OUR REGION
The East Bay is home to one of the world’s most dynamic economies and innovative regions with direct access to global markets, talent, and capital. Our diverse communities, skilled workforce, and regional infrastructure are some of the reasons why companies of all sizes and types invest and thrive in the East Bay. Download our one-page summary to learn more.
ABOUT THE EAST BAY
The East Bay is the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area, which comprises Alameda and Contra Costa counties. With a population of approximately 2.8 million, it is the most populous and geographically diverse subregion in the Bay Area. Our largest cities include Oakland, Fremont, Hayward, Berkeley, and Concord. The Tri-Valley has become a major hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, and among the fastest-growing areas in Northern California. The East Bay’s diverse and family-friendly communities, attractions and year-round recreation, make it the ideal place to live, work and do business.
The Bay Area and beyond draws from the East Bay’s highly educated, diverse and skilled workforce. We are home to UC Berkeley, California State University-East Bay, and over a dozen community colleges, giving employers direct access to abundant talent. Some of our major companies include Bayer, Blue Shield, Clorox, Kaiser Permanente, Lam Research, Pixar, Tesla, Workday, 10x Genomics, and many more.
2.8M
Population (2022)
1.2M
Employment (2023)
$267B
Gross Regional Product (2023)
INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
The East Bay’s innovative ecosystem encourages a strong talent pipeline that helps businesses to grow and thrive. We are home to world-class institutions that provide a foundation for ground-breaking R&D and commercialization. UC Berkeley and three National Laboratories (Berkeley, Livermore and Sandia) attract billions in public R&D funding each year. Our robust network of business incubators and accelerators encourages technology transfer and entrepreneurship support, allowing early-stage companies to excel in globally competitive markets.
The East Bay’s legacy of manufacturing and leadership in multiple technologies create synergy for cross-discipline innovation, with growing R&D investments in life sciences, clean energy, artificial intelligence, high performance computing, and software. The diversity of these economic activities keeps the region thriving and growing. The East Bay has attracted more venture capital than 40 states every year since 2000. In 2021, East Bay companies received over $10.4 billion in venture capital investment.
3
National Laboratories
47%
Residents with B.A. or Higher
$7.5B
Venture Capital Investment (2023)
HEART OF THE MEGAREGION
The East Bay’s central location in the Northern California megaregion and extensive physical infrastructure support exports and goods movement that provide the region with an important competitive advantage. The East Bay has two international ports in Oakland and Richmond which allow direct and efficient access to global supply chains and international markets, including direct links to Asia and the Middle East.
The Port of Oakland is a premier global trade gateway for the U.S., handling 99% of all containerized goods moving through Northern California. Oakland International Airport (OAK) is the largest airport in the Bay Area for air cargo, serving as a regional hub for UPS and FedEx. Nearby international airports in San Francisco (SFO) and San Jose (SJC), as well as regional airports Hayward Executive (HWD), Byron (C83), and Buchanan Field (CCR) offer additional capacity. Residents and businesses alike benefit from the East Bay’s extensive public transit network and highway connectivity.
2
Global Ports in
Oakland & Richmond
99%
Northern California
Containerized Goods
50+
Regional Transit Stations &
Ferry Terminals
QUALITY OF LIFE
The East Bay’s diverse and family-friendly communities, attractions and outdoor recreation, make it the ideal place to live, work and do business. As the most geographically diverse region of the San Francisco Bay Area, outdoor recreational opportunities are in abundance and can be enjoyed year-round in reliably sunny weather. The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest urban park system in the United States and spans over 120,000 acres of parkland with 1,250 miles of trails. The East Bay also boasts over 100 miles of shoreline.
The East Bay is a popular destination for entertainment, arts and culture, and has a thriving culinary scene distinguished by being the birthplace of “California Cuisine.” The East Bay’s multicultural diversity is celebrated throughout the year with festivals that celebrate art, food, history and cultural traditions from around the world.
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