The community is invited to learn more about innovation and entrepreneurship in Long Beach by participating in Long Beach Innovation Week(s), through Oct. 22, in partnership with the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) and Los Angeles County’s Innovation Week(s).
Innovation Week(s) are a county-wide celebration of the depth and breadth of innovation and creativity within the region, according to city officials.
“Economic opportunities in Long Beach will be through innovation, technology and enhancing civic engagement,” said Mayor Robert Garcia, who has pledged to support innovation as a critical component to his commitment to economic growth, development and the expansion of educational opportunities.
“From cleantech to gaming to aerospace and digital media and beyond, Los Angeles County is a leading global center for innovation and entrepreneurship rooted in boundless creativity and diversity,” states a press release from the City. “The City of Long Beach plays a critical role in the region and contributes significantly to its innovative and creative fabric.”
Fourteen events will take place throughout Long Beach during this period with an emphasis on showcasing the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of the city. The City’s Innovation Team (i-team) and the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association on Oct. 2 hosted a kickoff event at the Expo Arts Center in conjunction with the First Fridays Art Walk.
Other events include an “Evening with Wonder Women Tech Panel and Mixer,” “Showcasing Local Makers and Investors” with MADE LB, “Slow Money and Long Beach Fresh,” the “State of the Arts” presented by the Arts Council for Long Beach, and “Meet the Angels with Wolverine Angels” at WE Labs. For a full-list of local events visit innovateLB.com .
The City will also launch an ongoing public engagement campaign asking residents of Long Beach questions about local innovation, business start-up needs and economic opportunity.
The public may get involved and share ideas by following the i-team on Twitter @iteam_LongBeach. For more information about Innovation Week(s) Los Angeles and for the full list of countywide events, visit innovateLB.com or innovate.LA .
Garcia and the City Council received a progress update at last Tuesday’s city council meeting on five new innovation and economic development initiatives that will be implemented by the City and community partners over the next year.
“The Innovation Team is laying a strong foundation for the tech and creative economy in Long Beach,” said Mayor Garcia. “Our new initiatives focus on entrepreneurs and strengthen existing efforts to create more jobs and support local businesses.”
The five new initiatives are:
• Economic Development Blueprint— support the Economic Development Commission’s work to produce a city action plan aimed at stimulating and growing the local economy.
• StartupLB Tools for Business— partner with the Economic and Property Development Department to create online tools that guide entrepreneurs through the business startup process, increasing access to resources and reducing the time taken to launch.
• High Tech Infrastructure Plan— collaborate with the Technology and Innovation Department to maximize existing city assets, resulting in increased investment and quality internet access for businesses and residents.
• Branding for Business— facilitate the outreach process to execute a marketing strategy to attract and retain business investment.
• Long Beach Center for Innovation— coordinate city efforts to establish a new collaboration among academic, industry, investor and government agencies to bring innovative ideas, products and services to market.
“Creative, productive ideas are exactly what we’ll need as we develop the Port of the Future,” said Jon Slangerup, Port of Long Beach CEO. “We applaud Mayor Garcia for focusing on a strong ecosystem for innovative entrepreneurs to support local industries such as the Port.”
The City’s economic development initiatives were proposed after conducting extensive research on both opportunities and challenges to economic growth. The Innovation Team (i-team) will provide administrative support as community partners and City Departments lead implementation efforts. Community partners also include: Long Beach City College; California State University, Long Beach; Long Beach Unified School District; Council of Business Associations; industry partners; local entrepreneurs; the departments of Library Services and Development Services; Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation; Bloomberg Philanthropies; Living Cities; and Citymart.
“Innovators are always rapidly evolving technology, so we need to keep pace and ensure that our infrastructure is ready for the future,” said Bryan Sastokas, director of Technology and Innovation. “The new start-up portal will add needed online tools and extend the City’s capacity to serve entrepreneurs before they even visit City Hall.”
The i-team is made possible with a three-year, $3-million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies. Long Beach was one of 14 cities selected in December 2014 as part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Innovation Teams program. The program aims to improve the capacity of city halls to effectively design and implement new approaches that improve residents’ lives. Grant funds allow cities to hire and fund i-teams for up to three years. The teams function as in-house innova- tion consultants, moving from one priority to the next.
