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The Connect Current

The Connect Current

By: Connect
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The Connect Current is your inside look at the people and ideas shaping San Diego’s innovation ecosystem. Produced by Connect, a nonprofit supporting founders and investors for over 40 years, the podcast builds on a legacy of helping high growth companies, including alumni like Cloudbeds, ClickUp, Inhibrx, and NanoCellect Biomedical, grow and scale from San Diego to the global stage. Each episode features relaxed, thoughtful conversations with founders, investors, and community leaders across life science, tech, climate, defense, AI, and more, sharing the stories shaping San Diego innovation. If you’re building, investing, learning, or simply curious about the future of San Diego’s innovation economy, this is your place to stay connected to what’s happening now and what’s next. Science
Episodes
  • What Prebys Ventures Looks for in San Diego Founders featuring Mike Krenn

    What Prebys Ventures Looks for in San Diego Founders featuring Mike Krenn
    May 26 2026
    In this episode of The Connect Current, we sit down with Mike Krenn, Managing Director of Prebys Ventures, to explore what investors are really looking for in founders and early-stage companies. The conversation dives into how Prebys Ventures is approaching investment in San Diego’s innovation economy, what makes a company truly investable, and where founders most often struggle when raising capital. Mike also shares practical insight on how entrepreneurs can present themselves more effectively, build stronger investor conversations, and better position their companies for long-term growth and impact.
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    20 mins
  • How Founders Can Connect with SDSU’s Research and Innovation Engine featuring Hala Madanat

    How Founders Can Connect with SDSU’s Research and Innovation Engine featuring Hala Madanat
    May 19 2026
    In this episode of The Connect Current, we sit down with Hala Madanat, Vice President for Research and Innovation at San Diego State University, to explore how universities can play a larger role in helping founders build and scale companies. The conversation dives into SDSU’s growing strengths across AI, National Security, technology, workforce development, and applied research, along with how startups can better engage with university talent, research, and partnerships. Hala also shares her perspective on connecting innovation to real-world impact and why stronger collaboration between academia, startups, and industry is critical to San Diego’s future innovation economy.
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    23 mins
  • Turning Experience Into Action featuring Will Bright

    Turning Experience Into Action featuring Will Bright
    May 12 2026
    In this episode of The Connect Current, we sit down with Will Bright, Founder and CEO of Saferide.ai, to explore how personal experience can shape meaningful innovation. Will shares the journey that led to building a company focused on safety and mobility, and how lived insight can translate into real world solutions. The conversation highlights what it takes to turn an idea into action, the challenges of building with purpose, and the role of technology in creating safer, more connected communities. This episode offers a grounded look at how founders can transform personal perspective into lasting impact.
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    25 mins
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