A new economic development platform positions El Segundo as one of America's fastest-growing centers for aerospace, AI, hard tech and advanced manufacturing.
PSM recently launched a partnership with the El Segundo Economic Development Corporation (ESEDC) to develop Launch Segundo, a bold new economic development platform designed to elevate El Segundo's position as one of the nation's leading destinations for aerospace, defense innovation, hard tech, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.
Beginning with strategic positioning, naming and brand identity, PSM developed an integrated campaign that extended across digital, editorial, events and social engagement– all centered around one powerful idea:
Where Big Ideas Take Off.
Launch Segundo gives the city a unified voice to tell a story that has been unfolding for years: El Segundo has evolved from a historic aerospace community into one of the country's most dynamic innovation ecosystems.
PSM’s work began by helping ESEDC define a clear market position that reflected both El Segundo's heritage and its future.
The result was Launch Segundo– a platform designed to unite civic leadership, business stakeholders and the innovation community around a single narrative capable of attracting investment, talent and national attention.
PSM's scope included:
-
Strategic positioning and messaging
-
Naming development
-
Brand identity creation
-
Website strategy and launch
-
VIP leadership event development
-
Editorial outreach and public relations
-
LinkedIn content strategy
-
Integrated campaign planning
Rather than creating a traditional economic development campaign, the goal was to establish a scalable platform that could continue evolving as the city attracts new companies, investment and global recognition.
Today, El Segundo sits at the intersection of several transformative industries.
Long recognized for its aerospace heritage, the city has become a rapidly growing hub for companies advancing AI, autonomy, defense technology, advanced manufacturing and next-generation aerospace. ESEDC research estimates that approximately 80 aerospace and hard-tech startups have established a presence in El Segundo during the past five years, with more than 100 startups touched through ecosystem partners such as Starburst.
"Launch Segundo is about turning momentum into a sustained narrative," said Daniel Martin, President of ESEDC. "El Segundo has always been a place where big ideas take off, but what is happening now is different in both scale and speed. The city is no longer only known for its founding aerospace successes. It has become a dense startup cluster where aerospace, defense technology, AI, autonomy, advanced manufacturing and hard tech are converging in a way that is drawing national attention."
Launch Segundo also gives voice to the unique advantages that continue attracting next-generation companies.
According to ESEDC research, the city benefits from its concentration of aerospace and defense expertise, engineering talent, industrial infrastructure, proximity to Los Angeles International Airport and Los Angeles Air Force Base, and a collaborative business ecosystem that supports innovation from prototype to production.
El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel summarized the initiative this way: "Launch Segundo makes sense because it gives us a focused way to tell the story of what El Segundo already is and where we are headed. Our city has an extraordinary business foundation, a growing innovation economy and a community that understands the importance of supporting companies that create jobs, invest locally and strengthen our long-term fiscal health."
Cities compete for companies, talent and investment in much the same way brands compete for customers. The strongest communities are those that communicate a clear identity, articulate a compelling value proposition and consistently reinforce that message across every touchpoint.
Launch Segundo was created to do exactly that.
"El Segundo has the credibility of a global business hub and the character of a true community. Big ideas have always taken off in El Segundo. Now, Launch Segundo gives us the platform to make sure the world is watching,"shared Martin.
