San Diego Startup Week 2024: 40+ Events and Irwin Jacobs Fireside Chat

San Diego’s largest and longest-running startup event, San Diego Startup Week, returns for its 12th year, offering a week packed with over 40 events from Monday, October 21 to Friday, October 25, 2024. Spanning five regions of the San Diego-Baja area, the event connects innovators and entrepreneurs of all levels.

“San Diego Startup Week is designed for all people, regardless of level or location within the San Diego region, to access the best skills and connections to build and grow their innovations,” said Cheryl K. Goodman, Vice Chair of Startup San Diego.

With a long-standing tradition of supporting and empowering aspiring builders and innovators, Startup San Diego connects the community with top business leaders through consistent programming like San Diego Startup Week. Proven entrepreneurs and executive mentors play a vital role in fostering these connections.

“Since its inception in 2012, San Diego Startup Week has grown into one of our region’s largest, longest running celebrations of innovation, talent and entrepreneurship,” said Cathy Pucher, Executive Director of SDSU Entrepreneurship Initiatives and Board Chair of Startup San Diego.

This year’s event features a Fireside Chat with Dr. Irwin Jacobs, co-founder of Qualcomm and a renowned philanthropist, who will discuss his pioneering work and share insights into the future of technological innovation.

Event Highlights and Schedule

San Diego Startup Week 2024 will feature more than 40 activities, led by experts across industries like entrepreneurship, sales and marketing, AI, biotech, venture capital, and more. The week-long event attracts thousands of entrepreneurs, developers, investors, and community leaders, offering the opportunity to make connections, exchange resources, and celebrate the region's thriving startup ecosystem.

Monday, October 21: Making Waves in the Creator Economy - Carlsbad

The week kicks off in Carlsbad Village with an expo, mentoring, fireside chats, showcases, panels, and access to innovators and leaders in North County. Keynote Speaker Sarah Davis, founder of Fashionphile, will share her entrepreneurial journey.

Tuesday, October 22: Riding the Waves of Binational Collaboration - Tijuana

For the third year, attendees will cross the U.S.-Mexico border to Tijuana’s Arkus Nexus MindHub, where they’ll learn about the San Diego-Tijuana region, hear speakers, participate in a pitch competition and networking opportunities, highlighting binational innovation.

Wednesday, October 23: Rising Tides: The Ripple Effect of Grit: San Diego State University

SDSU hosts an afternoon and evening of inspiring startup stories, mentoring, and intercollegiate lightweight pitch competitions, with speakers like Kevin Gelfand (CEO of Shake Smart) and Maya Madsen (CEO of Maya’s Cookies). The event takes place on campus at SDSU Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center, and there will be an afterparty hosted by Techstars San Diego Powered by SDSU.

Thursday, October 24: Connecting Currents: Downtown, Startup Crawl - Downtown San Diego

Join the Startup Crawl through downtown San Diego, starting at Downtown Works, and visiting local startup spaces to learn about startup resources while enjoying refreshments and networking with entrepreneurs including ClickUp, a San Diego-headquartered unicorn.

Friday, October 25: The Next Wave of Tech - UC San Diego

The event closes with a Fireside Chat with Dr. Irwin Jacobs who will be interviewed by Vice Chair, Cheryl K. Goodman, followed by a Heavyweight Founders Fight Club pitch competition, produced by board member David Loseke. The day will also feature panels, expos, and workshops from leading startups and companies in the region. The Tech Day team, including Ping Wang, Co-Founder of Ansir, has curated a series of industry-led panels, workshops, and startup expos featuring the region’s top startups and innovative companies. The day will also include a Pitch Gym, produced by board member Eric Weiss of Chaos to Clarity.

Authors looking to showcase their published business books can participate in the community’s “Authorpreneur Room.” The Small Business Association will offer on-site programming, while LogicBoost Labs will host AI workshops.

For the latest updates and full event schedule, visit StartupSD.org.

Sponsors and Tickets

San Diego Startup Week is sponsored by organizations like Aleph One, Arkus Nexus, City of Carlsbad, ClickUp, County of San Diego Office of Equity and Racial Justice, Downtown Works, JP Morgan, LogicBoost Labs, Pillsbury Law, San Diego State University, Sharp Ventures, UC San Diego Office of Commercialization, The Wege Foundation and FindGood.tech.

Tickets start at $89 for a day pass or $199 for a weeklong pass, available at sandiegostartupweek.com.

You can also volunteer and support the startup ecosystem by visiting: startupsd.org/volunteer

What This Means for the Startup Community

San Diego Startup Week offers a unique opportunity for innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors to engage in meaningful conversations, gain insights from industry leaders, and form valuable connections. With a rich legacy of fostering innovation, the event reflects the growing importance of regional collaboration and cross-border initiatives, especially between San Diego and Tijuana. The Fireside Chat with Irwin Jacobs further elevates the event’s focus on technological progress and the next generation of startups. Don't miss your chance to be part of this exciting week—get your tickets now to join the region's most dynamic startup event!

About Startup San Diego:

Founded in 2013, California nonprofit 501(c)(3) Startup San Diego is a is a local, grassroots, volunteer-based group of entrepreneurs, mentors and investors who have created a simple platform to grow the Greater San Diego startup community – through democratizing the skills, resources and connections needed to build more startups and expand economic opportunities. Our mission is to guide and connect local founders and talent to the right resources, networks, and support institutions to grow an equitable ecosystem, fostering a cohesive and collaborative entrepreneurial community. Read their Impact Report here.