Other than being a top tourist destination, Santa Barbara has now become a center for new and emergent businesses, said Kenny Slaught. Loads of promising, new companies have been created in recent years, and many, including AppScale, LastLine, TrackR, and Salty Girl Seafood, have come straight out of the University of California Santa Barbara. With more than $200 million raised for area startups from private investors in the last year, the Central Coast boasts nearly twice the investment per capita in innovation than the greater Los Angeles area, a much larger market. While some may feel the allure of Silicon Valley or Hollywood, homegrown entrepreneurs recognize the impact of building a business in an environment that promotes growth. Therefore, the region is one of the best places in the country to launch and develop startups, spawning remarkable biotech, medical, technology, and scientific businesses like Inogen, Raytheon, Sonos, and BioIQ.
Kenny Slaught
Entrepreneur & Investec Real Estate Founder