Tijuana is helping San Diego’s software companies grow

EDC’s Trade and Competitiveness in North America study launched in 2018 identified the innovation economy as a growing industry in San Diego County, Imperial County, and Baja California—otherwise known as Cali Baja. Among the key takeaways from this study, the high-value services offered in Cali Baja are the future of trade in North America.

According to the study, by 2020, 51% of total trade within Cali Baja will take place in the service sector, not in commodities. This growth creates service sector creates opportunities within San Diego and Tijuana for cross-border collaboration and development within San Diego’s current innovation economy.

To further support this trend, WTC San Diego provides tailored services to San Diego-based companies considering Baja California for expansion. In Q3 2019, WTC San Diego offered consultative services to two tech companies considering expansion into Tijuana, Baja California. One of the companies is a business intelligence services company, which provides its clients with various IT solutions. The other is a logistics company focused on supporting the manufacturing industry. Both of these companies are expanding their software activities by leveraging the competitive advantage in Tijuana’s innovation ecosystem.

In order to help the company’s executives understand the TJ tech ecosystem, WTC San Diego coordinated visits to various locations and facilitated introductions to key public and private sector partners for both San Diego companies. The key partners included Tijuana EDC, Eazy Workspace, MIND Hub Tech Incubator, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Red Door Interactive, which are all valuable examples and assets to companies exploring Tijuana.

As their expansion process continues, WTC San Diego will continue providing consultative services to these companies and any others that are interested in learning more about software capabilities south of the border.

For more information on WTC’s cross-border activity, contact Jesse Gipe at JG@sandiegobusiness.org.

MetroConnect Year 4 cohort increases exports by $69M

Last summer, 20 San Diego-based companies were selected to participate in World Trade Center (WTC) San Diego’s export assistance program—MetroConnect. Participants were equipped with a $10,000 grant and programmatic resources over the course of a year, with the intent of helping them access international markets and boost export sales.

The companies in MetroConnect Year 4 collectively generated a net increase of $69.6 million in exports sales, signed 369 international contracts, and opened 10 new facilities overseas. Together, these participating companies also added 97 jobs right here in San Diego–evidence that exporting can make businesses more dynamic and resilient back home.

After collecting initial results from this year’s cohort, WTC San Diego formed a MetroConnect Judging Committee to determine which four companies would be invited back to compete in the MetroConnect Grand Prize PitchFest. On November 13, the pitch competition will award one company an additional $35,000 and deemed the grand prize winner of MetroConnect Year 4.

The four finalists:

  • Bitchin’ Sauce
    • A San Diego staple served at street fairs for years, the almond-based, gluten-free, Non-GMO and vegan sauce is great for veggies and a spread. Now available at retailers in San Diego and beyond.
  • Eddy Pump
    • An engineering and manufacturing company producing state-of-the-art material handling equipment for a multitude of industries including military, oil, mining, energy, and more across the globe.
  • LRAD Corporation
    • Manufacturer and developer of long-range acoustic hailing devices, mass notification, and distributed messaging systems, which allow users to clearly communicate warnings and instructions, resolve uncertain situations, and enhance safety in a variety of applications for defense, law enforcement, and more.
  • Scientist.com
    • The world’s leading marketplace for sourcing scientific research services.

Congratulations to these companies on their success, and we look forward to seeing them make their pitch in November!

Details for the MetroConnect Grand Prize PitchFest

  • Who: 200+ attendees primarily within San Diego’s international business community (exporting companies, service providers, trade organizations, program stakeholders)
  • When: Wednesday, November 13 from 2:30 – 5:30 PM
  • Where: The Alexandria at Torrey Pines and Farmer & the Seahorse
  • Why: This event marks the finale of MetroConnet 2018-2019 program. The audience and a judging panel (50/50 split) will vote for the grand prize winner to receive a $35,000 check, courtesy of JPMorgan Chase

Following the pitch competition, there will be a company showcase and reception at Farmer & the Seahorse. Learn more and get tickets for the event here.