SAN DIEGO - s4story -- Connect, the nonprofit organization that has served as a trusted partner to San Diego's innovation community for 40 years, today announced the promotion of Dr. Petra Stegmann as Head of Entrepreneurial Programs.

Dr. Stegmann has been with Connect since 2011, serving in a range of roles that have supported founders across the region—most notably through Springboard, Connect's no-cost advising program for technology and life sciences startups. Springboard applications are open year-round, with companies served on a first-come, first-served basis.

In her expanded role, Dr. Stegmann will oversee Springboard and Cool Companies, Connect's annual capital program that matches top-performing startups with quality venture capital. Applications for Cool Companies 2026 are open now and close January 30, 2026.

"Petra brings a rare combination of scientific depth, entrepreneurial insight, and long-standing commitment to founders," said James Zanewicz, Chief Executive Officer of Connect. "She has been a cornerstone of our programs for over a decade, and her leadership will be critical as we continue to strengthen our support for startups at every stage."

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Dr. Stegmann is deeply engaged in the San Diego innovation ecosystem and brings more than a decade of experience in business creation and development. She has worked closely with founders to accelerate and scale life science and technology startups and to help them raise capital. Prior to joining Connect, she was a scientist and research faculty member in academia, working at the interface of discovery and entrepreneurship. Her background includes serving as a principal investigator on numerous multi-stakeholder programs and holding multiple leadership roles.

"Connect has always been about elevating startups and founders in the innovation community," said Dr. Stegmann. "I'm excited to build on the success of Springboard and Cool Companies, and to continue supporting entrepreneurs as they grow, scale, and raise capital here in San Diego."

Dr. Stegmann holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from UC Irvine, and Master of Science and PhD degrees in Biology from the University of Kiel.

For more information about Springboard or to apply, visit https://connect.org/springboard/.
For details on Cool Companies and to apply for the 2026 cohort, visit https://connect.org/cool-companies/.