Recent Publications

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

A small economy by regional and global standards, Jordan benefits from several advantages as a business and ICT platform: a stable political environment, close ties with the United States, a highly educated workforce with a substantial pool of experienced engineers, government policies that prioritize education, active support for women in the workplace, and an entrepreneurial culture that generates a disproportionately large number of regional technology startups.

Gilead is the second largest biotech employer in the Bay Area and is the 18th largest private sector employer in the region, creating high-value products and employment opportunities at all income levels.

Much of the detailed planning for how to address these challenges is taking place at the regional and local level. The state supports those efforts by encouraging regional-scale collaboration, supporting local planning and adaptation projects, providing data and analysis, and enhancing public awareness of sea level rise risks and impacts.7 Much of this occurs through the Ocean Protection Council (OPC), a high-level state government panel created in part to protect ocean health in the face of climate change. Based on evolving scientific knowledge, the OPC develops state-level approaches that respond to the anticipated impacts of storms, erosion and sea level rise on coastal communities.

From this high-level review, it appears that despite some attrition in corporate innovation offices the global innovation presence remains strong.