Welcome to the 13th Annual…
Happening October 2026. Join us for San Diego Startup Week! Take part in a full week of programming where thousands of Founders, Entrepreneurs, Designers, Investors, Students, and Startup Leaders will come together. Be part of the innovation happening in the San Diego – Baja startup community!









Startup San Diego is back again with the 13th annual San Diego Startup Week. This premier conference celebrates and convenes the San Diego and Tijuana startup community. Join us on October 2026 for five days of curated content and experiences that will bring together thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, executives, and talent to connect, educate, and inspire the San Diego innovation ecosystem. Startup Week Experiences include networking, mentorship madness, pitch competitions and tournaments, startup expos, and more. Make sure to get your ticket and be at the center of all things startups!
11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
1:00 PM – 8:00 PM
10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
San Diego Startup Week 2025 is proudly powered by:










Get connected with some of San Diego’s top entrepreneurs, founders, investors, talent and business professionals!
Kick off & close San Diego Startup Week with keynote speakers and connect with local startups at the Startup Expos.
This will be an all encompassing conferencing highlighting different startup hubs and resources for founders and entrepreneurs in San Diego and Tijuana.
Intercollegiate and Heavyweight startups will go head-to-head for one of the toughest pitch competitions in San Diego!
Connect with the best startups and community leaders. Network with the startup ecosystem and thrive.
Take part in a unique international experience with programming in Tijuana, MX and San Diego, CA!

Monday, October 6th in Carlsbad Village
“In Our Backyard” kicks off San Diego Startup Week 2025, Monday, October 6th, with an experience for founders ready to grow from the ground up. As funding tightens and big bets become harder to land, this gathering is about what’s possible here and now, with what you already have.
The day will end with a Keynote Fireside Chat with Michael Milam, Chief Operations Officer at Dr. Bronner’s.

Tuesday, October 7th at Mintz
Get a first look at San Diego’s most promising early-stage startups during San Diego Startup Week’s Founders Showcase on Tuesday, October 7th, designed to celebrate & converge founders and funders.
Featuring the top finalists from our premier pitch competitions alongside standout founders from across the region, this event spotlights ventures rooted in San Diego’s innovation ecosystem and built for global scale.

Wednesday, October 8th at The Parma Payne Goodall SDSU Alumni Center
Embrace the heart of San Diego Startup Week at SDSU, where you can learn firsthand how to navigate entrepreneurial twists, turns, & teammates! Immerse yourself in co-founder matching, one-on-one mentoring, & gain tangible insights on early-stage angel investing directly from the San Diego Angels Conference.
End the evening with an inspirational keynote talk from Trish Clifford, Co-Founder of Leche.

Thursday, October 9th, at Arkusnexus in Tijuana, Mexico
Join San Diego Startup Week’s cross-border excursion to Tijuana, Thursday, October 9th, where entrepreneurs leverage Baja’s strategic trans-Pacific position between the U.S., Mexico, and Asia to build globally competitive companies. Connect with industry leaders, discover nearshoring opportunities, and experience how local innovation scales worldwide through authentic cultural immersion and concrete business partnerships. Round-trip transportation from the Tijuana border to Arkusnexus included.

Friday, October 10th, UCSD Design & Innovation Building
The culmination of San Diego Startup Week 2025, Friday, October 10th, features industry-led panels, workshops, expos, and the Founders Fight Club Heavyweight Pitch Competition & Tournament all showcasing San Diego’s innovative forces and leaders driving and funding technological advancements in tech, AI, & robotics.
Discover how physical and embodied robotics drives breakthroughs in tech and beyond with capstone programming showcasing some of San Diego’s startup unicorns and an exciting keynote speaker TBA!

Main Venue: The Dea Hurston New Village Arts, 2787 State St, Carlsbad, CA 92008
Parking: Free parking will be available at the Carlsbad Village Train station (2775 State St, Carlsbad, CA 92008). Get there early to guarantee parking, or there is free street parking along State street or Roosevelt Street.
NCTD Coaster: If you plan to take the Coaster to Carlsbad, please be aware that the last coaster back to San Diego will be at 7:43 PM. Check out the full schedule here and plan accordingly.

Main Venue: Mintz (3580 Carmel Mountain Rd, Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92130).
Parking: Free parking is available in the building’s parking garage.
Our office is in the second building (#3580) in the cul-de-sac.
From the North (Los Angeles/Orange County)
From the South (Lindbergh Field Airport)

Venue: The SDSU Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center, 5250 55th St, San Diego, CA 92182
Free Parking: Free parking is available for attendees on campus! NOTE: You will need your license plate number to register your car. There will also be an option to scan a QR Code at registration to secure your complimentary parking.
Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy free food, snacks, & beverages! Below is more information to help inform your parking and transportation for the event.
Secure your FREE parking spot on campus between 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
MTS Public Transit Information:

Main Venue: ArkusNexus MindHub (Suchiate 13, Revolucion, 22015 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico). Complimentary valet parking will be available in their parking garage.
Crossing together by with San Diego Startup Week team and attendees: If you are crossing by foot with the Startup Week team, meet us at the PedEast US border entry just a few steps from the San Ysidro Trolley.
We will walk across the border at 1:00 PM, and a shuttle bus will take us directly to the ArkusNexus MindHub building. Please have your passport with you for this day!
If you miss the walking group or want to come in later, feel free to Uber or take a taxi right from the border, it will cost around 100-200 pesos ($5 USD – $10 USD).
Paid Parking Options on the San Diego side:
Free Parking on the San Diego side:

Main Venue: UCSD Design and Innovation Building, 9510 Innovation Ln, La Jolla, CA 92093
Parking: Although public transportation is highly recommended as parking is limited on campus, there are several parking lots near the building for those needing to drive. If you plan to drive to campus, please give yourself plenty of time. You can download the ParkMobile app to pay for your space digitally once you find a spot.
For more information, refer to Transportation Services’ Visitor Parking.
Public transportation: All visitors to the DIB are encouraged to use the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System when visiting UC San Diego. The trolley is an excellent option for travel to campus.
Make the most out of your San Diego Startup Week experience. Join the Startup San Diego Slack community and start talking to different attendees and community members.
New this year, we’re expanding our platform by launching Startup Week X – the official community-driven track for San Diego Startup Week. This is your opportunity to host your own independently-run free event—a panel, workshop, pitch night, networking mixer, demo showcase, or something brand new—and be featured as an official part of San Diego Startup Week!
Whether you’re an avid organizer or new to the scene, Startup Week x gives you the platform, support, and spotlight to reach 2k+ startup stakeholders across the region between October 6th-10th, 2025. We’re calling on all community organizers, industry leaders, founders, funders, service providers, and changemakers to create something extraordinary.
Startup Week X is a series of free, community-driven events designed to amplify visibility, accessibility, and connectivity to our region’s vast resources, industries, verticals for growth, & communities.
Event submissions are open from August 4, 2025 – September 17, 2025. Join the biggest startup-focused week in Southern California!
• Event Passes
• One Year Recognition
• Premium Branding
• Sponsor Table
• Event Passes
• One Year Recognition
• Speaking Opportunity
• Premium Branding
• Sponsor Table
• Event Passes
• One Year Recognition
• Exclusive Presenting Sponsor
• Speaking Opportunity
• Premium Branding
• Sponsor Table
• Event Passes
• One Year Recognition
• Title Sponsor of Startup Week
• Exclusive Presenting Sponsor
• Speaking Opportunity
• Premium Branding
• Sponsor Table
• Event Passes
• One Year Recognition
Take your brand to the next level and get in front of thousands of individuals within your market. With over 2,000+ attendees expected to attend, 5 days of panels, workshops and events. Become a San Diego Startup Week sponsor and support the startup community while elevating your brand.
Contact Executive Director Lisa Barnhouse for San Diego Startup Week Sponsorship Opportunities at [email protected].
San Diego Startup Week is a weeklong program bringing together founders, investors, entrepreneurs, students, and anyone interested in the innovation economy. People can learn from panelists, workshops, and mentorship one-on-ones, as well as participate in networking and happy hour events.
Want to get in front of thousands of people? Exhibit at San Diego Startup Week and present your product or service to individuals within your target audience.
Startup San Diego is dedicated to serving the community and making our events accessible to all. If you are experiencing financial hardship send us an email and we will be providing sponsored tickets on an at need basis.