Issue #4

San Francisco AI companies kick off the race to go public

Powell Street’s makeover is moving forward

San Francisco mayor unveils budget aimed at addressing $642 million deficit

Mayor Lurie celebrates visitors coming back to San Francisco in record numbers

The Data Says...

📌$9.9B projected tourism spending

📊 +14.4% YoY in Hotel RevPar (2025)

📈 +43% YoY in office leasing (2026, Q1)

Here's our latest report — 
is the City's recovery on track?

Local Business Support

• Downtown San Francisco Vibrancy Loan: Offering a low-interest loan program to fill commercial vacancies and foster business activity.
• SF First Year Free: Qualifying new businesses can waive initial registration, permit and license fees.

State Business Support

• Sales & Use Tax Exclusions (STE): CAEATFA has announced a higher cap and removal of project pools, among other changes.
• Hydrogen Infrastructure Project Opportunity (HIPO): Hydrogen infrastructure expansion for clean transportation.
• Restaurants Care Resilience Fund: open June 1–30 to eligible restaurants and commercial caterers who are PG&E or SoCalGas customers.
• Accelerate California: With over $16 million in investments, CalOSBA provides capital support and other resources to uplift small businesses.

International Business Support:

• State Trade Expansion Program (STEP): Funding to help small businesses expand into global markets by offsetting the costs of exporting, including trade missions, international marketing, and participation in overseas trade shows.

San Francisco is the engine of the global economy — where capital meets talent, and ambition becomes industry. Invest in what's next

Signature Event

International Week

August 10-14

San Francisco International Week 2026 - a weeklong spotlight on the region's international business community and the city's role as a global hub for commerce, culture, and innovation.

The week kick off with Opening Night on August 10 at Rincon Center, our signature public event returning with expanded capacity after selling out last year. Midweek programming (August 11-14) offers focused engagement for professionals in international trade and global markets. - presented in partnership with Turkish Airlines.

Register for our Opening Night here!

To participate as a vendor, contact: info@sfcentered.org



The NAIOP SFBA ARGUS Scholarship | (June 30)

The NAIOP SFBA supports aspiring commercial real estate professionals by providing a pathway to earn ARGUS Enterprise certification, a widely recognized credential for careers in acquisitions, asset management, and financial analysis, along with access to training, industry connections, and career-launching support.

Learn more here.

California Safety & Security Trade Mission to Canada | (July 15)

GO-Biz will lead a high-impact trade mission to Canada from October 18–23, connecting California companies with key Canadian decision-makers across government, defense, energy, and commercial sectors, alongside participation in one of Canada’s leading safety and security trade shows.

Learn more here.

The San Francisco Center for Economic Development (SFCED) is a program within the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Foundation (SFCcF).

Learn more about SFCc Foundation programs:

• SFCED
• Yes SF
• UniteSF
• The Job Forum
• Leadership San Francisco (LSF)
• Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE)