Business Assistance
Berkeley businesses can get assistance on a range of business topics, including business assistance and expansion, marketing, and talent recruitment.
The Office of Economic Development helps businesses, entrepreneurs, artists, and community organizations access services, feel welcome in Berkeley, and thrive. Businesses can get direct assistance and advice from staff, access resources about starting a business, or get connected with other local organizations for industry- or location-specific support.
Subscribe to the Office of Economic Development newsletter to receive updates about funding opportunities, resources, events, and more.
Direct assistance
Send an email to oedmailbox@berkeleyca.gov to request assistance for your Berkeley business. Examples of topics we can support you with include:
- Finding a Berkeley location
- Navigating the zoning and building permit process
- Engaging with neighboring businesses, commercial districts, and local stakeholders
- Marketing, for example through the #DiscoveredinBerkeley campaign
- Accessing citywide demographic and commercial district data
- Promoting commercial district events and festivals on our IKE Smart City Interactive Kiosks
- Recruiting talent and posting jobs
- Joining relevant industry and business networks
- Establishing an outdoor commerce installation or parklet
Read our brochure for information about the Office of Economic Development’s services.
Resources for starting a business
Read the Berkeley Business Resource Guide for information on how to start and sustain a successful business in Berkeley. The guide walks through key steps of launching a new business:
- Creating a business plan
- Exploring financing options
- Establishing as a legal entity
- Obtaining your business license and permits
Operating a food business? Read the Environmental Regulations & Resources for Food Businesses to understand the environmental rules you need to follow.
Connect with other organizations
A number of our partners at other government agencies and nonprofit organizations also provide services to Berkeley businesses.
A few of these include:
- Alameda County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service: referrals to legal services
- Berkeley Chamber: supporting its business members and the economy of Berkeley by providing education, advocacy, and connection.
- Berkeley Startup Cluster: resources and support for startups and entrepreneurs
- East Bay Small Business Development Center: counseling, expansion planning, loan application preparation, educational workshops
- Project Equity: expanding employee ownership to preserve business legacies, retain jobs and help working people and people of color build long-term wealth in Berkeley
- Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center: business planning, educational workshops
- Tech Futures Group: market launch, funding strategies, Intellectual Property strategy, Small Business Development Center programs and seminars, and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant applications
- UC Berkeley Community Law Clinic: legal advice for low-income entrepreneurs
- Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative: holistic and culturally relevant education, advising and community to support diverse entrepreneurs
- Visit Berkeley: cultivating and promoting Berkeley as a desirable destination for meetings, conventions, tour groups, leisure travelers and film production while enhancing Berkeley’s economy
- Working Solutions: provides diverse entrepreneurs with affordable capital, customized business consulting, and community connections