SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR ANNOUNCES PROGRAM TO INTRODUCE WORLD-CLASS ENTREPRENEURS TO THE $142 BILLION PUBLIC SECTOR MARKET

Mayor Ed Lee invites entrepreneurs to develop technology-enabled products and services for government, the largest consumer of products and services in the nation SAN FRANCISCO September 6th, 2013 Mayor Edwin M. Lee, in collaboration with the White House and other strategic partners, today announced San Franciscos Entrepreneurship-inResidence (EIR) program. We need the top entrepreneurs to work with us on opportunities that are actual pain points and needs of government. San Franciscos EIR program advances our role and vision as the Innovation Capital of the World, said Mayor Ed Lee. The program is inspired by President Obamas call, Weve got to have the brightest minds to help solve our biggest challenges." San Franciscos EIR program will select talented entrepreneurial teams and help them develop technology-enabled products and services that can capitalize on the $142 billion public sector market. San Franciscos program is one of the first EIR programs within government, who is by far, the largest customer of products and services in the nation, commented Jay Nath, San Franciscos Chief Innovation Officer. The entrepreneurial products and services developed through San Franciscos EIR program should drive significant impact such as increased revenue, enhanced productivity or meaningful cost savings. The program plans to attract world-class entrepreneurs and technologists by providing them with direct access to government needs and opportunities, staff and their expertise, in addition to product development, ramp-up support, and insights into a gold mine of government problems and opportunities through the City and County of San Francisco. Products and services that successfully solve issues faced by San Francisco can easily expand to addressing similar needs of other cities and states across the nation in addition to the private sector, said Rahul Mewawalla, a senior executive with leadership experiences across Fortune 500 and high growth companies who is leading the program. We expect to drive significant innovation and growth in areas of pressing importance such as data, mobile and cloud services, healthcare, education, transportation, energy and infrastructure. San Franciscos EIR program will offer selected teams mentorship from senior public leaders across the Mayors office and San Francisco departments and from private sector leaders with experience at companies such as McKinsey & Company, Nokia, NBC Universal, General Electric, Yahoo and Goldman Sachs. The program expects to select 3 to 5 teams and announce the selected teams in early October, during San Franciscos Innovation Month. The program will run 16 weeks from mid-October, 2013 through mid-February, 2014. Entrepreneurial teams are invited to learn more and apply at http://entrepreneur.sfgov.org