World Trade Center San Diego has unveiled the seventh cohort for MetroConnect, an export program to help local companies grow on the international scene.
The program has added tracks focused on technology, health and consumer goods, said Nikia Clarke, the center’s executive director, in an effort to “ensure San Diego’s rapidly growing firms are equipped to access global markets, share our region’s life-changing innovation with the world and create high quality jobs here at home.”
Since the program’s debut in 2015, 95 MetroConnect alumni have collectively added 302 new jobs to the region, signed more than 522 new contracts and set up 22 new overseas facilities.
The trade center unveiled the new cohort Thursday at an event at the University of San Diego. The latest MetroConnect VII companies represent a diverse cross-section of San Diego’s innovation economy, including wastewater treatment company Aquacycl, veteran-owned GALT Aerospace and reusable produce bag company Lotus Sustainables.
The remaining companies are:
- Epitope Diagnostics
- Fieldsheer
- Harland Brewing Company
- Health Innovation Products
- Promo Drone
- Selk’bag
- Sunday Golf
- Surf Loch
- VECKTA
- VeV Scientific
- Visaic
- Wearable Sensing
Cohort companies grow their exports by an average of 63% and revenues by 40% as part of the program. Alumni include Novo Brazil Brewing Co., Access Trax, White Labs, Dr. Bronner’s, Bitchin’ Sauce, Scientist.com, Aira (acquired by Blue Diego Investment Group), Cypher Genomics (acquired by Human Longevity Inc.).
Now in its seventh program year, MetroConnect equips small- and medium-sized companies with financial and programmatic resources to support their expansion in foreign markets:
- Up to $30,000 in grant funding
- Advising on additional funding opportunities (e.g. California State Trade Expansion Program).
- Nine executive workshops on export-related topics, including market selection, export control compliance, financing, supply-chain strategies, intellectual property and data privacy.
- Subscription to language translation software SystranPRO/
- Flight discounts with partner airlines, and
- Mentorship and consulting from multinational corporations in San Diego and vetted service providers.
The MetroConnect program is competitive, with just 15 companies selected based on a variety of criteria, including interest in new foreign markets, assessed impact of funds, current international traction and more.
In 2022 alone, San Diego exported more than $32 billion in goods overseas, as well as billions more in services like software, cybersecurity, engineering and research. Small- to medium-sized companies produced 92% of those goods.
“Since its launch, the city of San Diego has been a proud supporter of MetroConnect and the nearly 100 businesses it has helped grow internationally,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “As mayor, I’m committed to supporting the small businesses that power San Diego’s economy, and international connectivity is an important tool in building economic resilience.”
