Feb. '26 Newsletter
Bammm! April 17th
San Diego is a sports town…You read it here first in 2017 when “that other team” tried to rent a fan base and stadium up north…still trying. Meanwhile, have we got Futbol! The SD Football Club had an amazing year…ditto for the Wave. How ‘bout those Padres…gonna beat LA this year, for sure. Did you know we have several other premium pro sport clubs in town, like the amazing Gulls or the womens’ indoor pro Volleyball, the Mojo. Hot! So many choices in a town reputed to be “too small for pro sports.”
We are lucky here at SDSI, having most of the pro teams as members, lucky because we attend so many of the various games. I want to tell you about being a Grandad and an experience I had: I took my grandson and his buddy to a Seals indoor lacrosse game, of course got there about 2 minutes late. As we worked our way down, just before we made it our seats, BAMM, a BIG collision occurred right in our face, Mano a Mano, right on the boards. My 11 year old grandie, “Mr Seen it all, Mr. Tablet,” looked up in amazement and said just what every old guy wants to hear: “OH man, Grandpa, this is so Awesome!!” I was in with a lifetime memory.
On April 17th, Friday night, the Seals are looking to lock in a playoff berth. You can join me, my family and a bunch of SDSI members in helping the Seals sell out the arena and help propel the Seals on to the playoffs. I guarantee that if you bring a young family member, they will LOVE the action and you and yours will have a memorable night. Go to the Seals website and reserve a ticket. Use this link for discounted tickets. Do it now, See ya there!
- Bob
February is Innovation Month at SDSI: Celebrate with us Thursday Night, Feb 26
Is there anything more “on Brand” than celebrating Innovation at SDSI? Our space is the San Diego Lifestyle Industry. And our space has been the birthplace of so many iconic brands: UGG, Volcom, TaylorMade Golf, Taylor Guitars, GovX, Sun Bum, Callaway, Electra Bikes, just to name a very few. Twice a year we celebrate a particular person or Brand who represents the aspirational nature of brand creation with our Eye of the Innovator event. Past interviews included Adam Cheyer, Founder of Siri, Joe Kudla from Vuori, Guy Kawasaki, author, and OG Macintosh marketer. THURSDAY night, 5PM on Feb 26th at Reef HQ, join us to meet Ross Garrett, CEO of Surfline for an up close and personal look at the people and most fundamental product in our coastal life! Email Dylan@sdsportinnovators.com to RSVP.
163 and Counting…
Amazingly, 163 new companies have been matriculated from the Walton Innovation Lab. The stats defy belief: 78% success rate. 35% founded or led by women. $100 Million in start-up capital. 1000+ new jobs! Graduating with this degree is the very best chance for a young company to succeed, 78% have already! SDSI, and the incredible mentors who power this program, are thrilled to welcome our newest cohort of founders into the Walton Innovation Lab. Each cohort is part of the flywheel that fuels innovation across our industry. Through mentorship from a community that shows up, founders leave stronger, more connected, and better prepared to scale their business. Congrats to the next cohort, the next wave of companies, and the continued momentum of a program that keeps our community and industry flourishing. Keep an eye out for the March newsletter, to meet the new cohort. Special shout out to Dana Rowley for all of her hard work in keeping this program thriving, cohort after cohort!
Winners of the SDSI CARV Expo Grant…
We are excited to announce Selk’Bag and Gear Hugger are the winners of the SDSI CARV Grant! With this grant, both companies will have their own booths at the CARV Expo, showcasing their innovative products at the show and connecting with leaders across the outdoor and active industries. If you want to see the California Lifestyle industry in action, this is the place. If you are a potential exhibitor (if you are not sure, you are!) there are still limited spaces available for your brand to exhibit, learn more about CARV Expo here.