Issue #5

Mayor Lurie celebrates small business pop-ups contributing to downtown's comeback

City government signs San Francisco's biggest lease since 2018

SF restaurants and bars embrace Entertainment Zones

As the one-stop business resource center, SFCED supports the city and companies at every stage of growth—from startup to expansion across the San Francisco Bay Area.

💡 Home to Global Technology Leaders

🌐 34% Foreign-Born Residents

🤝 18 Sister-Cites Across 5 Continents

🗣️ 100+ Language Spoken in SF

Local Business Support

• Downtown San Francisco Vibrancy Loan: Low-interest loan program to fill commercial vacancies and foster business activity.
• Local Business Contract Equity Program: Alameda CTC supports local businesses by providing funding and offering contract‑related credits.

State Business Support

• Opportunity Zones 2.0 Webinar and Office Hours: Due July 25, California's OZ Program offers preferential tax treatment for capital gains reinvested in distressed communities.
• Sales & Use Tax Exclusions (STE): CAEATFA announced several updates, including a higher cap and removal of project pools, among other changes.
• Accelerate California: CalOSBA provides over $16 million in capital support and other resources to uplift small businesses.

International Business Support:

• State Trade Expansion Program (STEP): The STEP Grant program provides 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

Economic Development

San Francisco International Week

August 10-14

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

The week kicks off with Opening Night on August 10 at Rincon Center - our flagship public event, back with expanded capacity after last year's sellout.

Register for Opening Night →

Presented in partnership with Turkish Airlines, the celebration continues with specialized sessions August 11–14, offering targeted engagement for professionals in international trade and global business.

Explore the world through our ecosystem partner events happening all week.

Full week details →

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

Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, Zhejiang | (September 23)

The 5th GDTE 2026 will bring together global innovators, industry leaders, and forward-looking partners. As China’s only national-level expo dedicated to digital trade, GDTE attracts broad international participation, with representatives from 154 countries and regions.

Learn more here.

Verizon, 'Digital Ready' $10,000 Grant for Small Businesses | (Jun - Dec)

Now accepting applications from small business owners to receive a $10,000 grant, part of over $1M in total funding available this year. Previous grantees have used the funding, courses, and events to take their businesses to the next level.

Learn more here.

Expand into Ireland and Beyond

San Francisco businesses exploring Ireland or EMEA expansion can connect with Nuapoint, a Dublin-based advisory firm supporting US companies with market entry, senior relationships, and ecosystem access. CEO Mark McDermott is convening YES/Dublin, a Dublin initiative modeled on Yes/SF, with support from the World Economic Forum.

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)