SCVEDC Blog

SCVEDC Hosts Annual Economic Outlook Forecast

March 8, 2018 – Tournament Players Club Valencia (Valencia View Room)

The skies were sunny and so was the economic outlook for our region at the annual Economic Outlook Forecast Conference held on Thursday, March 8.

The speaker lineup that addressed the full house included:

• Futurist and innovation speaker Robert Tucker of Innovation Resource Consulting Group
• Los Angeles County Supervisor, Kathryn Barger
• Economist Dr. Mark Vitner of Wells Fargo
• Scott Williams, Executive Producer of NCIS
• COC Chancellor, Dr. Dianne Van Hook
• Economist Dr. Mark Schniepp of the California Economic Forecast
• SCVEDC President & CEO Holly Schroeder

This year’s conference had a record number of sponsors AND attendees! Held at a new temporary event venue (called the Valencia View Room) on the grounds of the Tournament Players Club, event participants were treated not only to the latest economic data for the Santa Clarita Valley but also spectacular views of the entire valley.

The Millennial Edge: 5 Advantages of Offering an Internship

If you’ve never personally taken an internship, know that the great ones always involve more than just fetching coffee and sorting mail.

A great internship is a true partnership. The young person gets valuable, real-world experience (and, sometimes, a nominal paycheck), and in exchange the business gets an asset that, with a little investment, gives a return that’s near impossible to achieve with regular employees.

Working in Santa Clarita: Big Names, Big Jobs

When it’s time to take your career to the next level, there’s a misconception that you’ve got to start by packing your bags.

After all, if you want to make it big in business, you’ve got to move to a big, hustle-and-bustle city like New York City or Chicago or Los Angeles, right? Or else live nearby and waste hours of your life commuting back and forth to work.

Santa Clarita Studios Scores ABC Show & Debuts New Production Offices

On Friday, February 22 Santa Clarita Studios debuted their new production offices to industry peers, business leaders and public officials. Designed for executives, production and post production teams, these 68 state-of-the-art office spaces are supported by 9 kitchenettes and 3 multi-purpose rooms. Santa Clarita Studios is also home to 17 sound stages and other services to assist productions of all sizes and budgets.

Aerospace and Bioscience Coalitions Enjoy 3D Printing Technology Overview at Stratasys Direct Manufacturing

On February 22, SCVEDC organized a visit for our aerospace and bioscience coalition members to Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, a leader in 3D printing and advanced manufacturing services. More than 30 attendees enjoyed an overview of nine technologies used in 3D printing for conceptualization, rapid prototyping, and even final parts production, as well as a tour of the facility to see a range of 3D printing technologies and materials in action. 

We are excited to announce our newest speaker for this year's Economic Outlook Conference! Scott Williams (pictured far left) is a producer and writer best known for his work on Santa Clarita Valley-basedNCIS, which has been on the air and filming in the SCV since 2003. In addition, he has worked on Miami Medical (2010) and Third Watch (1999).

The Ripple Effect: New Development = Job Creation

Pretend for a moment you want to build a new house. What do you need?

Raw materials, certainly. Foundation, wood, brick, glass, etc. You’ll need labor, too. Someone has to design the place, transport your raw materials, and assemble them into something that won’t tip over when the big bad wolf comes around.

Women in Business

With Women’s History Month (March) and International Women’s Day (March 8), specifically, on the horizon, we felt it would be appropriate to recognize the contributions and success women locally have achieved – economically, politically, and socially!

6 Key Factors to Consider when Selecting Commercial Real Estate

Few things in business are as stressful and monumental as setting up shop or a move. Besides the difficulty of relocating your employees, equipment, and other assets, there’s the looming threat of choosing a new location that just won’t work out…forcing yet another move.

Demand for Industrial Space Hottest in Years

The Santa Clarita Valley industrial market is heating up, with a growing number of companies acquiring new warehousing, manufacturing, and logistics space. At the same time, builders are beginning to complete some large-scale projects, creating an environment that is dynamic and rapidly changing.

SCVEDC Annual Report

The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation (SCVEDC) continues its mission of strengthening companies and unifying our region’s approach to economic development. Our overarching goals are to support the creation of high-paying jobs for our trained workforce, stimulate economic activity that grows the regional tax base, and strategically position the Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) and its businesses to better compete in the global economy.

 A Smart Growth Checklist for Small to Mid-Sized Companies

Congratulations! After months (or maybe years) of hard work, your business is continuing to spread its wings and is ready to leave the proverbial nest.

The financials look good and your forecast is strong. You may still be hiring as operations grow.

The company needs a new place to call home, and there are plenty of options. Time to just pick one and move in, right? A building is a building is a building – what could possibly go wrong?

Job Creation in the New Economy

Quick -- when you think of companies that drive the engine of our economy forward, which come to mind? Apple? Google?

Like we’ve said before, it may feel like big companies are behind the wheel, but small and medium-sized companies are pulling more than their weight when it comes to hiring and growing the economy, and they have been for some time.

Los Angeles Makes the Short List for Amazon's HQ2

Today Amazon announced its list of top 20 finalists for their new headquarters, and Los Angeles was named among them. As the only West Coast location on the list, LA County came in as a strong contender for the new HQ which is expected to be housed in up to 8 million square feet of commercial buildings that are sustainable, fiber-connected, close enough to walk between and situated on 100 developable acres.

Mythbusters: Why Growth is Good

Hi there! SCVEDC Mythbusters here. Today we’re tackling a tough and persistent question: Is growing a community a good thing?

We’re no Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman but, lucky for us, debunking this myth doesn’t take a rocket scientist!

Let’s dive right in…

Valencia Recognized as One of 5 LA and OC Tech Areas to Watch in 2018

In the past year we have seen tremendous momentum as more and more tech companies are either relocating to the Santa Clarita Valley (SCV), or are founding their startups here. Whether you’re an employer or employee, there are real, tangible financial advantages to setting your startup in the SCV. Others are taking notice. Earlier this week Built in Los Angeles called Valencia in the Santa Clarita Valley one of 5 emerging LA and OC tech areas to watch in 2018.

Join us for the 2018 Economic Outlook Conference on March 8

Are you wondering where to get a sneak peek into the economy of the Santa Clarita Valley?...

Big Changes Ahead for the Santa Clarita Business Incubator

Designed to stimulate economic growth through entrepreneurship and enterprise development, the Santa Clarita Business Incubator is celebrating a significant milestone—graduating the first two participating companies from the program! The City of Santa Clarita is proud to honor Business Incubator graduates Nuhubit Software Studios, LLC and Outlyer Technologies for successfully participating in the Santa Clarita Business Incubator program.

2018 - Live, Work, Play in SCV

January – a time to reflect on the previous year’s successes and set goals for the new year.  2017 was an exceptional year for the Santa Clarita Valley economy, and 2018 promises even more positive growth! Here are seven reasons for optimism:

FDA Approves Investigational Device Exemption for SetPoint Bioelectronic Therapy Clinical Study in Rheumatoid Arthritis

SetPoint Medical, a clinical-stage biomedical technology company developing an implantable bioelectronic medicine therapy for chronic inflammatory diseases, has received Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate a pilot trial in the U.S. for patients with drug refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA). SetPoint’s proprietary bioelectronic device will be surgically placed on the vagus nerve and activated based on a predetermined dosage schedule to evaluate safety and efficacy.

Construction on The Center at Needham Ranch Begins

Trammell Crow Company (TCC) and Clarion Partners have begun construction on The Center at Needham Ranch, a 54-acre, state-of-the-art industrial business park in Santa Clarita, CA. The project is the first phase of a larger 132-acre, fully entitled site approved for up to 4.2 million square feet of Class A industrial space. Phase 1 is expected to begin deliveries during the Q3 2018. A ceremonial groundbreaking event is being held on December 12 that was attended by public officials, the development team and other parties.

4 Business Resources Every Startup Needs

Since September, we’ve been posting a lot of tips and resources to help you realize your startup dreams. That’s not an accident; it’s what we’re here to do. When you succeed, our community succeeds. Startup companies help create almost all new jobs in America, and startup innovations enrich our lives.

Ribbon-cutting Ceremony Celebrates Grand Opening of Pharmavite “Val-W” Facility

On Wednesday, November 29, 2017, Pharmavite celebrated a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for their new “Val-W” 229,000 square foot facility located at 28355 Witherspoon Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355 in the Valencia Commerce Center.

California Competes Tax Credit Applications Start January 2, 2018

Have you heard about the California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC)? This program is open to any business planning to create new full-time jobs in the state, regardless of size or location.

The world’s biggest companies impact our daily lives in a very noticeable way. Odds are you’ve Googled something today, used your iPhone to check Facebook, or stopped by a Starbucks for a venti nonfat decaf mocha.

Boeing to Invest in Santa Clarita Aerospace & Defense Company

Boeing announced its investment in Santa Clarita-basted Gamma Alloys, a leader in aluminum alloys focused on developing advanced metal-matrix composites for use in aerospace, automotive and other industries.

Show Me the Money: 6 Ways to Finance Your Startup

You’ve got to spend money to make money. Even if you found a way to genetically modify trees so they literally bloom with currency, you will still need startup capital to get those saplings going.

Kaiser Permanente's New, State-of-the-Art Medical Building Slated to Open in Early 2018

Last week Kaiser Permanente gave community leaders the opportunity to preview their new facility, Santa Clarita Medical Offices 2. Slated to open to the public in early 2018, this new, innovative medical office building will help meet the needs of our growing population.

Nine SCV Companies make the SFVBJ’s list for Fastest Growing Private Companies

The San Fernando Valley Business Journal recently announced their list of the 50 Fastest Growing Private Companies of 2017. Among the honorees are nine companies from the Santa Clarita Valley!

Read below to find out more about these expanding SCV companies:

Success Story: Scorpion Opens New HQ in the Santa Clarita Valley

Scorpion, an internet marketing company based in Santa Clarita, cut the ribbon on their 100,000-square-foot, custom-designed, built-from-the-ground-up headquarters in Valencia, CA on Friday.