Welcome to the Social Coyote!
I’ve been stuck on a thought for a while.
San Diego is a massive city, one of the top ten in the country. And yet people still describe our tech scene as “intimate,” sometimes even small.
How is that possible?
A theory I’ve been tossing around, and testing over coffees, is that our industry mix creates that impression. Much of the work happening here is quiet by nature.
Military tech doesn’t broadcast what it’s doing, for obvious reasons. Biotech tends to stay heads-down until late FDA moments. And companies like Qualcomm have powered entire categories, like the iPhone, for years without needing the spotlight.
That’s certainly part of the story. But it doesn’t explain everything.
In many ways, size is a feeling, not just a metric.
It’s how a community welcomes newcomers. It’s how often people go out of their way to make thoughtful connections. It’s the sense that you know who to call, or that you keep running into people you can open doors for, too.
The industry mix explains some of why we look small from the outside. But the people aren’t hidden. The builders are here.
And when you’re on the ground in San Diego, you notice something different. A tight-knit community that’s willing to connect and support one another, often just for the good of the community.
That’s our real superpower as a city.
Howl yeah, it’s Monday!
What we’re howling about this week: |
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Tuesday, January 27
($) RTP Communities: San Diego Gaming Leaders Happy Hour at 4:30 PM - Carlsbad … approval required
Wednesday, January 28
Biotech Beach and Brews at 5:30 PM - Morena
Nucleate SD: Inside Venture Creation 101 at 6:00 PM - UCSD
San Diego Cyber Group Meetup at 6:00 PM - Mission Valley
Thursday, January 29
Overlooked Habits for B2B Sales at 6:00 PM - Hillcrest
Saturday, January 31
UXR Sip & Stroll at 10:00 AM - Mission Bay
Sunday, February 1
YC x SDx at 12:00 PM - UCSD
What we’re howling about next week: |
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Wednesday, February 4
($) MetroConnect VIII Kickoff at 8:30 AM - Little Italy
Startup Stories: Steven Borrelli at 6:00 PM - SDSU
Thursday, February 5
Meet the VC with Jon Bassett, Garrett Smith, and Nick Mourlas at 4:30 PM - UCSD
The AI Social: Conversations for Everyone at 5:45 PM - OB
Friday, February 6
SD Founders Hike at 6:30 AM - Torrey Pines Glider Port
If I were making a critical technical hire, I’d call Kanani. |
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Especially if it’s a role where getting it wrong would slow the whole team down.
Kanani runs Kismet Search, a boutique technology and executive recruiting firm. She’s a native San Diegan, raised in Solana Beach, and she really understands the local talent market. Engineers, technical leaders, and executives, she knows where to look and how to make the right match.
If you’re early in the process and want to avoid a costly mis-hire, I’m happy to make the intro.
A few more happenings to have on our radar |
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Friday, May 22
TechCon SoCal 2026 - SDSU … use code: SOCAL26HOWLYEAH
Coyote Classifieds (v1) |
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A few weeks ago, Keith Chester shared a simple idea: classified-style posts for asks and offers. Our community wants to help, but a lot of good requests get lost in DMs.
So I’m testing Coyote Classifieds, a lightweight place to share an ask or an offer to help the pack.
It’s live, with a little light curation.
Howl yeah! I’m happy you’re here,
Jonah 🐺 “the Howl Guy”
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A few helpful links:
Looking for a new job in San Diego? Career Coyote
Planning a tech event? Let’s connect
Prefer email? [email protected]
New ‘round here? Join the pack 🐺
Know someone who should be here, getting connected with us?
Here’s your personal refer-howl
