 Like the summer heat, Fremont’s economy is staying hot! Here’s the TL;DR of this month's issue:
 
As the “hardware side of the Bay,” Fremont is the regional hub of advanced manufacturing activity, buoyed by a robust ecosystem of contract manufacturers and suppliers that help leading companies bring complex ideas to reality. One of those suppliers is End-2-End (E2E) Manufacturing, an ISO-certified metals fabricator serving the biomedical, semiconductor, automotive, telecom, and energy industries by offering capabilities like complex CNC (computer numerical control) machining, wire EDM (electrical discharge machining), prototyping, and value-added assembly. Whether it’s providing services for household name tech companies or stealthy startups, the kind of manufacturing, design, and engineering assistance that E2E provides are critical to maintaining Silicon Valley’s competitive edge as the global epicenter of innovation.
Jackery, a Silicon Valley founded company is a leading company in the field that specializes in creating high-quality and innovative products, such as portable power stations, solar panels, and solar-powered generators. They aim to provide eco-friendly and reliable green energy sources through solar or wall/vehicle charging for outdoor adventurers and everyday users alike. Jackery is at the forefront of the battle against climate change, and we are thrilled that they have decided to continue their operations in Fremont with an expansion into Pacific Commons South advanced manufacturing development. You can find many of Jackery’s products at Costco, Walmart and other big retailers or you can buy directly from their website.
Fremont staff had the pleasure of visiting Aehr Test Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer and exporter of cutting-edge silicon wafer test systems. Headquartered in Fremont, California, Aehr boasts over 2,500 installations globally and has seen a major jump in demand from new industries like electric vehicles. Aehr’s innovative products, including the ABTS and FOX-P families of test and burn-in systems, as well as the FOX WaferPak Aligner and FOX DiePak Carrier, have revolutionized the industry, reducing bottlenecks for critical chips that go into electric vehicles. We are thrilled to have Aehr in the City of Fremont and look forward to supporting their continued growth.
Lucid Motors, headquartered in Newark CA, has expanded its presence in Fremont by leasing 60,000 square feet of research and development space at 44259 Nobel Drive. Led by CEO Peter Rawlinson, the electric vehicle manufacturer's new facility is located approximately seven miles from their existing headquarters, and we are excited to welcome them to Fremont.
Don’t miss out on The Fremont Festival of the Arts this Saturday and Sunday, August 5 & 6, from 10 am to 6 pm in Downtown Fremont! Organized by the Fremont Chamber of Commerce, this is the largest free street festival west of the Mississippi River, attracting over 150,000 people annually featuring top-quality art & crafts, gourmet food, live entertainment, rides, live music and activities for all. If interested, sign up to volunteer and make a positive impact on this community event.
In the latest installment of our Shop Small Series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Sway Soturi, founder of Forest & Flour. We delved into her fascinating journey within the food industry and her decision to establish her restaurant in Mission San Jose. To find out more about their menu and place a food order, you can either visit their website or drop by the store.
Don't forget to catch Episode 4 of the Shop Small Series on YouTube!
Sway Soturi (Forest & Flour)
Q: Tell us a bit about yourself and where your passion for opening a restaurant began.
Sway: My name is Sway and I am the founder of Forest & Flour which is a bakery/cafe which focuses on allergy friendly food. We also do not have soy, corn or peanuts in our ingredients. We want to have an environment where people have safe choices to dine in. My passion for opening a restaurant and working with food came from my own journey of self-discovery and the kitchen. Cooking and being in the kitchen was always a safe and happy space for me. Most of my life, I have worked in the food industry, so it feels good to come back to my roots.
Q: How is Forest & Flour mindful when selecting ingredients?
Sway: Over the past four years as farmers market vendors, we have built meaningful relationships with various local farmers. This is something that we are extremely proud of because being able to eat seasonally and locally is a great way to help combat climate change and social justice challenges. It is important to keep the economy within the local community.
Q: How do you want customers to feel when visiting Forest & Flour?
Sway: My goal is to have people come in and feel welcomed in this space and that's why we designed the space with a lot of nature and wood elements. I want everyone to feel welcome and at home when they come in and to feel loved and accepted.
Q: Why did you choose to locate in the Mission San Jose District?
Sway: When we came and looked at the space in Mission San Jose, I thought the area was super cute and has a lot of potential. It is also very central to our farmers markets that we attend and is easily accessible to the whole bay area.
Through a competitive funding process, the City of Fremont was able to secure an additional $3 million in funding through the State’s budget to support Fremont facilities community infrastructure. This includes $1.5 million for the expansion of Wi-Fi access in Fremont’s commercial districts. This funding supplements recent federal earmarks to support free, high-speed wireless broadband for residents and small businesses. The allocation from the State budget is also another early “win” in realizing the vision called out in the City's Fiber Master Plan, which aims to greatly expand City-owned fiber-optic networks to improve the community's broadband infrastructure to support economic development, smart city initiatives, and digital inclusion. While there is much work ahead, we are highly encouraged by the momentum and look forward to bringing free and high-speed Wi-Fi to Fremont’s commercial districts.
Fremont hosted the grand opening of Dusterberry Neighborhood Park on July 7, 2023. Mayor Lily Mei highlighted its significance for community well-being and creating a sense of place. The four-acre park offers various amenities, promoting outdoor activities and gatherings. The site acquisition and development of Dusterberry Park aligns with the City's vision of accessible and vibrant parks within close walking distance of every resident, bringing family-friendly gathering space the Centerville District.
Photo Credit: Dan Strauss
The Fremont 4th of July Parade brought out hundreds of spectators onto Paseo Padre Parkway and Capitol Avenue in Downtown Fremont, while local dance teams, community groups, marching bands, and decked-out floats infused patriotic cheer and a sense of community into the annual holiday event. Take a look at the festive photos online and stay tuned for next year's parade details!
The City of Fremont attended the first ever PG&E Innovation Summit 2023, where stakeholders explored cutting-edge advancements in the energy sector. At the event, PG&E shared a historical overview of their practices, highlighting potential focus areas and discussing future initiatives and R&D plans. Some of PG&E's initiatives included the establishment of a new utility standard for integrated distributed energy resources at scale, enhanced grid operators' communication and coordination capabilities to unlock the value of flexible grid resources. The Economic Development team is committed to staying informed and engaged with innovative solutions and supporting their pursuit of sustainable and efficient energy practices.
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