San Diego runs deeper than the beaches suggest — a biotech and life-sciences cluster, a defense and dual-use tech base, and a cross-border corridor with Tijuana that few cities can match. Ascent Valley runs curated, in-person events across the city: networking nights, pitch events, mixers and workshops where founders, investors, operators and builders actually meet — verified in the room, matched by stage and focus, then kept connected across the network. No badges, no pitch-deck tourism — just the people doing the work.