Business Support
We want to help your business thrive in Oakland! Whether yours is an Inc. magazine notable or a startup operating from your spare room, City of Oakland has staff and resources to help you get the help you need to grow your business in Oakland.
If you're an entrepreneur just starting a business, make sure the Oakland Business Assistance Center (BAC) is among the first calls you make. The center’s knowledgeable staff can assist you in identifying available resources to overcome common obstacles that business owners face in today’s challenging economic climate. A self-administered assessment form helps guide the BAC staff in tailoring assistance to your specific needs. Click here to use the assessment form. The BAC can also be reached at (510) 238-7952.
Our experienced staff of industry specialists in Business Development assist business owners with challenges to their business growth. Through excellent communications, savvy know-how and persistent follow-up, staff creatively address business clients’ concerns and issues in a timely fashion and create a business-friendly environment:
- Connect businesses to locations and new opportunities
- Communicate with appropriate City staff until resolutions are reached
- Help businesses participate in City incentive programs
- Reach out to Oakland business-community resources
- Facilitate discussions with City officials
By organizing along industry lines, we can efficiently address challenges common to each sector. A host of resources are available to grow and attract businesses in Oakland’s targeted growth industries:
- Arts and Digital Media
- Food Production and Distribution
- Green Business
- Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Industrial
- International Trade and Logistics
- Office
- Retail
Learn more by visiting our Economic Development page.
