CleanTECH San Diego
718 Clean Tech Companies and 

Counting

• Robust, upward trending new 

company growth

•Strong focus on innovation with over 

50 world-class research institutions 

providing R&D venues and 

demonstration sites

•Active partnership culture with 

multiple market connectivity 

organizations

•Recent iHub designation from 

Governor’s office for solar energy and 

storage

The San Diego Clean Tech Economy

ENERGY EFFICIENCY= 48

SOLAR= 181

BIOFUELS= 22

WIND= 30

TRANSPORTATION= 29

MATERIALS= 12

CleanTECH San Diego was created in 2007 to:

•Support Job Creation. Advance and diversify the San Diego 

region’s economic development goals

•Build a Common Agenda. Bring together the region’s diverse 

clean technology Stakeholders around a common agenda

•Prepare for the New Economy. Help San Diego prepare for 

and benefit from California’s proactive regulatory policies

•Mission: Accelerate the San Diego region as a world leader in 

the clean technology economy 

Background
718 Clean Tech Companies and 

Counting

• Robust, upward trending new 

company growth

•Strong focus on innovation with over 

50 world-class research institutions 

providing R&D venues and 

demonstration sites

•Active partnership culture with 

multiple market connectivity 

organizations

•Recent iHub designation from 

Governor’s office for solar energy and 

storage

The San Diego Clean Tech Economy

ENERGY EFFICIENCY= 48

SOLAR= 181

BIOFUELS= 22

WIND= 30

TRANSPORTATION= 29

MATERIALS= 12

•World Class Research Institutes. A track record for taking innovations 

out of the lab and creating companies and economic engines

•History of Building Economic Clusters. San Diego’s clean tech cluster is a 

natural extension of our existing high tech, biotech and defense clusters. 

Its all about convergence

•Strategic Partner Leadership. The incumbent utility and public university 

each have best of class rankings which serve as anchors to the clean tech 

industry

•Robust Private Sector Activity. 767 clean tech companies call San Diego 

home. Upward ticking trend

•Strong Regional Cluster Organization. CleanTECH San Diego works to 

leverage these assets

-

Why San Diego?
World-Class Research Institutions

•The Scripps Institution of 

Oceanography (1903)

•University of California San Diego 

(1960)

•Salk Institute (1960)

•San Diego Center for Algae 

Biotechnology (SD-CAB) (2009)

Today there are over 75 research institutes in San Diego with five founded 

in the last two years
IT/Wireless Industry 

• Linkabit was founded by UC San 

Diego professor Irwin M. Jacobs in 

1968 as the region’s first “high 

tech” communications company.

• Strong crossover to clean tech 

with software, wireless and IT 

applications emerging in the clean 

tech sector

Over 3,000 IT and Wireless Companies Call San Diego Home
Defense and Security Industry

• Ruben H. Fleet opened the 

Consolidated Aircraft plant in San 

Diego in 1935

• Companies like General Atomics 

have expanded operation to 

include solar energy and biofuels

• SPAWAR is a prolific developer of 

clean technologies

There are more than 260 defense and security companies operating in San Diego
Biotech Industry

• Hybridtech was founded in 1978 

by UC San Diego professors Ivor 

Royston and Howard Birndorf as 

the first “Biotech” Company in San 

Diego

• Strong crossover to clean 

technology with biofuels and 

nutriceuticals. 

San Diego houses over 600 life science and biomedical companies
San Diego Companies Founded 

by UC San Diego Alumni 

SciVee

Immersive Media Research

Mathmagical Images

Network Digicality

Crinetics Pharmaceuticals

Emitations.com

Cogionics

Sparkle Farm

Photometria, Inc

MyCats

Nereus Pharmaceuticals, Inc

AEC One Stop Group

Androclus Therapeutics

Aspire Independent Review Board

Bates White

Better Business Funding LLC

Brightcloud Inc

CardioSync Technologies

Cerian Technology Ventures

Covario Inc

Craftsman Wood Refinishing

Dance or Die

David L Christopher

Delphi Private Advisors

Denfran Systems Inc

Domani Investments LLC

San Pasqual Winery

Precision Measurement Engineering Inc

Andrews, Lagasse, Brand and Bell LLP

Quantitative BioSciences

Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency

Opus Pharmaceuticals, Inc

La Jolla Networks

App2you, Inc

Biological Dynamics

Insiliconed, Inc

Chuao Cholatier, Inc

Quanlight

Crystal Pyramid Productions

Proveri, Inc

Pulmosense

Roger Bradley Consulting

Sensormetrix

eProcesses Consulting

Psynomics, Inc

Aviva Systems Biology Corporation

GlySens Inc

SanTech, Inc

Music Search Inc

Regent Partners, LLC

Nukona Inc

Sorrento Mesa Printing

Genomatica, Inc

MO Bio Laboratories

Surf Diva, Inc

Tempest Microsystems

Forward Ventures

Receptos

WaveLoch

WebPRpro

Nautilus Environmental LLC

Celladon Corp

Traversa Therapeutics

Direct Electron, L.P.

Gravity Skateboards

Huntington Capital

PixelActive, Inc

Seashell Technology, LLC

Carlton Disante & Freudenberger

Lithera, Inc

Sonicboomwellness.com

M Ship Co, LLC

Reality Changers

Mission Playground

Mushroom Networks

Laserlab, Inc

Neuro Vigil

Talensmart, Inc

Sapphire Energy

Qualcomm Inc

Life Technologies Corporation

ViaSat, Inc.

Cymer, Inc.

Genoptix, Inc

American Specialty Health Networks

Entropic Communications

GlobeFlex Capital L.P.

WorldSmart Corporation

Sapphire Energy

Senomyx

Cytori Therapeutics, Inc

Vical, Inc

Sangart, Inc

Gaslamp Insurance Services

AwarePoint

Ortiva Wireless, Inc

ItherX Pharmaceuticals, Inc

Active Motif, Inc

Martinez + Curti Architects

Sotera Wireless, Inc

Rore, Inc

Waters Fine Catering

Ceregene

Airsis, Inc

BrainCells, Inc

Qualcomm, Inc.

Silver Wood Energy Inc.

Souce: San Diego Business Journal, March 28, 2011,

“San Diego County companies founded by UC San Diego alumni, faculty and staff by annual sales 2009 – 2010”
San Diego shows higher growth 

in average number of patents 

published and granted than 

other regions in CA and Boston

•Over the past two years, the 

average number of patent 

applications published per quarter in 

San Diego increased by more than 

8%, 

•The average number of patents 

granted per quarter increased by 

40%. 

San Diego Leads in Patent Activity
California Leads with 73% of Clean VC in U.S.

San Diego Leads in Number of Deals Funded 

Top 10 Cities by Deals

San Diego, CA (4 deals | $62M)

San Jose, CA (3 deals | $80M)

Santa Clara, CA (2 deals | $197M) 

Sunnyvale, CA (2 deals | $121M )

Oakland, CA (1 deals | $201M )

Irvine, CA (1 deals | $150M )

San Leandro, CA (1 deals | $135M) 

Santa Monica, CA (1 deals | $76M )

Pleasanton, CA (1 deals | $75M )

Kansas City, MO (1 deals | $58M )
767 Clean Tech Companies and Counting

•Robust, upward trending new company 

growth

•Over 300 innovator companies and over 400 

market enabler companies

• County-wide distribution. Dense 

formation around universities, research 

institutes and colleges

• Strong activity in solar, transportation, 

batteries, energy storage and biofuels

ENERGY EFFICIENCY= 48

SOLAR= 181

BIOFUELS= 37

WIND= 30

TRANSPORTATION= 37

MATERIALS= 12

The San Diego Clean Tech Economy
Solar Leadership: Adoption, Innovation and Manufacturing

California’s Number 1 Solar City

•San Diego has highest solar PV adoption rates in the 

state with 100 MW installed.

Solar Manufacturing

•Soitec Solar selected San Diego for its manufacturing 

site, adding 500 new high tech jobs. 

•Siliken, Kyocera and others also committed.

Secured $154M CREBS Allocation

•Will support new jobs and approximately 20 MW of 

power. 

•1 of 5 dollars available came to San Diego

iHUB Designation - Solar Energy Storage

Nearly 200 solar companies call San Diego home
San Diego Scores Big with Clean Renewable Energy Bonds

• San Diego Region Secures $154 MM in CREBs

• Allocation is 19% of Total Moneys Available

• Financing Opportunities will Support New Jobs and 20

Megawatts of New Solar Power Projects. Winners Include:

City of Chula Vista $29,648,926 

City of Lemon Grove $1,004,494 

Fallbrook Public Utility District $292,091 

San Diego State University $2,442,005 

San Diego Unified School District $74,290,010 

San Dieguito Union High School District $8,269,000 

City of Santee $3,081,420 

Santee School District $20,660,000 

University of California, San Diego $14,961,540 

Total for San Diego Region $154,649,486

CREBS Winners
Project Details

• Awarded to Sullivan Solar Power, May 18, 2011.

• Total Contract cost: $3.52M.

• Sullivan provided highest quality proposal and lowest cost.

• Campus plans to realize a net energy cost savings of ~$1.8M over next 20 years.

• Plan to complete project by March 2012.

UCSD Clean Renewable Energy Project
Energy Efficiency and Smart Grid

Innovation Hotbed 

•Flux Power, Xnergy, Lightwave Photonics

Utility Leadership

•SDGE designated ‘Most Intelligent Utility in Country’ for 

two years running

•Seemless and proactive advanced meter installations

University Leadership

•UCSD is home to the most advanced microgrid in the 

country

New Collaborative: Smart City San Diego

•Partnership between San Diego, UCSD, SDGE, GE and 

CleanTECH San Diego, designed to set the measureable 

standard for sustainability.
Industry 

• Innovation from small and large companies on charging, 

metering, storage and fuel choice. 

• Home to nearly 40 clean transportation companies

EV Adoption is Here: San Diego is out Front

• 2,000 Evs expected to hit San Diego streets this year alone

• EcoTality deploying part of $230MM DOE grant to install 

charging stations

Region is Preparing for Largest Deployment in History

• SDG&E preparing for grid impacts

• UCSD researching grid and storage scenarios

• City and CleanTECH San Diego exploring regulatory strategies 

to support deployment

Clean Transportation
Biofuels: San Diego at its Best

Over 30 biofuels companies in San Diego 

•Strong research assets

•Imperial Valley link

Already an economic contributor

•SANDAG study shows 410 direct jobs

•$108 million in total economic activity

State and national visibility

•State iHub designation

•Strong press. DCI provides national reach

EDGE Initiative 

•Workforce training for biofuels industry

•Partnership with BIOCOM, EDC, UC San Diego 

and San Diego Workforce Partnership
International Leadership

San Diego Launches Global Clean 

Tech Cluster Association

xx Countries participate

Showcase xx international 

companies

CleanTECH San Diego Ranked 

Top 10 Cluster Organization in 

the World

• Only two other US Clusters 

Ranked

International Partners and 

CleanTECH Members:

• AUSTRADE

• Consulate of Canada in San 

Diego

• German Consulate

•

• Swedish-American Chamber of 

Commerce 

• Swiss CleanTech/Skipso

• Toronto Stock Exchange

• United Kingdom Consultate

• World Trade Center San Diego

• AUSTRADE

• Consulate of Canada

• German Consulate

• Swedish-American 

Chamber of Commerce 

• Swisscleantech

• Toronto Stock Exchange

• United Kingdom 

Consulate

• World Trade Center 

International Leadership: Expanding our Reach

San Diego Launches Global Clean Tech Cluster 

Association

•30 Countries participate worldwide

•Showcase 10,000 international companies and 500 

universities and research institutions

CleanTECH San Diego Ranked Top 10 Cluster 

Organization in the World

•Only two other US Clusters Ranked

International Partners and CleanTECH Members: