About the San Diego Venture Group
Building the VC Community in Southern California
Attend SDVG Events
Meet successful founders, CEOs, and investors from around the region.
San Diego Venture Group
Elevating the San Diego Innovation Economy
Founded in 1986, SDVG is a non-profit organization designed to bring together people who are interested in new ventures and furthering individual companies, as well as our overall innovation community.
We are working hard to further San Diego’s status as a leading entrepreneurial and venture region. We regularly meet with startup companies and investors – both here and outside of San Diego. It is our mission to elevate the funding environment and growth prospects for our local startups. It is all about the companies, for the companies. We further work to support our venture capital eco-system by providing an informal and dynamic environment for entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, community leaders, and business advisors to develop greater insights into the process of forming, funding, and scaling high growth companies.
There are ten monthly meetings of the SDVG each year. Each meeting typically features a panel discussion by cross-industry experts on a specific entrepreneurial topic. Panelist are most always a combination of been-there-done-that CEOs along with venture capital investors. Meetings provide a friendly atmosphere for social contacts with peers — opportunities to expand one’s circle of friends and acquaintances with common interests.
We encourage you to connect and stay tuned!
Become a Member of SDVG
Play a principal role in bringing about high growth enterprise in San Diego.
Join the SDVG LinkedIn Group
Join members in the SDVG LinkedIn Group for funding news and discussions.
Follow SDVG on Twitter
Join in real-time discussions and updates in the San Diego funding scene.
“ San Diego Venture Group is on a mission to help grow the emerging startup community in San Diego.
Helping existing companies get better.
Helping those that are ready connect with capital.
Developing the San Diego brand in Silicon Valley, such that the VCs there proactively seek out our companies.
San Diego a great place to park their VC dollars. ”
— Mike Krenn
President of SDVG
The SDVG Team
Mike Krenn
President of SDVG
Mike has been fortunate to work with hundreds of companies and entrepreneurs, helping over 75 companies raise startup capital, in excess of $150M. He also has experience (and empathy) with startups, having worked as a COO and VP of BD at a privately-funded technology startup. He was a founder of both the Tech Coast Angels and CommNexus. While at DLA Piper, he founded Venture Pipeline — a free service that matches entrepreneurs with capital sources nationally, though primarily VC funds based in Silicon Valley. He has served on boards for Connect, The MIT Forum, the San Diego Software Council, and numerous other organizations.
Cait Kelly
Program Manager
Cait is Program Manager for SDVG. She’s also the BeachHead Coordinator, SDVG’s SF office. She’s an Analyst at SEED San Diego and Program Coordinator for the new accelerator program, Ad Astra Ventures. She’s a boss.
Nicole Leandra
Creative Director
Nicole is the creative and web designer for SDVG. She’s web designer and creative director for SD’s new Ad Astra Ventures. She advises the brand and communications for Startup San Diego and SD Startup Week. She designed the community campaign for The BeachHead, and the brand and website for SDVG’s Tacos & Tech #UltimateLifeHack recruitment campaign.
The SDVG Board
The SDVG Board of Directors is comprised of some of San Diego’s top executives, market influencers and investors. It is by design, a diverse group, inclusive of been-there-done-that leaders, along with CEOs currently in the trenches. With a dedicated “working” board, SDVG is committed to making a meaningful and tangible impact for our start-up companies and overall innovation economy.
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Megan2013-01-24 02:54:052016-08-17 02:48:02Robert Baltera
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Nicole Leandra
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Nicole Leandra2017-06-30 05:53:492017-06-30 06:03:48Beck Bamberger
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Megan2013-01-24 02:58:072016-07-17 07:06:14Lee Barken
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Ariel Ruben2016-03-03 04:29:502016-07-17 07:35:31Jeffrey Belk
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Ariel Ruben2017-12-08 15:30:332018-02-22 00:30:31Gary Benitt
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Ariel Ruben2016-03-03 04:33:092016-07-17 06:52:32Neal Bloom
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admin2014-04-09 08:24:302016-09-29 01:31:33Mark Bowles
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admin2011-09-26 17:25:152017-12-01 06:49:34Matt Browne
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admin2011-09-26 17:23:322016-09-29 01:34:31Carin Canale-Theakston (Chairman)
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Megan2013-01-24 03:03:502016-08-17 02:46:18David Coats
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admin2014-02-01 08:12:382016-07-18 19:43:39Michele Comtois
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admin2014-02-01 08:33:092016-07-18 19:46:52Shannon Conway
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Ariel Ruben2016-03-04 05:54:342016-07-18 19:50:53Stacey Davenport
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Ariel Ruben2017-12-08 15:39:512017-12-08 15:39:51Dan Dehner
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admin2011-09-26 17:27:162016-07-18 20:07:54Bill Eigner
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Ariel Ruben2016-03-04 05:59:322016-07-18 20:11:49Emad Fareed
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Megan
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Megan2016-03-04 06:02:192016-07-18 20:17:01Scott Foote
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Megan2015-01-13 23:36:562016-07-18 20:23:38KC Freer
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Ariel Ruben2017-12-08 15:54:202017-12-08 15:54:55Kris George
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admin2011-09-26 17:30:572016-07-18 20:26:08Scot Ginsburg
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admin2011-09-26 17:32:032016-07-18 20:28:44Jeremy Glaser
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Megan2016-03-09 00:21:272016-07-15 05:17:46Gerardo Godinez
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Nicole Leandra
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Nicole Leandra2016-06-17 02:55:432016-08-17 05:39:17Mike Grey
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Megan2013-01-24 03:05:022017-12-07 10:59:03Adam Harris
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Megan2016-03-04 06:05:232016-07-16 05:16:35Kristina Hess
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Megan2016-03-04 06:09:542017-08-21 14:58:38Ken Hood
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admin2011-09-26 17:32:592016-07-18 20:44:02Michael Howard (Treasurer)
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Ariel Ruben2016-03-04 06:13:062016-07-16 05:21:18Kristi Jaska
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Ariel Ruben2018-01-17 14:06:432018-01-17 14:09:50Grant Jordan
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Megan2016-03-03 02:05:412017-12-04 10:59:20Jonathan Kabakoff
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Ariel Ruben2017-12-07 13:52:392018-02-22 00:29:04Kim Kamdar
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admin2013-02-23 03:47:372016-07-18 20:51:58Afif Khoury
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Megan2016-03-04 06:22:482016-07-15 07:14:53Cheston Larson
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Megan2016-03-04 21:39:302016-07-15 06:13:17Craig Lee
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Megan2015-01-13 23:44:262018-03-28 14:52:47Quinn Li
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Ariel Ruben
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Ariel Ruben2017-12-08 15:10:292017-12-08 15:10:29Jay Lichter
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Megan2016-03-04 21:43:232018-04-03 15:34:02Allison Long Pettine
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Megan2015-01-13 23:05:592017-12-01 07:57:48Tim McIntire
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admin2011-09-26 17:35:242016-07-19 04:48:53Bill Molloie
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Megan2016-03-04 21:46:242016-07-15 06:06:01Derrick Oien
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Megan2015-01-15 07:13:032016-07-19 04:53:52Eric Otterson
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Ariel Ruben2017-12-08 16:34:572017-12-08 16:34:57Todd Poling
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Ariel Ruben
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Ariel Ruben2017-12-08 15:14:062018-02-22 00:25:42Wendy Rogers
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Megan2012-01-03 03:21:202016-07-19 05:02:12Christian Salaman
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Ariel Ruben
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Ariel Ruben2017-05-04 06:16:242017-05-04 06:16:24Killu Sanborn
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admin2011-09-26 17:37:392016-07-19 05:46:46Peter Shaw
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Megan2016-03-03 02:08:552016-07-19 05:50:12Sureel Sheth
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Ariel Ruben
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Ariel Ruben2016-03-03 02:14:492016-08-17 02:47:51Stuart Starr
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Megan2012-01-03 03:27:292017-04-01 13:38:37Bruce Steel
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Megan2013-01-24 03:15:132016-07-19 05:54:29Randy Socol
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Ariel Ruben
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Ariel Ruben2017-12-08 15:20:002017-12-08 15:20:00Drew Spaventa
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Megan2016-03-04 21:53:112016-07-15 05:59:06Lori Steele
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Megan2016-03-04 21:56:512016-07-15 05:33:26Andy Summers
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Megan2015-01-15 07:16:422016-07-19 06:03:46David Titus
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Megan2012-01-03 03:28:432017-08-17 09:53:13Court Turner
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Ariel Ruben
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Ariel Ruben2017-12-08 15:36:222017-12-08 15:36:22Mark Wicker
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Megan2013-01-24 03:07:062017-12-07 10:30:45Tyler Wilson
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Ariel Ruben
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Ariel Ruben2016-02-08 23:32:242017-12-07 10:43:58Doug WinterSan Diego Venture Group HQ is located at the Alexandria across from Torrey Pines.
SDVG Press
Upcoming Events
Jun
25
Mon
12:35 am
San Diego Startup Week
@ Civic Center
San Diego Startup Week
@ Civic Center
Jun 25 @ 12:35 am – Jun 29 @ 1:35 am
Once a year, Startup San Diego brings together thousands of entrepreneurs, developers, designers, students, and community leaders. #SDSW
Jul
25
Wed
4:00 pm
Summer Social Beer Bash 2018
@ Scripps Seaside Forum
Summer Social Beer Bash 2018
@ Scripps Seaside Forum
Jul 25 @ 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The party of the summer 500+ of your SDVG friends. Spend an afternoon oceanside, at the beautiful Scripps Seaside Forum. Join SDVG for our Summer Social Beer Bash! Sample some of San Diego’s best[...]
Aug
16
Thu
7:00 am
Venture Summit 2018
@ Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Venture Summit 2018
@ Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Aug 16 @ 7:00 am – 12:00 pm
The largest annual gathering of VCs in Southern California! San Diego’s premier venture capital networking event of the year! Venture Summit is the largest annual gathering of VCs outside Silicon Valley. Join the venture capital community, meet some[...]