Business
Every month, a group of technology enthusiasts meet in an Oakland warehouse to build tiny self-driving cars. “DIY Robocars” was organized by Chris Anderson, who also runs drone company 3DR. While these cheap, disposable cars aren’t as sophisticated as the ones being developed by Tesla or Google, Anderson says that the advantage of using these “Robocars” is that there is lots of room to fail.
Artist Favianna Rodriguez is busy designing political posters and preparing to produce a large glass mural. A printmaker by trade, the mural will be the first time Rodriguez works wth glass. Ten minutes away, in a gallery in downtown Oakland, Natalia Mount spends her days guiding visitors through the current exhibition, which includes sculptures that move and emit loud sounds. The executive director of Pro Arts Gallery, Mount is eagerly planning new shows that toy with accepted notions of what is…
On a Friday night in East Oakland, Shoshana Zambryski-Stachel, founder and owner of ArtVale gallery, prepares for a monthly community potluck by arranging cheese wedges, dips, cut vegetables, and wine across two large tables at the back of the gallery. The air outside is crisp and cool, but the gallery is warm and well-lit, and will soon be filled with children and adults eating, drinking, and drawing together. A Bay Area native, Zambryski-Stachel opened ArtVale two years ago on Champion…
Over the years, the gap between those who have access to Internet and computers and those who don’t has narrowed. However, access to the Internet is still a problem for around 20% of Oakland residents, while around 9% of residents can only access the Internet through a smartphone.
Within an increasingly competitive food scene, entrepreneurs need affordable space to test their ideas and the market. Commercial kitchens are becoming more like business incubators, hosting pop-up events and opening cafes or “snack bars” where entrepreneurs can try out the retail market.
Said Roberto was born and raised in Ethiopia. In 1980 he moved to Yemen, where he played professional soccer for more than 10 years until he was injured and came to the United States for medical treatment. He decided to stay.
Oakland City Council passed a resolution last week that would urge Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) to allow the city to set utility user taxes based on greenhouse gas pollution. The move comes as part of Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan’s efforts to combat climate change and pollution.
Oak Knoll is a housing development project that will bring new commerce and housing to the East Oakland. But even though housing is much needed in Oakland, some Oaklanders stand against the project because it does not set aside any units as affordable housing.
A+ Collective is one of several new minority-owned cannabis businesses in the Bay Area, launching just in time for the statewide legalization of cannabis thanks to Proposition 64.