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.
Nicole Leandra
Creative Director
Nicole is the creative and web designer for SDVG. She runs the brand and communications for Startup San Diego and SD Startup Week. She designed the community campaign for The BeachHead, the brand and website for Tacos & Tech and Ad Astra Ventures.
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 Leandra2017-06-30 05:53:492017-06-30 06:03:48Beck Bamberger
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Ariel Ruben2017-12-08 15:30:332018-02-22 00:30:31Gary Benitt
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admin2014-04-09 08:24:302016-09-29 01:31:33Mark Bowles
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admin2011-09-26 17:23:322016-09-29 01:34:31Carin Canale-Theakston (Chairman)
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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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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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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 Leandra2017-12-08 16:26:092017-12-08 16:26:09Mike Green
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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 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 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 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 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 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 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
Apr
26
Thu
1:30 pm
Xconomy Forum: Big Data Meets Bi...
@ The Illumina Theater at the Alexandria
Xconomy Forum: Big Data Meets Bi...
@ The Illumina Theater at the Alexandria
Apr 26 @ 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm
San Diego has been embracing this convergence of Big Data and Big Biology, combining the region’s expertise in chip design, computing, and predictive analytics with its leadership in genomics, diagnostics, and drug development. Major players[...]
May
16
Wed
6:00 pm
Wine Social
@ Knobbe Martens
Wine Social
@ Knobbe Martens
May 16 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
MIT Enterprise Forum of San Diego hosts its 15th annual Wine Social, Wednesday, May 16 at Knobbe Martens. Beautiful Waterfalls in Del Mar, unlimited tastings of California’s finest wines, and a gourmet French dinner, while[...]
May
23
Wed
4:00 pm
Be Cool: Meet SD’s Coolest 2018 ...
@ Farmer & the Seahorse
Be Cool: Meet SD’s Coolest 2018 ...
@ Farmer & the Seahorse
May 23 @ 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
MEET SAN DIEGO’S UP & COMING COOLEST COMPANIES Last year, only the Selection Committees saw all the Cool Company 2017 applicants. Now, we’re bringing 2018 applicants to the Farmer & the Seahorse for the whole San Diego community to meet!
SD Funding News
SD Startup Exposure Tracker is Acquired by Envisage TechnologiesApril 20, 2018 - 3:29 pm
Real Estate Lead-listing Tech Startup Agentology Raises $12M Series A RoundApril 18, 2018 - 3:18 pm
Real Estate Tech Startup Measurabl Raises $7M in Series A RoundApril 16, 2018 - 3:24 pm
YourCause Acquires Profits4Purpose Expanding Employee Reach and Social Impact of Global Good NetworkApril 4, 2018 - 10:23 am
Vividion Therapeutics launches with $50M pledged from Arch Venture Partners and Versant VenturesFebruary 2, 2018 - 11:32 am
LendingPoint Acquires LoanHero to Accelerate Expansion to Point-of-Sale and Point-of-Need FinancingJanuary 11, 2018 - 8:42 am- Expansion Therapeutics Raises $55.3M in Series AJanuary 3, 2018 - 8:11 am