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Top 47 San Diego Startups to Watch in 2026

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San Diego has established itself as a key hub for biotechnology startups. The local ecosystem is defined by companies developing new medical and life science technologies.

Avenzo Therapeutics, a cancer therapy developer founded in 2022, has already raised $841.9M. This level of investment is also seen in other fields, with security company Drata raising over $328M.

Below is our list of 47 San Diego startups worth keeping an eye on.

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Avenzo Therapeutics develops novel oncology therapies for difficult-to-treat cancers. Their work is centered on advancing a pipeline of clinical-stage treatments to provide new options for patients.

Year Founded2022
FoundersAthena Countouriotis, Mohammad Hirmand
Funding Amount$841.9M
Startup SizeLean Team (11-50)
Last Funding StatusSeries B
Top InvestorsOrbiMed, New Enterprise Associates, INCE Capital, SR One, Lilly Asia Ventures

Debut develops novel ingredients and formulations for the beauty industry using biotechnology. Their platform produces high-performance, sustainable alternatives to traditional cosmetic components.

Year Founded2019
FoundersJoshua Britton
Funding Amount$86.2M
Startup SizeMid-Size Team (51-250)
Last Funding StatusVenture Round
Top InvestorsMaterial Impact, Sandbox Industries, Better Ventures, Cantos, KdT Ventures

Cordial builds a cross-channel marketing and data platform that helps marketers use their customer data to send highly personalized messages. The platform enables brands to connect with their audience through email, SMS, and mobile apps in real time.

Year Founded2014
FoundersAdam Gillespie, Chris McGreal, David Baker, Jeremy Swift
Funding Amount$73.6M
Startup SizeMid-Size Team (51-250)
Last Funding StatusSeries C
Top InvestorsPeakSpan Capital, NewSpring, ABS Capital Partners, Upfront Ventures, Ankona Capital Partners

Element Biosciences develops innovative genetic analysis tools for the research and diagnostic markets. Their core product, the AVITI System, is a benchtop DNA sequencing platform that provides scientists with more accessible and powerful genomic capabilities.

Year Founded2017
FoundersMatt Kellinger, Michael Previte, Molly He
Funding Amount$678M
Startup SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusSeries D
Top InvestorsWellington Management, RA Capital Management, Samsung Electronics, Venrock, Fidelity

Drata builds a trust management platform that helps companies automate their security compliance and risk management. Their software streamlines the process of achieving and maintaining certifications like SOC 2 and ISO 27001 through continuous monitoring.

Year Founded2020
FoundersAdam Markowitz, Daniel Marashlian, Troy Markowitz
Funding Amount$328.2M
Startup SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusSeries C
Top InvestorsICONIQ Growth, Salesforce Ventures, Basis Set Ventures, Ballistic Ventures, S Ventures

VedaBio has developed a diagnostics platform capable of near-instant molecular detection. Their breakthrough technology combines the accuracy of PCR with the speed of antigen tests.

Year Founded2021
FoundersAnurup Ganguli, Rashid Bashir
Funding Amount$65M
Startup SizeLean Team (11-50)
Last Funding StatusSeries A
Top InvestorsSiemens Healthineers, OMX Ventures, Kleinmuntz Associates

Sempra Infrastructure develops, builds, and operates the large-scale infrastructure critical to the world's energy needs. Their portfolio includes LNG terminals, clean power projects, and energy networks aimed at advancing both energy security and climate goals.

Year Founded1998
Founders
Funding Amount$15.2B
Startup SizeMajor Organization (1,001-5,000)
Last Funding StatusSecondary Market
Top InvestorsAbu Dhabi Investment Authority, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, CPP Investments

Lytx develops video telematics solutions that help fleet managers improve driver safety and operational efficiency. They combine machine vision and artificial intelligence to detect risky driving behaviors and provide actionable insights for fleet operators.

Year Founded1998
FoundersGary Rayner
Funding Amount$769M
Startup SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusConvertible Note
Top InvestorsMenlo Ventures, Insight Partners, Clearlake Capital Group, JMI Equity, HarbourVest Partners

ADARx Pharmaceuticals develops genetic medicines using a technology that precisely edits mRNA transcripts. This approach allows them to create RNA-targeting therapeutics designed to address a wide variety of diseases.

Year Founded2019
FoundersZhen Li
Funding Amount$332M
Startup SizeLean Team (11-50)
Last Funding StatusVenture Round
Top InvestorsOrbiMed, BlackRock, Cormorant Asset Management, SR One, Lilly Asia Ventures

Radicle Science operates a health tech platform that runs clinical trials for supplements and other wellness products. This provides brands with a faster, non-FDA route to scientifically validate their product’s effectiveness.

Year Founded2020
FoundersJeff Chen, Pelin Thorogood
Funding Amount$11.5M
Startup SizeLean Team (11-50)
Last Funding StatusSeed
Top InvestorsLightspeed Venture Partners, Everywhere Ventures, Social Impact Capital, Wayne Chang, Untapped Ventures

37 Additional San Diego Startups Worth Following

The top 10 are just a small slice of what’s happening in San Diego. Founders in fields like biotech and AI are especially active, collectively raising billions in funding.

Some of these companies are just getting started, while others have been growing for years. Here’s a look at the rest of the startups shaping the city's ecosystem.

StartupIndustryYear FoundedAmount RaisedLast Funding Round
Trust & Will logo Trust & WillEnterprise2017$82MSeries C
Deckard Technologies logo Deckard TechnologiesAI2018$22.2MDebt Financing
Tealium logo TealiumAnalytics2008$263.9MVenture Round
Iambic logo IambicAI2019$203MSeries B
BetterNight logo BetterNightSports1995$52.6MSeries C
Replicate Bioscience logo Replicate BioscienceBiotech2020$46MSeries A
Sapient logo SapientBiotech2020$13.8MGrant
Clearspeed logo ClearspeedAnalytics2016$87MSeries D
The Honest Kitchen logo The Honest KitchenRetail2002$150MVenture Round
Human Longevity logo Human LongevityBiotech2013$369.8MSeries B
Shield AI logo Shield AIAI2015$1.3BSeries F
teachme.to logo teachme.toEducation2021$10MSeed
Equip Health logo Equip HealthSports2019$163.8MVenture Round
Biolinq logo BiolinqBiotech2012$276.3MSeries C
Persephone Biosciences logo Persephone BiosciencesAI2017$15.1MSeed
Raken logo RakenManufacturing2014$12MSeries A
Crystalys Therapeutics logo Crystalys TherapeuticsBiotech2025$205MSeries A
Kyriba logo KyribaEnterprise2000$152.5MPrivate Equity
Improvado logo ImprovadoMarketing2015$30MSeries A
XENDEE Corporation logo XENDEE CorporationEnergy2018$23MSeries B
SOCi logo SOCiMarketing2012$237.8MVenture Round
Candid Therapeutics logo Candid TherapeuticsBiotech2024$370MSeries A
Firestorm logo FirestormMobility2022$67.5MSeries A
Concert Health logo Concert HealthHealthcare2016$58.5MSeries B
Arnatar Therapeutics logo Arnatar TherapeuticsBiotech2022$66.3MSeries A
WEALTHAWK logo WEALTHAWKEnterprise2021$10kPre-Seed
Capstan Therapeutics logo Capstan TherapeuticsBiotech2021$340MSeries B
GoShare logo GoShareLogistics2014$8MSeed
BioSapien logo BioSapienBiotech2018$45.1MSeed
Toragen logo ToragenBiotech2016$17.4MDebt Financing
BlossomHill Therapeutics logo BlossomHill TherapeuticsBiotech2020$173MSeries B
Gretel logo GretelAI2020$67.7MSeries B
Cooler Heads logo Cooler HeadsBiotech2018$32.1MSeries A
Plexium logo PlexiumBiotech2018$225.1MSeries C
Seismic logo SeismicAnalytics2010$446.5MDebt Financing
Exthymic logo ExthymicHealthcare2023$10.2MSeed
Neos Partners logo Neos PartnersOther2022

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