Santa Barbara is not only a top tourist destination but also a new center for new and emergent businesses, said Kenny Slaught. In recent years many new companies saw the light of day and some of them such as AppScale, LastLine, TrackR, and Salty Girl Seafood, originated in the University of California Santa Barbara. The past year, private investors raised more than $200 million for the funding of such companies. As a result, the Central Coast boasted two times more investments than the much larger market that greater Los Angeles is. Some may feel charmed by Silicon Valley or Hollywood, but local entrepreneurs acknowledge the importance of starting a business in a growth promoting environment. Needless to say that the region is one of the best across the nation to launch and develop start-ups, including notable biotech, medical, technology, and scientific ones like Inogen, Raytheon, Sonos, and BioIQ.
Read more: http://profitandcost.com/news/kenny-slaught-examines-santa-barbara-s-thriving-community/0004694/