Category: News

MetroConnect Spotlight: Sunday Golf

By Sophia Antonopoulos,

World Trade Center San Diego (WTCSD) works directly with companies free of charge to help them expand internationally and grow in San Diego, supported by San Diego Regional EDC’s 150+ private company and public agency investors. Since 2015, WTCSD’s MetroConnect export accelerator has assisted 110 San Diego companies in turning $1 million in export grants into $106 million in new international sales, 552 new international contracts, and 28 new offices around the world.

We sat down with Ronan Galvin, co-owner of MetroConnect VII finalist Sunday Golf, to discuss the company’s modern golf gear and its recent international growth through its time in MetroConnect.

Tell us about Sunday Golf and its mission.

Sunday Golf operates in the golf industry with a mission to remind the world that life is meant to be enjoyed. Our core focus is designing the best golf bags that match any style of play—whether you’re heading to a par 3 course, the driving range, a simulator, or a full course. We also offer options tailored for kids.

Our brand stands out by being more relatable than aspirational, connecting with the everyday golfer in a fun and approachable way.

Why did you apply to be in MetroConnect?

We applied to be in the MetroConnect program for support exporting internationally. Sunday Golf currently exports to the UK, Western Europe, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand—markets chosen for their robust golf culture and demand.

Exporting is critical for us as it dramatically expands our opportunity to share our products and mission worldwide, but it can come with challenges such as gaining access to new markets and identifying reliable distributors. Our goal in applying for the MetroConnect program was to leverage their resources and advice as we continued to grow.

How did MetroConnect help your company?

The MetroConnect program has played a pivotal role in our international expansion. It enabled us to exhibit at the PGA Show, where we connected with key distributors. We also hosted our Australian distributor in San Diego, further strengthening our relationship. And we are strongly considering exhibiting or visiting the Japan Golf show next March.

Through the U.S. Commercial Service, a key MetroConnect partner, we were introduced to valuable contacts in new foreign markets. As a result, we secured international distribution agreements with Grand Trading (Canada), Vin Distribution (Southeast Asia), and Second Chance (UK/Western Europe).

The foundational export strategy and mentorship provided by WTCSD have been game-changing.

What is on the horizon for Sunday Golf’s international growth?

Over the next year, Sunday Golf will continue strengthening relationships and growing sales in our current international markets. A key focus will be identifying and securing distribution partners in untapped regions such as Japan, South Korea, the Middle East, and potentially Latin America. We also plan to increase participation in international trade shows and further invest in our digital marketing efforts to support global growth.

What advice would you give to companies interested in growing internationally and participating in MetroConnect?

For companies looking to expand internationally, we strongly recommend leveraging WTCSD and its mentorship programs. As a small, bootstrapped company, WTCSD has been invaluable in helping us to grow our business internationally and create more jobs in San Diego.

With MetroConnect’s support, Sunday Golf was able to go from $0 in international revenue to $1M in forecasted international revenue in just one year. We would not be where we are today without the program.

Your turn: Grow your international sales with MetroConnect, too!

Like Sunday Golf, apply to join MetroConnect VIII, and receive an export grant, expert advising, workshops, regional mentors, and more.

APPLY NOW →

The application takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Plus: Learn how 110 MetroConnect alumni, including Dr. Bronner’s, Blue Sky Network, EDDY Pump, and White Labs, leveraged the program to drive 66 percent average export growth and 45 percent average revenue growth.

MetroConnect Spotlight: Epitope Diagnostics

By Sophia Antonopoulos,

World Trade Center San Diego (WTCSD) works directly with companies free of charge to help them expand internationally and grow in San Diego, supported by San Diego Regional EDC’s 150+ private company and public agency investors. Since 2015, WTCSD’s MetroConnect export accelerator has assisted 110 San Diego companies in turning $1 million in export grants into $106 million in new international sales, 552 new international contracts, and 28 new offices around the world.

We sat down with Laura Mendez, Customer Service Representative at MetroConnect VII finalist Epitope Diagnostics Inc., to discuss the company’s in-vitro diagnostic products and its recent international growth through its time in MetroConnect.

Tell us about Epitope and its mission.

Epitope is dedicated to the development, manufacturing, and marketing of high-quality, innovative in-vitro diagnostic products. We serve the global research, pharmaceutical, and healthcare sectors, with a strong commitment to addressing the world’s unmet medical needs. Our goal is to be a leading contributor in advancing healthcare solutions worldwide.

Why did you apply to be in MetroConnect?

We applied to be in MetroConnect for support as we began our international exporting journey.

The global medical diagnostics market is growing rapidly and competitive, and as a manufacturer of clinical laboratory diagnostic products, Epitope benefits from working across multiple regions. However, the process can be challenging for growing companies like ours, so the resources and support MetroConnect offers are invaluable to promote products of San Diego.

How did MetroConnect help your company?

Thanks to the support provided by the MetroConnect program and the Export SBDC team at WTCSD, Epitope successfully applied for the STEP program and was awarded a grant. This funding has partially covered our participation in trade shows in Dubai and Germany, significantly contributing to our efforts to expand into global markets.

Most importantly, we have continued to receive valuable counseling and mentorship from WTCSD, MetroConnect, and the U.S. Commercial Service. They have been instrumental in assisting us, from connecting with key contacts outside the U.S. for our current registration, to helping us apply for grants through the STEP program to offset trade show costs. With the help, Epitope was able to grow from two shows in 2023 to six shows in 2025.

What is on the horizon for Epitope’s international growth?

Epitope has plans for expansion, and with all our new partnerships, we are confident about the trajectory of our international sales growth. We are moving to a new building in San Diego to accommodate three times more space.

Additionally, we plan to continue exhibiting at trade shows and are likely to attend new ones. This year, we have added four more international shows to our list for promoting our products. Our ongoing strategy focuses on targeting more partners with our innovative products with six patents in Europe, India, the Middle East, and South America.

What advice would you give to companies interested in growing internationally and participating in MetroConnect?

Our advice would be to evaluate and understand your market thoroughly. Select the right partners, such as distributors, freight forwarders, or customs brokers, ensuring they are reliable and experienced. Look for partners with local knowledge and expertise in navigating the complexities of the target market. Familiarize yourself with the local regulations as well as those in the export destination.

Thanks to MetroConnect we have been connected with excellent partners and received support throughout this process.

Your turn: Grow your international sales with MetroConnect, too!

Like Epitope Diagnostics, apply to join MetroConnect VIII, and receive an export grant, expert advising, workshops, regional mentors, and more.

APPLY NOW →

The application takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Plus: Learn how 110 MetroConnect alumni, including Dr. Bronner’s, Blue Sky Network, EDDY Pump, and White Labs, leveraged the program to drive 66 percent average export growth and 45 percent average revenue growth.

San Diego’s Good News of the Week – May 16, 2025

By Enya Castañeda,

Every week, ‘Good News of the Week’ features a curation of positive headlines from San Diego, delivered straight to your inbox. A blend of aggregated stories from San Diego’s most trusted news sources and original EDC-created content, GNOTW provides a comprehensive recap of the region’s best stories from the past week. GNOTW is sponsored by Manpower.

Get Good News of the Week in your inbox every Friday. → Sign up

For the week of May 16, 2025, here’s what we’re reading:

…and here are some events and opportunities:

From our partners:

A note from our Talent Initiatives Director

In the past five months, we have seen our education systems face cuts that threaten our most vulnerable communities… Now more than ever, we are challenged to come together, discuss, and ideate. As San Diego emerges from the shock and chaos that this year’s headlines have already caused, let’s pause to think about the business opportunity ahead of us in education and filling the gap left by government funding.

More from Taylor Dunne

Business information and resources page

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Enya Castañeda
Enya Castañeda

Coordinator, Investor Relations & Marketing Communications

A note from our Talent Initiatives Director

By Taylor Dunne,

Education & how business can fill the gap left by government funding

In the past five months, we have seen our education systems face cuts that threaten our most vulnerable communities. To help contextualize their impact, here’s what we know about the current state of education funding for our region:

  • The Governor is proposing a 7.95 percent cut to the CSU and UC systems. This equates to $128 million in cuts to San Diego alone and makes up nearly 40 percent of all state budget reductions.
  • The House Education and Workforce Committee has proposed $351 billion in budget cuts, including adjusted requirements for Pell Grant eligibility that would impact more than 125,000 students in the CSU system alone.
  • Federal agency research funding faces significant threats. This funding accounts for more than half of total research awards in the UC system, which produced 78 startups in FY23 alone.
  • The state continues to cut funding to the California Strong Workforce Program, impacting its ability to support career education. These cuts could reduce access to direct workforce training and supportive services, limiting opportunities for both students and workers.

Now more than ever, we are challenged to come together, discuss, and ideate. As San Diego emerges from the shock and chaos this year’s headlines have already caused, let’s pause to think about the opportunity ahead of us.

What is not news is that many of our systems, in their current forms, often struggle to serve the individuals and communities that need them most. While we know higher education to be an effective vehicle for socio-economic mobility, we continue to see a positive correlation between income and the test scores that determine college eligibility. Proposed reductions to Pell Grant availability, especially impacting individuals that must work full-time to make ends meet, will exacerbate these issues and make educational attainment even more challenging for low-income individuals.

In order to meet business needs for our future workforce and ensure all San Diegans have an opportunity to succeed—two goals that inextricably go hand in hand—we need creative and cross-functional solutions. Where the government divests, enterprise must invest to ensure its most critical asset, its people, remain available and prepared.

San Diego Regional EDC will continue to serve as a convener for the region, bringing the right people to the table for collaborative solutions. With changes in technology, an ever-increasing cost of living, and significant shifts in skills needs, EDC will advocate for a less linear and more intertwined relationship between industry and education. This comes in the form of:

  1. frequent exposure to the World of Work through experienceships and company tours;
  2. internships, like those available through Advancing San Diego and the K-16 Collaborative;
  3. and skills-first hiring practices like those available through apprenticeship models and advocated for by Opportunity @ Work.

EDC will also continue to explore new and innovative ways for businesses to help fill gaps, such as company-supported ScholarShare 529 plans or loan forgiveness programs for upskilling education.

Join us on May 21 for our Q2 Inclusive Growth Roundtable to learn more about this work and see how you can get involved. This small lunchtime event aims to bring together investors and partners engaged in the Inclusive Growth Initiative—especially the talent goal—to discuss where we stand as a region on doubling the number of skilled workers with just five years left in our timeline. If you are interested in joining that lunch, drop us a line!

Thank you,

Taylor Dunne
Taylor Dunne

Director, Talent Initiatives

San Diego’s Good News of the Week – May 9, 2025

By Enya Castañeda,

Every week, ‘Good News of the Week’ features a curation of positive headlines from San Diego, delivered straight to your inbox. A blend of aggregated stories from San Diego’s most trusted news sources and original EDC-created content, GNOTW provides a comprehensive recap of the region’s best stories from the past week. GNOTW is sponsored by Manpower.

Get Good News of the Week in your inbox every Friday. → Sign up

For the week of May 9, 2025, here’s what we’re reading:

…and here are some events and opportunities:

From our partners:

Annual Dinner is less than a week away!

This year EDC is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Join us at Petco Park on Thursday, May 15 to celebrate at our Annual Dinner! Together with 900 attendees, we invite you to hear from EDC leadership, celebrate this year’s award winners, and walk on the field to enjoy a dinner reception and inspiring conversation at Gallagher Square.

Register Today

Business information and resources page

Be in the know – sign up below to receive future editions of GNOTW.

Want to submit your event or news update to our weekly newsletter? Contact us for more information.

sign up for gnotw

Enya Castañeda
Enya Castañeda

Coordinator, Investor Relations & Marketing Communications

San Diego’s Good News of the Week – May 2, 2025

By Enya Castañeda,

Every week, ‘Good News of the Week’ features a curation of positive headlines from San Diego, delivered straight to your inbox. A blend of aggregated stories from San Diego’s most trusted news sources and original EDC-created content, GNOTW provides a comprehensive recap of the region’s best stories from the past week. GNOTW is sponsored by Manpower.

Get Good News of the Week in your inbox every Friday. → Sign up

For the week of May 2, 2025, here’s what we’re reading:

…and here are some events and opportunities:

From our partners:

 

Investor Spotlight: San Diego Seals

EDC’s impact is made possible with and through the investment of more than 150 public and private organizations. Last month, we sat down with EDC investor and National Lacrosse League team, the San Diego Seals, to learn more about the team, its tourism industry impact, and why it invests in EDC.

Learn More

Business information and resources page

Be in the know – sign up below to receive future editions of GNOTW.

Want to submit your event or news update to our weekly newsletter? Contact us for more information.

sign up for gnotw

Enya Castañeda
Enya Castañeda

Coordinator, Investor Relations & Marketing Communications

Inclusive Growth Spotlight: SBCS

By San Diego Regional EDC,

To celebrate and inspire the efforts of regional employers, EDC’s new Inclusive Growth blog series will highlight San Diego companies and organizations helping to drive progress toward the 2030 Inclusive Growth goals. This blog features San Diego nonprofit service provider SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services).

Launched in 2018 and informed by a partnership with the Brookings Institution, the Inclusive Growth initiative sets 2030 goals for San Diego related to increasing: 1) the supply of talent, 2) quality small business jobs, and 3) newly thriving households. The goals inform San Diego’s economic priorities and make the business case for economic inclusion.

Regional talent demand remains high

To maintain economic competitiveness, the region needs 20,000 students per year completing post-secondary education within six years of graduating high school. These include certifications, career technical education, and college degrees. Progress toward the goal has increased incrementally since 2017 yet completions have shown signs of tapering; the region still falls short of the goal; and the local supply of talent continues to be a critical priority for San Diego employers.

Talent scarcity has become the new normal as hiring demand exceeds the supply of talent across industries. Compounding this challenge, student success is demographically uneven in the San Diego region. Despite making up 35 percent of the population, Hispanics and Latinos only account for 17 percent of residents over 25 years old with at least a bachelor’s degree. Critical to growing the local talent pool will be creating more opportunities for Black and Latino students to succeed locally. Employer-led talent pipeline development efforts are critical to the future of San Diego’s economy and SBCS is among those working toward a solution.

Read the latest Update

 

When families thrive, San Diego County thrives

SBCS transforms communities to support the well-being and prosperity of children, youth, and families throughout San Diego County.

Recognized as a trusted leader in the region for more than 50 years, SBCS takes on San Diego’s toughest challenges with unwavering commitment to create lasting sustainable change. SBCS reaches more than 50,000 residents each year with widescale high-impact services proven to reduce homelessness, improve educational outcomes, advance economic mobility, and improve community safety.

SBCS College-Bound Youth

Understanding the opportunity gap

For young people from low-income communities, a lack of access to quality education, professional mentors, and financial resources will often lead to limited career opportunities in adulthood. Minimum wage jobs are often the only ones available—and can leave youth unable to cover the cost of even their most basic needs, especially in a high-cost region.

SBCS is closing the opportunity gap by paying youth a living wage while they gain hands-on experience in industries that foster long-term career growth and financial success.

For those ready to enter the workforce, paid technical training with local companies and industry-recognized certifications pave the way for stable, well-paying careers. After completing six-weeks of training with SBCS youth Pedro was hired as a full-time fiber optics technician at a competitive salary.

“Pedro wants to be here—he’s learning, he’s growing. Big picture, where he’s going to be in five or 10 years…it’s going be awesome for him to look back on where he started.”  —Justin Baldwin, Director of Construction, Wyyred

For college-bound youth, paid professional internships provide vital income while students continue their education and support their families. After transferring from Southwestern College to UCLA, Jamie worked with SBCS to secure a paid summer internship with the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, gaining hands-on experience in government affairs and policymaking.

“SBCS [helped] catapult my career—they saw something in me and gave me opportunities I didn’t think were possible. Now I’m working next door to City Hall every day, pursuing my passion for public policy.”—Jamie, SBCS Internship Graduate

SBCS provided more than 200 youth with employment support in 2024—and the demand for meaningful work experience is currently exceeding the agency’s capacity to place youth. SBCS is actively seeking local businesses to host interns with wages paid by SBCS. Contact impact@csbcs.org for more information or to get involved.

SBCS Internship student

SBCS’ leadership team shared that an Investment in EDC is an investment in regional workforce development.

“SBCS’ longtime partnership with San Diego Regional EDC has directly strengthened our impact.

Through EDC, SBCS has built meaningful connections with professionals across the region—resulting in new advisory partnerships, internship placements, funding opportunities, and community collaborations. When SBCS launched its internship program, EDC’s research and leadership in workforce development played a critical role in helping us secure grants and design a model grounded in real regional needs. SBCS is proud to be part of a network that champions inclusive economic growth, and we look forward to deepening our relationship in the years ahead.”

Join the movement

Progress on EDC’s 2030 Inclusive Growth goals is only achievable with and through the region’s employers scaling innovative and intentional solutions. Organizations like SBCS are helping to collectively pave the way toward a more inclusive regional economy.

To learn more and get involved in EDC’s work, contact:

Bree Burris
Bree Burris

Sr. Director, Communications & Community Engagement

A note from Mark

By Mark Cafferty,

Keep the “Good News” coming

EDC investors, board members, and partners,

I hope this message finds you well. While the news and the constant barrage of information surrounding us these days can feel a bit heavy and negative, I want to remind you all that for the last 13 years, the EDC team has been putting out “Good News of the Week” every Friday to make sure San Diegans end the week on the highest possible note. We always do our best to filter through everything we can to find news of businesses expanding and growing, universities receiving new accolades and funding, non-profit partners improving the community while improving the economy, and other milestone achievements advancing San Diego’s regional and global competitiveness.

Still, we would love to hear more milestones in innovation, collaboration, creativity, integrity, and inspiration that are found in all corners of our county and our binational region. Consider this my invitation and reminder to submit your own Good News and make sure we don’t miss out on elevating your stories.

In the spirit of sharing “Good News”, the incomparable Sir Elton John is coming back to Petco Park to perform at Curebound’s Concert for Cures on Friday, May 9. As we heard from EDC Investor and Curebound CEO Anne Marbarger in our January EDC Board Meeting, the nonprofit raises money for grants that support San Diego’s top research institutions in the fight against cancer. Join Lauree, me, and the broader San Diego business community as we help raise critical funds for cancer research, and officially say farewell to Sir Elton John. Explore Curebound’s Concert for Cures table and ticket information, or contact Anne directly at anne@curebound.org.

So again—keep the “Good News” coming. I can assure you there is not a week that goes by where someone in this community (or even outside of this community) doesn’t remind me of how uplifting it is to read about your collective successes, breakthroughs, wins, and moments worth celebrating.

Thank you as always for your leadership and support, and for continuing to make San Diego the unique and amazing place that it is.

With respect and admiration,
Mark

Mark Cafferty
Mark Cafferty

President & CEO

Read EDC’s monthly report

Buy your tickets

San Diego’s Good News of the Week – April 25, 2025

By Enya Castañeda,

Every week, ‘Good News of the Week’ features a curation of positive headlines from San Diego, delivered straight to your inbox. A blend of aggregated stories from San Diego’s most trusted news sources and original EDC-created content, GNOTW provides a comprehensive recap of the region’s best stories from the past week. GNOTW is sponsored by Manpower.

Get Good News of the Week in your inbox every Friday. → Sign up

For the week of April 25, 2025, here’s what we’re reading:

…and here are some events and opportunities:

From our partners:

 

MetroConnect VII PitchFest 2025

Join us and 200+ international business professionals on June 5 to celebrate MetroConnect VII, World Trade Center San Diego’s latest export accelerator cohort. Hear our top four MetroConnect companies pitch for a $25,000 grand prize, cast your vote, and enjoy an evening of networking with top regional exporters, trade offices, and consulates.

Space is Limited—Register Now

Business information and resources page

Be in the know – sign up below to receive future editions of GNOTW.

Want to submit your event or news update to our weekly newsletter? Contact us for more information.

sign up for gnotw

Enya Castañeda
Enya Castañeda

Coordinator, Investor Relations & Marketing Communications

San Diego employers share 2025 talent needs across critical roles

By Olivia Jones,

To better understand San Diego’s talent demand in priority industries, EDC’s Advancing San Diego program partnered with BW Research to conduct a comprehensive talent demand survey focused on business, computing, and engineering occupations. A survey of 264 businesses in San Diego County was fielded in March 2025. The survey prioritized larger firms to develop a more comprehensive profile of each of the listed occupations. All companies surveyed had at least five employees. Participation spanned all four of the primary regions in San Diego (North County, South County, East County, and Central San Diego) and several industries to ensure diversity of responses.

Talent Demand Report 2025 updates

This data-driven effort supports Advancing San Diego’s Verified Program process and provides a real-time look at the workforce needs of local employers. Results show that while businesses are ready to grow, many face ongoing challenges in finding candidates with the skills and certifications needed to fill both entry- and mid-level roles.

Key findings

  • The largest share of employers considered internally-facing business roles—finance, purchasing, or project management positions—the most important out of all business, computing, and engineering roles.
  • The most difficult entry-level roles to fill included general engineers, project managers, engineering technicians, and software developers.
    • Businesses that prioritized engineers cited engineering as the most difficult occupation to fill with qualified entry-level talent.
    • Entry-level software developer roles took the longest for companies to fill, with 19 percent of companies reporting that it takes more than six months to fill this role.
  • The most challenging experienced position to fill was software developers, followed closely by experienced general engineers.
  • In computing, employers prioritized IT and network security skills, with certifications like A+, Security+, and CCNA frequently required or preferred.

What’s next?

Advancing San Diego verifies educational programs that meet or exceed industry expectations across five key areas. Programs that earn this designation gain public recognition and connection to regional employers.

The 2025 application is now open for business, computing, and engineering programs. Programs that are already verified do not need to reapply; see current roster here.

Timeline

  • April 21: Verified Program application opens
  • September 26: Application deadline. EDC notifies programs that passed part one of the application process
  • November 13: Verified Program Designation Day
    • Programs pitch to industry to share diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at in-person event. Industry participants fill out rubrics based on program pitches as part two of the application
  • Early December: EDC announces Verified Programs

Apply Now

Explore more Talent Demand Reports

Check out Talent Demand Reports across other priority sectors to stay up to date on workforce trends in San Diego.

Dive into the data

Use EDC’s Data Dashboard to explore how local education programs align with regional workforce needs and identify equity gaps in real-time. The dashboard highlights race and gender disparities, program completions, and connections to priority occupations—all designed to support more data-informed talent development efforts in San Diego County.

To learn more and get involved in EDC’s work, contact:

Contact SDREDC
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