California awards SDSU nearly $4M for national security hub

California has awarded San Diego State University $3.95 million to launch a national security hub at SDSU Mission Valley, creating a new center intended to connect university research with startups, industry and government agencies.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the funding Aug. 26 through the California Jobs First Regional Investment Initiative. The hub will be the first component of the SDSU Mission Valley Innovation District, a planned research and innovation center designed to foster collaboration among academia, businesses and government.

The initiative will include a startup accelerator, advanced manufacturing and rapid prototyping facilities, and an investment fund for early-stage companies developing commercial and national security technologies.

During its first two years, the accelerator is expected to support more than 50 startups and emerging companies working in areas including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cybersecurity, autonomous systems, maritime technology, space, energy and advanced manufacturing.

Project leaders estimate the hub could help create more than 200 high-quality jobs while strengthening the region's defense industrial base. The program also will connect SDSU students with internships, mentoring and career opportunities while helping employers find skilled workers.

"This is an important step in fulfilling the dream for Mission Valley," SDSU president Adela de la Torre said in a statement. "The vision was always to link our north star - our students - with jobs that can help them shape the future, and which bring positive economic impact to our state and our community."

SDSU officials said the hub addresses a gap in the region's national security industry by bringing together commercialization assistance, secure infrastructure, startup capital and specialized talent.

San Diego is home to the nation's largest concentration of military assets, more than 2,000 defense contractors and numerous federal research organizations, according to SDSU. The university has more than 5,000 military-affiliated students and partnerships with organizations like the Naval Information Warfare Center and the Office of Naval Research.

Hala Madanat, SDSU's vice president for research and innovation, said the hub will help move technologies developed in university laboratories toward commercialization by connecting researchers with startups, investors and federal resources.

The hub initially will operate within SDSU's Division of Research and Innovation before moving to the Mission Valley Innovation District when construction is completed. At full buildout, the district is expected to contain about 1.6 million square feet of research, innovation and collaboration space, including classified research facilities, rapid prototyping laboratories, and offices for startups, investors and research partners.