We are excited to share the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion February newsletter featuring news, updates, and important information from our Cabinet. | | | |
CITY OF BOSTON HOSTS “THE BLUEPRINT: BUILDING BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES IN PANEL” IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH
On February 26, the City of Boston’s Department of Supplier Diversity and Office of Small Business hosted “The Blueprint: Building Black-owned Business in Boston,” a Black History Month panel celebrating and uplifting the stories of Black entrepreneurs in the City of Boston, moderated by Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Segun Idowu.
Attendees heard from our lineup of panelists including Willie Hicks Jr., President and Owner of Hicks Auto Body; Alex and Joanna Edwards, Co-Founders of Thumbprint Realty; Shari Betty, Owner of Golden Key Advisors; Derick Foster, Owner of Chez-Vous Roller Skating Rink; and Christina David, Owner of David & Associates.
Panelists provided valuable insights about the successes and struggles of being a business owner in Boston, as well as highlighted their experiences working with the City of Boston.
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CITY OF BOSTON BUSINESS STRATEGY TEAM PARTNERS WITH MENDOZA IMPACT AND STARTUP BOSTON TO CELEBRATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK
Last week, the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion partnered with Mendoza Ventures and Startup Boston to host a networking mixer in honor of National Entrepreneurship Week (February 15-21, 2026).
This evening brought together Boston’s innovative entrepreneurs, tech founders, investors, and startup ecosystem operators who are supporting making Boston one of the top startup cities in the U.S.
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BUSINESS STRATEGY TEAM VISITS LYDIAN—A GLOBAL LEADER IN SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL
Earlier this month, Deputy Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Donald Wright, Director of Business Strategy Alia Forrest, and Business Strategy Manager Shanice Wallace visited Lydian, a global leader in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), at their headquarters in Charlestown.
Dr. Branko Zugic, CTO and Co-founder of Lydian, walked our team through the company's new R&D lab and pilot space at Hood Park, highlighting Lydian’s equipment, technology, initiatives, and efforts to decarbonize the aviation industry.
Lydian produces sustainable fuel from waste CO2, water, and renewable electricity that can reduce lifecycle emissions by up to 95%. The company's turnkey CO2-to-fuels plants are optimized for mass-manufacturability and grid-flexible operation to enable affordable, scalable, and resilient SAF.
Learn more about Lydian at www.lydianlabs.com.
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LICENSING BOARD APPROVES FIVE LIQUOR LICENSE UPGRADES FOR BEER AND WINE LICENSEES
The Boston Licensing Board recently approved five applications from beer and wine licensees upgrading to non-transferable all alcoholic beverages licenses. The approved applicants include Life Time and Trident Booksellers & Cafe in the Back Bay, Mi Pueblito Orient Heights in East Boston, and Little Sage and Pappare Ristorante in the North End. The Licensing Board will send the five applications to the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission for investigation and final approval.
As part of the Fiscal Year 2026 Massachusetts State Budget, the State Legislature gave municipalities across Massachusetts the opportunity to opt into legislation that allows licensees permitted to sell only wines and malt beverages to trade in their license for a non-transferable all alcoholic beverages license.
| | Additionally, the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion has developed Beer and Wine Upgrade FAQs to address frequently asked questions about the beer and wine upgrade legislation. | | |
CITY OF BOSTON
WEBOS: WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEUR BOSTON SUMMIT 2026
March 14, 2026 | Roxbury Community College | 10:30 am - 4:30 pm
The Mayor's Office of Women's Advancement's WEBOS Summit will offer a dynamic lineup of interactive business expert listening sessions, panel discussions, free headshots, and a curated small business vendor/resource hall spotlighting local women-owned companies.
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BUSINESS STRATEGY
STARTUP BOSTON: COFOUNDER MATCHING: MEETING YOUR FUTURE FOUNDING TEAM
March 23, 2026 | Register to view address | 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Looking to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs who could become your next business partner? Join Startup Boston and the City of Boston for a structured networking session, where you will create new relationships and get one step closer to finding that critical business partner you need on your team.
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SMALL BUSINESS
TAXES WITHOUT STRESS: PLAN BEFORE YOU FILE
March 24 and March 31, 2026 | Virtual | 10 am
Join the Office of Small Business for two workshops structured to help small businesses reduce financial stress, minimize costly mistakes, and establish simple habits that support long-term financial stability. The first workshop of this series (March 24) will focus on tax clarity and planning foundations, and the second workshop (March 31) will focus on protecting cash flow year-round.
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BUSINESS STRATEGY
STARTUP BOSTON: DEALFLOW MIXER: CONNECTING INVESTORS & FOUNDERS
March 27, 2026 | Register to view address | 9:30 am - 11 am
Startup Boston and the City of Boston are bringing together pre-seed and seed-stage founders building product-based startups and investors who back product-driven companies for our next Dealflow Mixer. Founders actively raising and investors actively deploying capital will receive curated 1:1 matches, so every conversation starts with genuine alignment.
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BOSTON.COM
These 5 Boston restaurants received all-alcohol licenses under new legislation.
The legislation allows Boston restaurants with beer-and-wine licenses to exchange it for a non-transferable all-alcohol license. [READ MORE]
BOSTON GLOBE
Boston City Hall Plaza announced as site of World Cup FanFest
The official FanFest site will be Boston City Hall Plaza, near where a host of public officials gathered to announce the selection of the long-suspected location. [READ MORE]
BOSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL
World Economic Forum taps Boston for food-health innovation challenge.
The World Economic Forum has launched Yes/Boston as part of the Yes/Cities innovation challenge to create healthier cities. As a third hub of the Yes/Cities initiative, Boston joins San Francisco and Bengaluru, India as a targeted place to attract entrepreneurs to solve quality-of-life crises. [READ MORE]
WGBH
Tariffs. Loans. ICE. Immigrant business owners face plenty of hurdles under Immigrant-owned businesses are less likely to get small business loans, as they are often considered higher-risk. While municipalities and allies in the nonprofit and entrepreneurial world have stepped up to help, obtaining capital has become more difficult. [READ MORE]
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BOSTON BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: NEWBURY YARNS
For more than two decades, Newbury Yarns has specialized in high-quality fibers and yarns, knitting tools and accessories, and knitting and crochet workshops and classes.
Hear from Founder and Owner Aldrich Robinson as she reflects on Newbury Yarns’ journey from opening on Newbury Street in 2004 to launching her new storefront in downtown Boston. Aldrich shares how support from the City of Boston SPACE Grant helped sustain her business and describes the legacy she hopes to continue to build through this new venture.
In addition to yarn and knitting supplies, you can find a variety of clothing from Aldrich’s design line, Adrichar of Boston, when you shop at Newbury Yarns.
Discover more about Newbury Yarns from products to upcoming workshops at www.newburyyarns.com. Visit Newbury Yarns at 148 Beach Street in Downtown Boston.
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Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion
1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201
econdev@boston.gov
617-635-5729
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