OUR ENVIORNMENT
L I V E , WO R K & P L AY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES + TECHNOLOGY SECTOR (AKA “SILICON BEACH”) 2,590 businesses, employing 27,583 people (31% of the city’s total employment) with a total annual payroll of $4.1 billion (50% of the city’s total annual payroll) accounting for 31% of the city’s total employment. The sector consists of information (e.g. publishers, motion picture/video production, film distribution, postproduction, telecommunications, sound recording studios) and professional, scientific and technical services (e.g. advertising, graphic design, computer design/ programming, R & D in biotechnology). Including companies such as Activision Blizzard, Awesomeness TV, Cornerstone On Demand, Edmunds.com, Hulu, Lionsgate Entertainment, Oracle America, Snap and Twitter + Universal Music Group.
SILICON BEACH
Silicon Beach is Southern California’s version of Silicon Valley, and Santa Monica is right in the middle of it all with a number of innovative tech companies. Santa Monica has a history of being home to innovators, creators and disruptors. The tech sector is large and diverse, reaching across many industries. The sector continues to grow and consists of information, professional, scientific and technical services. What makes Silicon Beach distinct is the confluence of the high-tech and entertainment industries. Supporting the continued growth of this tech center is Santa Monica's CityNet, offering 100 gigabit community broadband. Visit www.smcitynet.com to learn more. The applications for tech in Santa Monica span industries as diverse as film production and editing to app development and software. Some of the major players in the tech scene include Activision Blizzard, Agensys, Cooley, Cornerstone On-Demand, Edmunds.com, Hulu, Kite Pharma, Lionsgate Entertainment, Miramax Films, TrueCar, Twitter, Uber, and Universal Music Group.
OUR TECHNOLOGY
Technology is the single most important ingredient for building and nurturing a LEGAL MATTERS thriving, prosperous, and growing economy and a number of accelerators and incubators in Santa Monica illustrate the depth of technology talent within the community. From media to engineering, software to consumer goods, these accelerators are looking for the next best thing. To keep the spirit of innovation front and center, the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, the City of Santa Monica, and a number of community partners came together in 2015 to form {Hack the Beach}. {Hack the Beach} is a partnership that brings together Santa Monica’s brightest minds to explore how technology can make the city an even better place – especially in the areas of community, mobility, and civic engagement. See page 37 to learn more about the program. Things are changing every day and in Santa Monica, ideas are being discovered, created, developed, and refined, making the city a better place for visitors and residents alike.
*According to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation
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