Community & Economic Development Committee
August 28, 2023
Item (d)1
Carlos Velazquez, Public Information Manager,
Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs
AAPI and Pride Months – May and June 2023:
Spotlight on San José’s AAPI and LGBTQ+ Owned Businesses The Office of Economic Development and
Cultural Affairs recognizes and celebrates
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)
and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and local
businesses.
Our office is committed to assisting small
businesses and helping lay a foundation for
entrepreneurs and companies to develop
new ideas and foster economic opportunities
for generations to come. Are you interested
in opening a business in San José? Get
started here with our Business Coaching
Center!
May and June 2023
Summer is Event Season in Downtown San José
More than one million San José and Bay Area
residents and visitors have flowed into Downtown this
year and summer for festivals, events, and concerts
both on weekdays and weekends.
Summer events include:
SubZERO Festival
Viva CalleSJ
San Jose Jazz Summer Fest
Music in the Park
Pobladores Night Market
Juneteenth in the Streets
Starlight Cinemas
Tahiti Fete of San Jose
Levitt Pavilion Concert Series
CityDance San José
Dine Downtown
Urban Vibrancy Block Parties June 2023
Photos from the August 2023 CityDance at the Circle
of Palms in front of the San José Museum of Art
San José’s Cannabis Equity Business Academy Still
Accepting Applications
The City of San José Cannabis Equity Business
Program (CEBA) kicked off its first Business
Academy in May. Applications are still open to
eligible residents who are interested in starting a
cannabis business in the City of San José.
CEBA seeks to equalize the playing field in this
complex and heavily regulated business sector.
The program will provide comprehensive
training and access to both employment and
business ownership to those disproportionately
affected by the regulations and discriminatory
enforcement of historical cannabis laws.
June 2023
A May kickoff event to welcome the initial class of
participants in the program.
Cutting-edge Battery Technology Company Lyten Opens
New Factory in San José
With the battery technology and production industry as
dynamic as ever, on June 14th, Lyten celebrated the
opening of its Lithium-Sulfur battery production line at its new location in North San José.
Lyten’s 145,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility will be its central location for manufacturing the company’s Lithium-Sulfur batteries as well as its headquarters.
Lyten currently employs about 250 people, including
engineers, technicians, and scientists. The company is
leveraging its new space to continue expanding its
capabilities and workforce.
June 2023
San José Work Experience Program Provides
Meaningful Employment to Youth
The San José Works program, a six-week long
summer work experience program, offered 375
San José youth from low-income and underserved
communities a professional learning experience of
meaningful and practical work related to a career
of interest.
“Since 2015, over 5,000 youth have gained
valuable job experience ensuring that we continue
to build a pipeline to careers for underserved
communities and a skilled workforce for Silicon
Valley employers,” explained San José City
Manager Jennifer Maguire. “When we invest in our
youth, our entire community will see the benefits.”
July 2023
San José Awarded National Endowment of the Arts Grant
The Office of Economic Development and
Cultural Affairs was awarded a $30,000 grant
by the National Endowment of the Arts.
The grant will continue to support the Creative
License Ambassador Program by partially
funding the 2024 Creative Ambassadors.
Instituted in 2018 under the San José Creates
and Connects Initiative, the Creative License
Ambassador Program connects residents to art
and culture by creating participatory art projects
throughout San José’s interconnected,
multicultural communities.
July 2023
Sharing Social Media Marketing Tips, Trainings, and
Resources for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
Connecting business owners and
entrepreneurs to important resources and
tools is how OEDCA helps small
businesses thrive.
Looking for business support? Try one of
our partner’s upcoming small business
workshops:
August 22 – September
26: Arranca tu Negocio, II Temporada
August 31: Starting a Business: Write
a Business Plan
September 5: The ABCs of Video
Creation and Marketing for Small
Business
July – August 2023
Additional Highlights
This Thursday, August 31: Breaking
Barriers: Disability Compliance at
Businesses to Improve Access for All
Holiday San José Shop
Local Campaign: November
and December 2023
New faces in the OEDCA Business
Development team: Welcome Jessica
Munoz, Karina Dominguez, Garrett
Stanton and John Castaneda
Completed six business district
commercials and one for the Berryessa
Flea Market
Community & Economic Development Committee
August 28, 2023
Item (d)1
Carlos Velazquez, Public Information Manager,
Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs