Drink up the sun: Solar financing flows for wineries
By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, August 9th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Drink up the sun: Solar financing flows for wineries
When Jim Efird walks between the grapevines on his Edna Valley vineyard, watching them soak up the California sun, he’s also watching the meter on his electric bill run backward. Efird is one of a handful of tri-county viticulturists who have turned to solar photovoltaic systems to power their businesses. His Tolosa Winery in San Read More →
UCSB forecast pulls out of SLO, Ventura counties
By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, August 2nd, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on UCSB forecast pulls out of SLO, Ventura counties
The UC Santa Barbara Economic Forecast Project — a major source of economic data and predictions for business owners and government leaders throughout the Tri-Counties — has named a new director and narrowed its focus to Santa Barbara County. Peter Rupert, a UCSB economics professor who came to the school in 2007 after 13 years Read More →
PCBC execs confident deal will close soon
By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, August 2nd, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on PCBC execs confident deal will close soon
Pacific Capital Bancorp executives are calling a $500 million recapitalization agreement with Texas-based Ford Financial Fund a done deal. The Ford infusion, critical for the banking company to meet regulatory standards for capitalization, now has the cooperation of the U.S. Treasury and, pending regulatory approval, will likely be finalized by Aug. 31, Santa Barbara-based Pacific Read More →
Kind of blue: Latest challenge to strawberry
By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, July 26th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Kind of blue: Latest challenge to strawberry
Although strawberries are still by far the highest-grossing crop in the Tri-Counties, another fruit is starting to make its way into the spotlight — blueberries. Blueberries are traditionally suited for places with high soil acidity and cold winters, such as Michigan, which is the top producer in North America, and Maine, where blueberries are the Read More →
Big deals drive region's venture growth
By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, July 26th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Big deals drive region's venture growth
Companies in the Tri-Counties raised $146.5 million in venture capital in the first half of this year, already close to double the amount raised in the region in all of 2009. About 77 percent of this year’s total came in major funding rounds for five companies in different branches of the technology sector. Ceres Bioscience, Read More →
SLO reboots: Fresh wave of tech firms take hold
By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, July 19th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on SLO reboots: Fresh wave of tech firms take hold
San Luis Obispo is relaunching as SLO 2.0. Over the past decade, San Luis Obispo and the nearby Five Cities area have blossomed as a mini tech hub, with companies such as MindBody (see accompanying article), Shopatron and REC Solar propelling the area forward. Although the San Luis Obispo area struggled throughout the recession, in part Read More →
Santa Barbara researchers to test artificial pancreas
By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, July 19th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Santa Barbara researchers to test artificial pancreas
Santa Barbara will soon host trials of a first-ever artificial pancreas being developed by researchers at UC Santa Barbara and Sansum Diabetes Research Institute to help treat type 1 diabetes. Under development for the past several years in Santa Barbara, the artificial pancreas is now in clinical trials around the globe. Much of the funding Read More →
