Recent Publications

To unlock the economic potential of achieving racial equity, the Bay Area’s policymakers, businesses, nonprofit institutions, community groups, and other critical stakeholders must become not only a voice for change, but the actors of change. To truly bridge the deeply entrenched divides will require new policies, new investments, and new strategies. Most importantly, it requires racial equity to rise to the forefront of decisions made by business and government. Racial equity will not be achieved by a single policy or investment; it instead is a goal that requires numerous steps to break down biases—both conscious and unconscious—and to fundamentally restructure how economic decisions are made.

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This conversation summarizes one of fourteen forums organized by the Bay Area Council during APEC (November 13-17, 2023). Designed to introduce global partners to the startup and innovation environment in the San Francisco/Silicon Valley Bay Area, it brought together leaders from venture capital, venture finance, accelerators and universities for a discussion of Silicon Valley’s origins and of key trends shaping its present and future.

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Multilingual Learning Programs hold immense potential to transform California’s education system and prepare
student to thrive in an increasingly connected world. By addressing the current challenges and implementing the
suggested policy recommendations, California can create a robust framework for MLL programs that will benefit
students, teachers, businesses, families, and communities, while fostering a more inclusive, diverse, and prosperous
state.

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Luxembourg’s position as a business-friendly European economy suggests a range of opportunities for investment and other partnerships with Bay Area and other U.S. companies.

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The war in Ukraine and multidimensional challenges from China have brought to the fore the need for the transatlantic partners to increase their collaboration and coordination as a way to reestablish geopolitical equilibrium and address the challenges posed by autocratic techno-nationalism.

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Enhanced communications infrastructure across California—especially for wireless connectivity—can play a role in ensuring broadband access for all. This infrastructure is also the backbone that allows advancements in technology to thrive. Without consistent investment in communications infrastructure across California, a new issue is emerging as technologies advance: an innovation gap. With more and more daily activities requiring a robust digital presence, those areas that fall behind on infrastructure investment will also risk creating a new opportunity gap for businesses and residents that are unable to access the latest technologies.

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Synergies between the Bay Area and India’s robust innovation ecosystem suggest a wide range of opportunities for collaboration. Key thematic areas include defense, critical and emerging technologies (enabled by iCET), standards, state-level collaboration on climate and energy, cross-national support for startups, AI and digital development, skilled immigration, trade, and supply chain integration.

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California has the opportunity to capture a significant share of CHIPS Act funding, but competition will be intense and other states (Texas, New York, Arizona, Oregon and Ohio among others) are already shaping their own initiatives. Succeeding at a level that meets the state’s potential will require a strategy, a proactive outreach, and a well-organized partnership between the state, local governments, the business and economic development community, universities (including the University of California, CSU, and community colleges), and workforce development agencies.

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To investigate the business tax landscape across the Bay Area, the Institute analyzed the 20 largest job centers across the southern five counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara). The analysis that follows summarizes business tax structures and rates across the region using three hypothetical companies.

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The outcome of the just-concluded Party Congress offers little reassurance that the Chinese and American economies won’t continue to diverge, and a continuing deterioration is the coming years is likely unless a new floor can be put under the relationship. The meeting of President Biden with China’s President Xi Jinping in Bali in November may have accomplished that, though careful management by both sides will be needed. Either way, the Bay Area’s economy will remain closely entwined with China’s even if the scope of that engagement continues to narrow

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Supporting multilingual learning among California’s youngest children can improve educational outcomes, boost household incomes, and give California companies the edge needed to compete on the world stage.

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