5 San Diego Startups to Watch in 2016

There’s no doubt that San Diego is a great place to be if you’re a startup. It’s surrounded by excellent universities like USD and SDSU and bustling business. A recent success story was GoFundMe, which had a $600 million price tag when it went up for sale. But what are the new startups taking over San Diego?

Mogl

Mogl is an app that rewards customers for dining at select restaurants in San Diego. It gives users the opportunity to earn cash back or points, which can then be used for hotel stays or flights. The company is also charity focused and allows users to donate some or all of their cash back to local charities. It’s a startup to watch as the company just received more than $42 million in investor funding. Also, according to the app, thousands of restaurants have joined, and they’ve donated more than 761,000 meals to those in need. 

Cloudbeds

Cloudbeds is a browser-based hospitality management software used by hotels in over 115 countries. It has a SaaS platform that helps independent hoteliers and hostel owners run their businesses. It was founded in 2012 and now employs over 50 people. It recently garnered $6.5 million in investment.

TakeLessons

TakeLessons is a website that lets people search for certified teachers offering lessons in disciplines like dance, foreign language, and music. It’s simple to use with user reviews, cost, and location all available on the site. The company has already facilitated more than 1.2 million lessons and received a $20 million investment funding deal.

GUNNAR Optiks

Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is a problem for the digital generation that GUNNAR Optiks is working to combat. It’s the only patented computer eyewear recommended by doctors to protect and enhance your vision. Their glasses alleviate all common causes of digital eye strain and visual fatigue.

3D Robotics

Billed as the biggest commercial drone-maker in North America, 3D Robotics designs and manufactures open-source, unmanned aerial vehicles for personal and business use. In the spring of 2015, they received $50 million in funding from Qualcomm, and overall they’ve raised $99 million.

If you want to learn more about how to leverage your MBA to land San Diego startup jobs then make sure to check out our article How MBA Grads Can Land Startup Jobs.

regions: San Diego

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