- The California Future Society
- Posts
- How El Segundo Became the Capital of Hard Tech
How El Segundo Became the Capital of Hard Tech
A Conversation with Mayor Chris Pimentel
Jarrett Catlin
August 18, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes
El Segundo is five square miles of extremes: a small-town beach community with Fortune 500 headquarters, a refinery, three pro sports teams, toy showrooms, rocket labs, and more PhDs per capita than almost anywhere in California. Mayor Chris Pimentel pulls back the curtain on how this tiny South Bay city became one of the most dynamic economic hubs in the state and the culture within city hall. We dig into El Segundo’s advantages, the culture that attracts global innovators, and what other cities can (and can’t) copy.
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-el-segundo-became-the-capital-of-hard-tech/id1807612672?i=1000722325572
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7kM4tpvJGWO5nuZa25itk6
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUkOHdis1VI
Chapters
00:00 – Intro
05:46 – How El Segundo punches above its weight
10:40 – Culture at city hall and lessons
17:59 – The cultural role of startups
22:15 – Reindustrializing LA
25:00 – CA housing politics
30:11 – Restoring the CA dream
35:42 – Hope for CA's future
Reply