The Connective Tissue

Neal sits down with Eric Weiss, a fellow longtime builder in San Diego’s startup ecosystem. Eric is a self-described “parallel entrepreneur,” founder coach, President of the Design Forward Alliance - which produces San Diego Design Week—and Vice Chair of Startup San Diego.Neal and Eric first crossed paths during the early days of San Diego’s startup community, around EvoNexus and the 101 Broadway vertical campus that helped give rise to Startup Week and Startup San Diego. They revisit that era and trace Eric’s unconventional path from teenage black-hat hacker to earning an MBA in entrepreneurship at SDSU, followed by roles at Raytheon, Sony and Qualcomm. He eventually made the leap into the startup world with EvoNexus company Rock My Run.At the heart of the conversation is the connective tissue that makes an entrepreneurial community work. Neal and Eric discuss what San Diego lost after COVID, why “third spaces” and professional community management matter more than a coworking lease, and Eric’s tendency to step into leadership vacuums - including helping San Diego become the first U.S. city, and first binational region, named World Design Capital.Eric also makes the case that San Diego’s smaller, more tightly connected network—and its constraints - can be an advantage. The conversation closes with a preview of San Diego Design Week, running September 15–20, and a sleeper taco recommendation near the marina.Key topics* The “founding cradle”: EvoNexus, The Vine, and 101 Broadway* Reformed hacker to Raytheon, Sony (PS3), and Qualcomm data science* Why he’s a “parallel entrepreneur” who falls into leadership vacuums* San Diego becoming the first American World Design Capital* Opening Design Week beyond digital - fashion, architecture, interiors* Connective tissue: third spaces and professional community management* San Diego vs. the Bay: tighter networks, constraints that filter imposters* Where San Diego wins: deep tech, hardware, and life science* The investor-vs-community-builder tension of being “the picker”Links & resources* San Diego Design Week (Sept 15-20, 2026)* Design Forward Alliance* Startup San DiegoConnect on LinkedIn* Neal Bloom* Eric Weiss This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe