The City of Cupertino recently named Daniel Degu the Economic Development Manager to lead the Economic Development Division. An award-winning leader in the economic development industry, Daniel has gained varied work experience in both public and private sectors over the past 13 years. Bringing vast experience to all aspects of economic development, Daniel most recently served as the Economic Development Coordinator for the City of Milpitas where he led an array of economic and workforce development initiatives, including real estate transactions and management, community revitalization and revenue enhancement projects. Daniel is excited to work with Cupertino businesses of all sizes and industries and looks forward to helping the business community achieve their goals. You can reach us at econdev@cupertino.gov.

This month’s Cupertino Business Outreach Visit (CBOP) was just a short walk from city hall to none other than Amazon! City staff visited the company’s Cupertino office location to meet with their economic development and public policy leaders. Amazon has a long history in our city. Did you know that the first ever Kindle device was built in Cupertino? Today their presence in Cupertino includes Amazon Lab126 and Amazon Web Services where a variety of research and development (R&D) projects are spearheaded with the intent of creating innovative products that would positively impact the lives of others. Amazon employs approximately 300 workers in Cupertino.

We are excited to welcome Wei’s Fish to Cupertino (their first West Coast location, according to Yelp!). The flagship store of a renowned dining brand in China specializes in 'Suan Cai Yu' (fish soup with pickled mustard greens). Established in 2017, Wei's Fish, known in China as 'Yu Nee Zai Yee Chee', has rapidly expanded globally, boasting over 2,000 outlets in more than 360 cities worldwide. Recognized by the China Cuisine Association as one of the top 100 catering enterprises for three consecutive years (2019-2021), Wei’s Fish stands shoulder to shoulder with giants like McDonald's China and Yum China. We are excited to welcome Wei Fish to Cupertino. Visit them at 10520 S De Anza Blvd.

Starting January 1, 2024, minimum wage in Cupertino will be increasing from $17.20 to $17.75 per hour. This incremental increase ensures cost of living doesn’t outpace the earning ability of individuals. This measure also combats the added inflationary cost currently burdening families. The change will cover employees performing two or more hours of work per week in Cupertino. Employees are entitled to these rights regardless of their immigration status. All employers located within Cupertino are mandated to post the official notice in the workplace informing employees of the rate and their rights. Businesses must also document all hours worked and keep records for four years. For more information and to download the official notice, please visit cupertino.org/minimumwage.

This holiday season, remember to Shop Small! November 25 is Small Business Saturday – a day that is celebrated across the U.S. recognizing small businesses and their impact on the local economy. Small Business Saturday serves as an excellent reminder for each one of us to support our local small businesses as we kick off the holiday shopping season. To make it easier to find local businesses, the City’s Economic Development Division created a searchable map of businesses in Cupertino: cupertino.org/businessmap.

Is your restaurant plastic free and in compliance with the City of Cupertino's Single-Use Plastic Foodware Ordinance? If your restaurant needs financial assistance to purchase compliant foodware (i.e., reusable foodware or fiber-based compostable foodware), the City is providing up to $300 for businesses whose net income (after taxes) is less than $120,000 per year. If you qualify and would like to be reimbursed for your compliant foodware purchases, please fill out the following form: Cupertino Project Foodware Mini-Grant Application. More information can be found on Cupertino.org/foodware or call our hotline (408) 777-1356.

NOVAworks and the Employment Development Department are hosting upcoming layoff assistance webinars. People facing recent or future layoffs can learn about resources to assist with career transition during free, one-hour webinars, including: certify weekly Unemployment Insurance benefits; filing for Unemployment Insurance; registration for Covered California healthcare; and support, coaching, and training resources. Webinars are scheduled from 2pm to 3pm on the following dates: November 28 and December 12. Contact NOVAworks at 408-730-7232 or business@novaworks.org should you have any questions.

On June 30, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB54 into law to address the impacts of single-use packaging and plastic food service ware. The CalChamber and Cupertino Chamber of Commerce invites businesses to join this free webinar about the new SB54 regulations that could significantly impact businesses in 2024. Webinars are scheduled from 9am to 10am on December 6 and December 11.

An in-person free marketing workshop for small business and entrepreneurs will be held on December 8, 2023, from 10am to 1pm. Attend this hands-on training to unlock your business digital potential, explore SEO and social media marketing with local experts Mark Balliet and Ky Truong. RVSP at https://bit.ly/dec8-training

Want to know more about the development activity happening in Cupertino? You can get details on projects by accessing the Development Activity Reports updated every month.