Economic Development News from the East Bay |October 2021 |
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On October 14, East Bay EDA broadcast the 9th Annual East Bay Innovation Awards, where NBC Bay Area’s Scott McGrew announced the awardees across ten different competitive categories. It was an evening exemplifying everything the East Bay has to offer as a region of world-class innovation. The 2021 finalists and awardees join a network of cutting-edge companies recognized during previous East Bay Innovation Awards events. The 2021 awardees were:
The 2021 East Bay Innovation Awards was made possible by our generous sponsors. Presenting: Kaiser Permanente; Gold: AB&I Foundry, Bank of America, Bayer, Wareham Development, the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County; Silver: Alameda County Workforce Development Board, AT&T, City of Hayward, PG&E, Wells Fargo; and Supporter Berkeley Lab.
This year's livestream was the biggest ever, with over 5,000 views and counting! If you haven't already, you can watch the livestream anytime on YouTube. |
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Despite a global pandemic that created economic havoc, 2020 was a record year for venture capital investments into East Bay companies. According to financial data company Pitchbook, investors funded $5.5 billion into East Bay companies in 2020 - 67 percent increase in capital invested in 2019. The East Bay’s total venture capital investment in 2020 was greater than the award totals for every state but two - New York and Massachusetts - besides California itself.
The categories of venture capital investment reflect a combination of the East Bay’s unique strengths within the Bay Area, with notable concentrations in Biomedical Manufacturing, Computer Technology, and Food Innovation. There was also heightened focus on environmental sustainability and climate change resiliency across multiple categories, including renewable energy, building decarbonization, plant-based food and textile development, and agriculture. The diversity of East Bay’s 2020 venture investment is an indication of the incredibly dynamic and innovative environment that is poised for future growth.
To view the list of Top 20 deals in the East Bay and more, download East Bay Forward. |
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COVID-19 has devastated the global economy like no other event in living memory. Whole sectors of the business world have been rocked to their core as people were compelled to lock down and consequently reduced spending on everything from travel to clothing to restaurant dining. Despite both the historic and recent strength of the Bay Area economy... Read more. |
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“Diversity” is one of those words that is used so often that it often seems that it has lost its meaning. But diversity isn’t just a buzzword or an item on a checklist: it’s a way of life in the East Bay. And it’s not a new development, either, because this part of the country has been both a crossroads and a melting pot for centuries. That’s why no one should be surprised... Read more. |
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East Bay EDA's COVID-19 resource page has been revamped and is providing the latest information on funding, small business capital, local resources, and more. Recent updates include the SBA's EIDL small business loan program, as well as real-time health data and vaccination resources from the health departments of Alameda County and Contra Costa County. |
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As many of us prepare for business and personal travel this holiday season, we want to encourage our members and colleagues to fly the East Bay way at OAK. With new flights being added to destinations that include DEN, HNL, LAS, LAX PHX, Oakland International remains the top choice for your East Bay travel needs. Learn what OAK is doing to keep you safe.
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