allowing them to assist with a variety of daily tasks and activities
• Creative Electron – manufactures and distributes high performance, off the shelf and custom x-ray inspection systems used for quality assurance, material conformity and counterfeit detection in a wide range of applications
• Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. – designs and markets wireless telecommunications products and services

Life Science Diagnostics and Research Tools:
• DermTech – a commercial stage, genomic based, health technology company with a non-invasive gene expression platform for dermatology
• Echo Laboratories Inc. – developed the Revolve, a new hybrid microscope that easily transforms between upright and inverted configurations, merging the capabilities of two instruments into one
• NanoCellect Biomedical – aims to make flow cytometry and cell sorting technology more affordable and accessible for life science researchers to perform cellular analysis, develop molecular diagnostics, and improve personalized medicine

Medical Devices:
• 11Health – a connected medical device company, where all patented devices use Bluetooth® wireless technology to send secure real-time data to most mobile devices, including smartphones, tablets and watches
• Innovative Trauma Care – created the ITClamp Hemorrhage Control System which is designed to address massive hemorrhage – a leading cause of death in traumatic injury – by controlling critical bleeding in seconds
• Onciomed, Inc. – a privately held medical device company that has developed a proprietary long term, minimally invasive and reversible device, the Gastric Vest System™ (GVS) to treat obesity and glycemic control

Pharmaceutical Drugs and Biologic Therapies:
• ACADIA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. – recently received FDA approval for NUPLAZID, the first and only medicine approved for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis
• Ardea Biosciences – a biotechnology company focused on the development of small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases
• GlyConMedics LLC – working to advance the treatment for type 2 diabetes by developing a naturally derived substance to provide an affordable and effective long-term ADD-ON treatment to existing SU therapies with improved glucose control without a requirement for dose changes

Robotics and Unmanned Vehicles:
• CleverPet, Inc. – uses smart hardware to offer animals engagement anytime, automatically, whether their humans are home or not
• NXT Robotics – provides service robots to support increased security monitoring and alerting requirements
• Robolink – aims to make STEM education accessible, engaging and fun for children and hobbyists by producing robotics educations kits and providing educational lessons that teach core principles of engineering and programming

Software, Digital Media, and Mobile Apps:
• Guru – creates digital experiences for museums, aquariums and zoos
• Nanome, Inc. – developed the world’s first immersive and scientifically-accurate molecular modeling tool in VR
• South Doctors, Inc. – the leading platform that connects patients from around the world with the best doctors and facilities in Mexico

Sport and Active Lifestyle Technologies:
• Bixpy LLC – developed a versatile and robust underwater propulsion system that runs on lithium batteries and is able to attach to anything from a diver’s forearm to the back of a kayak
• ElliptiGO Inc. – combined the best of running, cycling and the elliptical trainer for a fun and effective way to exercise outdoors
• FlyDive – introduced the FlyDive X-BOARDm, the most advanced hydro flight system designed and engineered to support both beginners and professional riders

To be eligible for the 2016 Most Innovative New Product Awards, the product must have been first introduced after January 1, 2014, never been selected as a MIP finalist, and generated revenue from sales (except free mobile apps and companies submitting for the Life Science Products – Clinical Stage category).

The winners will be announced the evening of December 1 at the 2016 Most Innovative New Product Awards presentation and dinner, to be held at Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine, 3777 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA 92122.

For more information on CONNECT’s Most Innovative New Product Awards, please visit connect.org.

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ABOUT CONNECT

CONNECT is a premier innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales great companies in the technology and life sciences sectors. By creating an environment in which entrepreneurs and C-suite executives have access to the people, capital, and technology resources they need for success, CONNECT has assisted in the formation and development of more than 3,000 companies since 1985. Widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful organizations linking entrepreneurs and C-suite executives with the resources they need for the commercialization of innovative products and services; our program has been modeled in more than 50 regions around the world.

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ADVISOR OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCES KEYNOTE SPEAKER, PANELISTS

San Diego – October 14, 2016 – The San Diego Advisor of the Year organization announced today that renowned philanthropist and community leader Ernest Rady will be the keynote speaker at the 2nd annual Advisor of the Year program. In addition, the organization named the high-profile participants for its informative session, GameChangers: Women in the C-Suite.

Legendary entrepreneur Ernest Rady will attend and deliver the keynote address at the Advisor of the Year event on Thursday, October 27, at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology. An icon in the San Diego business community, the namesake of the Rady School of Management at UCSD and Rady Children’s Hospital, he has led a wildly successful career in financial services, real estate, insurance, oil & gas, banking and other industries. Rady will discuss how he creates value in his businesses and the important role that professional advisors have played in his business dealings.

Rady’s address will be preceded by the panel discussion, GameChangers: Women in the C-Suite, which will begin at 4:00 pm. Featured will be women leaders who have risen to the top of the executive ranks in male-dominated industries, including law enforcement, sports, beer making and aerospace. Panelists are Shelley Zimmerman, the first female chief of the San Diego Police Department; the San Diego Chargers’ executive vice president and chief operating officer Jeanne Bonk, one of the highest-ranking female executives in the National Football League; Pizza Port’s Gina Marsaglia, the self-professed “godmother” of San Diego’s vibrant craft beer scene and one of the few women beer makers in the country; and Cindy Candela, a well-known leadership consultant and former president of aerospace supplier Precision Engine Controls.

“We are thrilled to have such San Diego paragons as Ernest Rady and Shelley Zimmerman participating in this year’s Advisor of the Year program,” says Paul Thiel, managing director of BNY Mellon Wealth Management, title sponsor of the event. “Our goal is to recognize and celebrate the excellence, opportunity and entrepreneurship within our thriving local community. Ernest and Shelley are iconic representations of those values.”

In addition to host BNY Mellon, the event has received cooperation from the Association for Corporate Growth – San Diego; the Chairmen’s Roundtable; North County Estate Planning Council; ProVisors; STAR-San Diego and Rady School of Management at University of California, San Diego.

Attendees will have an opportunity to mingle and meet these remarkable leaders while enjoying cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and live entertainment beginning at 5:30 pm. At 7:00 pm, the awards ceremony will be held outdoors at the esteemed La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, which will receive the net proceeds from this event.

To purchase tickets, please visit www.sdadvisoroftheyear.com.

Sponsors of the 2016 Advisor of the Year program are: BDO; Best Best & Krieger; Cabrillo Advisors; CBIZ; Claiborne Advisors; Deloitte; Departure; Friedman Brannen; Haskell & White; Henberger Group; HetzelMeade Communications; LevitZacks CPA, Lindsay & Brownell; NFP Insurance Brokerage & Consulting; Objective Capital Partners; Our City magazine; Polito Eppich; Procopio; RA Capital Advisors; SheppardMullin; Torrey Pines Bank; Vantage Point Advisors and W Partners.

About Advisor of the Year
Advisor of the Year is a not-for-profit unincorporated community association that hosts an annual awards event to recognize and celebrate local advisors who provide extraordinary service and value to owners of middle market companies in the sale, expansion or recapitalization of their companies. The organization also conducts educational workshops and commissions primary research on business and financial trends that affect advisors and their clients. Select winners will be featured in the November ACG program, “The Deals Behind the Advisor of the Year awards.”

About La Jolla Institute
La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology is located at 9420 Athena Circle in La Jolla and is dedicated to understanding the intricacies and power of the immune system to promote human health and prevent a wide range of diseases. Since its founding in 1988 as an independent, nonprofit research organization, the Institute has made numerous advances leading towards its goal: life without disease®.

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CONNECT Announces First Successful Funding Through CapitalMatch

CONNECT, a premier innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales great companies in the technology and life sciences sectors, announced today the first successful round of funding from its CapitalMatch program. The CONNECT CapitalMatch program is designed to introduce early stage life science and technology companies to potential sources of funding. After a round of intake panels and qualified investor screenings, companies are deemed ready for investment and introduced to interested investors.

“Based on the data in the last few Innovation Reports and what we were hearing from entrepreneurs, we knew we needed a robust effort to help identify and bring investment capital to San Diego,” said Greg McKee, President & CEO of CONNECT. “CapitalMatch was one of the first programs we started to connect entrepreneurs with capital and since we launched that in February we’ve also launched the FrameWorks Capital Track, the CONNECT Investor Syndicate on AngelList, and our Investor Circle all focused on the goal of helping entrepreneurs get the investment they need to scale.”

LeadCrunch is a customer discovery platform that makes B2B sales and marketing more effective and personalized. It collects vast amounts of data then uses artificial intelligence to find insights. LeadCrunch was the first company accepted into CapitalMatch, receiving $200,000 of funding from Bialla Venture Partners 2, LLC. ExCapsa Group is the lead investor. Both firms are based in San Francisco. Other investors include the former CEOs of Net Ratings, Goldman Sachs and FICO.

“We need capital to conquer a $160 billion industry. Common wisdom is that all venture capital is local. Yet, there are no B2B high-tech VC’s in San Diego. So we turned to CONNECT for help,” said Olin Hyde, CEO of LeadCrunch. “CONNECT’s CapitalMatch program provides a rigorous screening mechanism that is trusted and respected by investors. CONNECT was able to introduce us to the right capital resource, providing us with the necessary funding to take our company to the next level and remain in San Diego.”

Prior to entry into CapitalMatch, LeadCrunch was preparing to relocate to the Bay Area. “We had offers for funding that required us to move. Fortunately, CONNECT helped us find investors that recognized that staying in San Diego provided our company with the advantages of lower operating costs and recruiting and retaining great technical talent.”

LeadCrunch was previously incubated at UCSD’s StartR accelerator and EvoNexus. The company won “Cool Company” awards from the San Diego Venture Group in 2015 and 2016. CONNECT CapitalMatch provided the first introductions for LeadCrunch’s institutional funding.

Through programs like CapitalMatch, FrameWorks Capital Track, Investor Circle, and the Investor Syndicate, CONNECT is providing entrepreneurs with easier access to funding and furthering its mission of assisting in the creation and advancement of local San Diego companies.

About CONNECT
CONNECT is a premier innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales great companies in the technology and life sciences sectors. By creating an environment in which entrepreneurs and C-suite executives have access to the people, capital, and technology resources they need for success, CONNECT has assisted in the formation and development of more than 3,000 companies since 1985. Widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful organizations linking entrepreneurs and C-suite executives with the resources they need for the commercialization of innovative products and services; our program has been modeled in more than 50 regions around the world.

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