George Lurie
Special Sections Editor/Reporter
Phone: 559-308-8669
Recent Stories
Biolinq Raises $100 Million in Series B
HEALTHCARE: San Diego Co. Unveils Painless Glucose Sensor Patch
Biolinq, a medical device company developing a continuous glucose sensor with a novel integrated display on its wearable device, has closed a $100 million Series B financing round led by RiverVest Venture Partners.
Codex DNA Acquires Eton Biosciences for $13M
BIOTECH: Deal Combines Leading Local Synthetic Biology Firms
Codex DNA (Nasdaq: DNAY) is buying Eton Bioscience, a privately held provider of synthetic biology products and services, for $13 million.
Neurocrine Partners with Japanese Firm on Potential New Dementia Drug
San Diego-based Neurocrine Biosciences (Nasdaq: NBIX) has entered into a strategic collaboration and licensing agreement with Japan’s Sosei Group to develop potential new treatments for schizophrenia, dementia and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
Cloudbeds Raises $150M
TECH: Softbank Leads Series D Funding Round
In a funding round announced earlier this month, SoftBank Vision Fund 2 officially joined existing investors in Cloudbeds, adding additional financial firepower to the growing San Diego company’s market-leading, cloud-based hospitality management software platform.
KBS Buys Leading Janitorial, Facility Services Provider
REAL ESTATE: Bravo! Is Oceanside Firm’s 14th Acquisition Since 2017
Oceanside-based Kellermeyer Bergensons Services has acquired BRAVO! Building Services and two other related companies, BRAVO! Facility Services and BRAVO! Innovative Solutions.
County Study to Examine Job Impacts of Decarbonization
EMPLOYMENT: Effort will Aid Displaced Fossil Fuel Workers
The County of San Diego has undertaken a study to better understand how “decarbonization” may impact the region’s labor force, including those from disadvantaged communities.
Acquisition Spree Continues
MANUFACTURING: Fluidra Pays $78M for Water Testing Firm
Carlsbad-based Fluidra North America continues to make a big splash in the swimming pool equipment sector, last week announcing its third major acquisition in 2021 – the $78 million purchase of Taylor Water Technologies, a leading manufacturer of water-testing solutions.
Qualcomm Reports Record Q4 Sales
TECH: Diversification Paying Big Dividends
In the weeks heading into the company’s annual Investor’s Day on Nov. 16, Qualcomm has seen its stock price take off as Wall Street seems increasingly certain the San Diego-based company’s big bet on diversification is already paying off.
North San Diego Business Chamber Garners 5-Star Accreditation
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has once again awarded the North San Diego Business Chamber with its 5-Star Accreditation.
Health Centers Earn Quality Awards, $15M in Funding
HEALTHCARE: Facilities Serve Area’s Underserved Patient Populations
San Diego-based Health Center Partners of Southern California (HCP), a regional health care policy advocate for community health centers and underserved patient populations, said 13 of its 17-member health centers earned Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) badges for their recent achievements in access to care, quality outcomes, health equity, information technology and contributions to the COVID-19 pandemic response.
San Diego/Tijuana Named World Design Capital
San Diego and Tijuana’s binational bid to be named a World Design Capital paid big dividends Wednesday when the two cities were selected by the Montreal-based World Design Organization as the World Design Capital for 2024.
Callaway Golf Boosts Q3 Revenue 80%, Raises Full-Year Guidance
Carlsbad-based Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY) posted robust Q3 financial results late Tuesday -- and also increased its guidance for the remainder of 2021.
Qualcomm Vows to Achieve Net-Zero GHG Emissions by 2040
TECH: Company Commits to Science-Based Targets Initiative
On the same day the United Nation’s COP26 climate summit kicked off, Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) vowed on its company blog to achieve “net-zero” global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2040.
ResMed Posts Stellar Q1 Results
MANUFACTURING: Profits Jump 18% Amid Supply Chain Headwinds
San Diego-based ResMed (NASDAQ: RMD) posted strong quarterly results last week, beating analysts’ estimates even as ongoing supply chain bottlenecks slowed delivery and sales of the company’s marketing-leading sleep apnea machines and ventilators used to treat COVID patients.
Viasat to Acquire UK Rival Inmarsat for $7.3 Billion
Carlsbad-based Viasat (NASDAQ: VSAT) on Monday agreed to buy British competitor Inmarsat for $7.3 billion.
ClickUp Raises $400M Series C
TECH: SaaS Startup Sees Explosive Growth
San Diego-based ClickUp has raised $400 million in Series C funding — the single-largest funding round to date in the “workplace productivity” niche of the software-as-a-service (SaaS) market.
Halozyme Reports Record Royalties in Q3
Halozyme Therapeutics (NASDAQ: HALO) saw a big jump in revenue and record quarterly royalties in Q3. On Tuesday, the San Diego-based biopharmaceutical company posted financial results -- and Wall Street applauded.
Signature Resolution Adds Four ‘Neutrals’ to Expanding SD Office
Signature Resolution, a leader in alternative dispute resolution, announced this week that four ‘neutrals’ have joined the firm’s rapidly expanding San Diego office.
‘Conscious Capitalism’ Champion Forsythe to Launch New Book at Virtual Event Wednesday
Entrepreneur, leadership mentor and ‘conscious capitalism’ movement champion DeLinda Forsythe is launching a new book at a virtual event Wednesday (Nov. 3) in San Diego.
Neurocrine Reports Rising Earnings, Record Sales for Ingrezza
San Diego-based Neurocrine Biosciences (NASDAQ: NBIX) reported upbeat Q3 financial results on Monday (Nov. 1), confirming that INGREZZA, the company’s flagship drug that treats tardive dyskinesia, continues to gain market share.
Vuori Gets $400M Investment from SoftBank
RETAIL: Carlsbad Firm to Open 100 New U.S. Stores
Carlsbad-based Vuori has secured a $400 million investment from SoftBank Vision Fund 2 in a deal that values the activewear unicorn at $4 billion – and underscores the excitement buzzing around the surging company known for its ‘SoCal cool’ workout apparel.
Supervisors Postpone Palomar Airport Plan Vote
San Diego County’s board of supervisors have postponed a discussion and potential vote to update the McClellan-Palomar Airport’s 20-year master plan.
Poirier Joins Aptera Motors
STARTUPS: SEV Co. Preparing for Production
San Diego-based Aptera Motors has named Michael Poirier as the company’s new vice president of finance and technology. The key hire comes as the solar electric vehicle (SEV) startup also unveiled ‘Luna,’ the third model in its inaugural line of three-wheelers.
Flock Freight New Unicorn
TECH: Completes $215M Series D Round
Encinitas-based Flock Freight has raised $215 million in a Series D financing round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2.
Female Entrepreneurs Face Funding Challenges
STARTUPS: Top Takeaways from 2021 Women’s Venture Summit
Females make up the fastest-growing entrepreneurial group in the U.S. today, according to a new report from UBS, which found women start an average of 1,800 new businesses a day, generating $1.8 trillion in annual revenue.
Palomar Health Again Named One of Best U.S. Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery
For the sixth straight year, Palomar Medical Center Escondido has been named one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery, Joint Replacement and Spine Surgery, according to new research released by Healthgrades.
Dudek Moves to 100% ESOP
ENGINEERING: Joins Select Group of S.D. Cos.
Dudek, one of California’s leading environmental and engineering consulting firms, became 100% employee-owned earlier this month, joining a select group of other high-profile San Diego-based companies that have embraced an ESOP model in the past few years.
Synergy Health Partners Names New CEO
HEALTHCARE: Daniel G. Siegel to Lead Hospital Staffing Services Company
San Diego-based Synergy Health Partners, a hospital and physician staffing services company, has named Daniel G. Siegel as its new chief executive officer.
Supply Chain Chaos Forcing Businesses To Pivot, Stockpile Inventory
MANUFACTURING: Shortages, Bottlenecks Hitting Local Manufacturers Hard
In recent months, San Diego furniture manufacturer Gil Martin has seen his company’s container rate charges for inventory shipped from Vietnam increase nearly ten-fold – “from $2,600 to as much as $20,000 per container,” said the CEO of Martin Furniture.
Expanding Urban Opportunity
RESOURCES: $500K Given for Business Center
The San Diego Foundation is giving $500,000 to the Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce to help launch the Chamber’s new Urban Business Resource Center (UBRC).
Qualcomm Buys Driving System
TECH: Veoneer Deal Speeds Move Into Sector
Qualcomm emerged last week as the winner in a bidding war for Swedish advanced auto systems maker Veoneer and its state-of-the-art self-driving software suite ‘Arriver.’
UCSD Awarded $929K Grant for Accelerator
EDUCATION: Funds to Benefit Entrepreneurs in Underserved Communities
UC San Diego was awarded nearly $1 million late last month to participate in the ‘Build to Scale’ initiative, a federal program promoting ‘inclusivity’ by encouraging tech-based entrepreneurship in underserved communities.
San Diego’s Top Public Companies See Big Market Cap Gains in FY ’21
Sky-High Stock Prices Fueling Record Run
With stock prices marching steadily higher since the end of the global financial crisis in 2008, it’s no surprise that San Diego’s largest public companies saw sizeable market cap gains in FY ‘21, confirming that old Wall Street adage that “a rising tide lifts all boats.”
