SAN MARCOS, Calif. – San Diego’s growing reputation as a wireless health care force is about to get a legion of small businesses on its side through an innovative program that will help entrepreneurs through those difficult stages of starting up and growing their companies.
The “Wireless Health Hub” is being developed by SoCal Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development Inc. at the Paseo del Oro development on West Mission Road in San Marcos. The program will occupy more than 4,700 square feet of commercial space in the mixed-use development.
The WHH is made up of both a Seed Acclerator program and Business Incubator.  Seed accelerators are designed to connect entrepreneurs with mentors, support services and access to start-up capital. Studies have shown that small start-ups that complete incubator programs such as this are twice as likely to stay in business, said Charles P. Zahl, director and treasurer of the SoCal EED.
“San Marcos is a perfect location for the incubator with its easy access to freeways, its local colleges and its proximity to San Diego, which has become a hub for wireless health care,” Zahl said. “We’re able to pull from a very rich pool of intellectual capital in a city that’s been able to position itself very well through the economic downturn.”
The San Marcos program will launch in August or September, and will target entrepreneurs specializing in wireless health care devices. This growth industry uses technology to help connect patients and health care services in situations where traditional in-person visits aren’t necessary.
San Diego has emerged as a global leader in the field with its access to technology development and health care. The Wireless-Life Sciences Alliance calls San Diego “the perfect focal point for the ongoing dialogue among companies, professionals, academia, entrepreneurs and capital sources on the convergence of wireless technologies, the life sciences and consumers.”
To help make that happen, SoCal EED will create an “entrepreneurial ecosystem” at Paseo del Oro, aligning early-stage business owners with the resources and expertise they will need to succeed.
John Seymour, vice president of acquisitions and forward planning for National CORE, which developed Paseo del Oro, described the incubator program as an ideal fit. National CORE is the third largest national developer of affordable housing.
“This program is true to our mission of enhancing the quality of lives in the communities we serve,” Seymour said. “We’re delighted to have the space available to do this kind of innovative business development and job creation.”
In addition to Paseo del Oro, National CORE is building another mixed-use project, Westlake Village, across the street. Westlake will include about 6,100 square feet of commercial space.
CORE manages 8,800 units in California, Arkansas, Texas and Florida, and through its Hope through Housing subsidiary has provided more than 2 million hours in supportive services to enhance quality of life, including preschool, afterschool and senior wellness programs.
SoCal EED is a 501 (c) (3) organization, focused on creating entrepreneurial ecosystems that lead to sustainable job creation in Southern California. The firm runs 90-day seed stage accelerator programs in Gaming and Computer Simulation (Corona), Life Sciences and Defense (Murrieta), and Wireless Health (North County San Diego).
In addition to the accelerator, each program is matched with a business incubator so the startup companies have a place to go on Day 91 to continue to build their business, while seeking funding. SoCal EED creates a support network of mentors and investors to build a strong startup community in Southern California.
For more information on the Seed Accelerator Program, contact Charles P. Zahl at (760) 213-7269, or visit www.socaleed.org.
Contact:
Charles P. Zahl, SoCal Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development Inc.
(760) 213-7269 | [email protected]
Steve Lambert, The 20/20 Network
(909) 841-7527 | [email protected]