Innovation Instigator. Venture guy. Community builder. Longtime SD doer. Working to create the best damn innovation ecosystem on the planet.

Leading the effort to make San Diego better for future generations. Founder of NuFund (formerly Tech Coast Angels -1996) one of the first angel networks in the country. Founder of what is now EvoNexus (formerly CommNexus -1998). Founded the Venture Pipeline group (www.venturepipeline.com) - the first venture business unit inside a law firm (2001). Led inflow of VCs to San Diego with launch of Cool Co's program in 2015 - dragging VCs to to SD. Ran sassy billboards on the 101, and a job fair across the street from Google, attracting engineers to SD (2016). Led San Diego to be the first city with an office in SF - free for startups to use (2017). In 2022 - we launched the biggest SD innovation in the region's history, taking over Petco Park for Innovation Day. Launched coolest needle-moving DEI program (XEO) in 2022. Launching TreeLady project in 2024. We now bring over 200 VCs to San Diego annually. SD went from a $1B market to $5B+ I have been fortunate to work with hundreds of entrepreneurs, helping 100+ companies raise startup capital, in excess of $1B (No BS). And.. with my amazing Connect team, we do it all for FREE. All for the good of San Diego's startup and innovation ecosystem. No other city i know has anything like Connect. It's genuine, and amazing. I also have experience (and empathy) with start-ups, having worked as a COO at a startup. I've raised venture. And I'm a small LP in Sequoia fund XII - which on social media makes me a VC i hear (haha). I like do-ers. I like good humans. Social media likes are not the equivalent of social good doing. I like those that move the needle in the right way. People who care more about the next gen than likes on social media. I'm also just a guy. I abhor arrogance. We can all make good sh#t happen. Especially together. I used to be pretty good at basketball. No offense to the other Mike, but they called me Skinny Mike. Anyway.. I've done some things. Spoken a lot. Sat on lots of boards and committees. Got some awards. Yada yada. Best of all, i was once labeled a "bargain" by my kids. Working to do my part in an effort to get them the San Diego they deserve!