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Business Journals
9 hours ago
- Business
- Business Journals
From idea to impact: How Yes SF continues to spur a new wave of innovation in San Francisco
When Deloitte collaborated with the World Economic Forum, Salesforce, Citi, and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce to launch the Yes SF initiative in 2023, it was a bit of an experiment in and of itself. The goal? To help revitalize downtown San Francisco by elevating and supporting the growth of leading innovations in urban sustainability and cultivate an ecosystem of organizations to deploy those solutions locally, while supporting innovators through the revitalization jump-starting a local network of start-ups that could spur economic growth and diversify the economy in a way that is better for people and the planet. Just over two years later, the experiment is producing results. Yes SF is spurring a movement The program began as an innovation challenge calling for solutions to many of San Francisco's sustainability and revitalization goals. Fourteen companies — 'Top Innovators' — were chosen from 150 applicants. Since the program's inception, more than $60 million has been invested in San Francisco and many of these Top Innovators, and the momentum continues to build. For example, Butlr, which creates thermal, privacy-first sensors, is now deployed in the Salesforce Tower. it's electric recently launched a new wave of curbside EV charging stations in the city. And BluumBio, Flower Turbines, Urban Machine, Zauben, and more are expanding their presence with local hires and new deployments that are helping to spur San Francisco's economy. Meet the second cohort: Where sustainability meets AI In April, Yes SF announced its second cohort of Top Innovators. The new cohort is centered at the intersection of sustainability and AI. Top Innovators are harnessing data and cutting-edge technology to tackle daunting challenges such as resource management (including energy generation and efficiency and biodegradable packaging) as well as transportation and mobility (including microgrids and autonomous last-mile delivery solutions). The program intentionally choses startups that are early stage but ready to deploy. And, with the broad support Yes SF provides, these founders can build here and help advance the city's collective journey toward urban transformation and sustainability. What companies are getting — and giving back One of the most powerful roles Yes SF plays is convening and connecting San Francisco's innovation ecosystem. When the program began, I don't think any of us anticipated just how deeply the community would lean in. Today, nearly 60 organizations have joined the program, including large corporations and community institutions offering everything from research and development space to marketing support and mentorship. Thanks to the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, Top Innovators can participate in information sessions related to doing business in San Francisco, get help navigating the permitting process, and receive support to build and scale their solutions. They also get visibility at events like Dreamforce, San Francisco Climate Week, and even the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. That combination of practical support and high-level visibility helps make this initiative quite powerful. Why I'm more hopeful than ever I've spent my career working across the private, public, and social sectors — and I've always believed in the power of collaboration. Yes SF has become a shining example of what's possible when you bring various players to the table. I remain confident in San Francisco's future. I see the energy downtown. I see the collaboration across sectors. And I see a new kind of innovation taking root — one that is local, sustainable, and visionary. San Francisco's next wave of innovators is here and they are just getting started. This publication contains general information only and Deloitte is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. Deloitte shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this publication. About Deloitte Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ('DTTL'), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as 'Deloitte Global') does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the 'Deloitte' name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ricoh and Butlr Forms Capital and Business Alliance Through the RICOH Innovation Fund
Strengthening Solutions in Workplace Experience, Ricoh's Key Growth Area TOKYO, JP / / January 29, 2025 / Ricoh Company, Ltd. and Butlr Technologies Inc. (CEO: Honghao Deng, hereinafter "Butlr"), a U.S.-based company that builds scalable people-sensing data infrastructure, today announced that the two companies have entered into a business alliance agreement through Ricoh's corporate venture capital (CVC) fund, the RICOH Innovation Fund, on January 1, 2025. The Stock Purchase Agreement was signed on December 13, 2024. The Ricoh Group is dedicated to helping customers unlock their creative potential in the workplace. By harnessing digital technology, we optimize business processes, boost organizational productivity, and foster meaningful collaboration. In the Workplace Experience domain, Ricoh focuses on delivering optimal working environments that support seamless communication and high-quality collaboration-free from location constraints. Through this approach, we empower customers to bring their ideas to life and create new value. Through this capital and business alliance, Ricoh and Butlr will undertake and explore the following initiatives: Applying Butlr's sensor products and technologies to Ricoh's services, such as RICOH Spaces. Expanding the deployment of Butlr's sensor products and services, currently implemented locally by Ricoh, to global markets. Leveraging Ricoh's sales channels for the global distribution of Butlr's sensor products. Jointly developing new products and services that utilize Butlr's sensor technologies. Exploring other areas of mutual benefit identified by both companies. Ricoh established this CVC fund in November 2023 and is working to accelerate its transformation into a digital services company by supporting the growth of B2B startups. "We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with Butlr through this capital and business alliance. I have no doubt that together with Butlr, we will further advance Ricoh's Workplace Experience business and contribute to the societal implementation of physical space AI that Butlr is striving to achieve," said Sanae Endo, General Manager, Corporate Planning Center, Ricoh Company, Ltd. Honghao Deng, CEO and co-founder, Butlr, added, "Our partnership with Ricoh enables us to expand our presence in the workplace and meet the growing demand for our Heatic 2+ sensors, which provide original, real-time insight into the needs of the workforce while ensuring privacy. Together, Ricoh and Butlr are transforming the workplace experience by enabling the highest levels of productivity and collaboration." Looking ahead, Ricoh will continue to support the demonstration of human creativity and contribute to creating a sustainable future society by continuing to bring about change in how we work through collaboration and co-creation through open innovation. Overview of Investment PartnerCompany Name: Butlr Technologies Honghao DengHeadquarters: 800 Airport Boulevard, Suite 510, Burlingame, CA, 94010 June 4, 2019Mission: To build the world's most scalable people-sensing data infrastructure,ushering in a new era of human-centered buildings and spaces. Business Activities: • Development of wireless sensors that detect human movement and presence using body heat.• Space intelligence platform powered by AI and thermal sensing Related Information RICOH Innovation Fund (in Japanese) Ricoh establishes a fund to generate innovationhttps:// Media Contacts: Butlr Technologies, Inc kkeating@ Ricoh Company, Ltd. koho@ About Ricoh Ricoh is a leading provider of integrated digital services and print and imaging solutions designed to support digital transformation of workplaces, workspaces and optimize business performance. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh's global operation reaches customers in approximately 200 countries and regions, supported by cultivated knowledge, technologies, and organizational capabilities nurtured over its 85-year history. In the financial year ended March 2024, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,348 billion yen (approx. 15.5 billion USD). It is Ricoh's mission and vision to empower individuals to find Fulfillment through Work by understanding and transforming how people work so we can unleash their potential and creativity to realize a sustainable future. For further information, please visit About Butlr Butlr is an MIT Media Lab spinout that fuses artificial intelligence with body heat sensing technology to build patented sensors and an anonymous people-sensing platform. Using thermal insights, Butlr technology understands subtle movements in a space, accurately discerns activity, occupancy, indoor location, and body posture yet is purposely designed to be incapable of capturing personally identifiable information. Butlr spatial insights are used by some of the world's largest companies in hospitality, senior living, health care, commercial real estate, retail, and public transportation to inform decisions regarding space occupancy and utilization, user experiences, patient safety, compliance, staffing, and ensuring buildings are operating with high efficiency and sustainability. These customers include Verizon, Netflix, Carrier, Microsoft, and CBRE. For more information, visit © 2025 Ricoh Company, Ltd, Inc. and Butlr Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved. All referenced product names arethe trademarks of their respective companies. Contact Information Kathy Keating Public Relationskkeating@ SOURCE: Butlr Technologies Inc View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Sign in to access your portfolio
