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Deloitte, Salesforce, and World Economic Forum recently announced the launch of the Yes San Francisco (Yes SF), Urban Sustainability Challenge, the first location-based UpLink Challenge. The challenge was created in response to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11 aimed at making communities more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Entrepreneurs and organizations were encouraged to submit sustainable solutions for their city’s needs for an opportunity to receive funding through the Challenge. Collaborators in this effort include Citi and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Foundation. While Citi will use their Citi Impact Fund to help engage investors, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Foundation will bring local stakeholders to advocate for the Challenge.
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce CEO & President, Rodney Fong, said, “San Francisco has a generational opportunity to build on its core strengths as a global center of commerce, with a talented, educated workforce and a long history of leadership in technology and innovation, to refocus its energy on leading the fight against climate change.”
In total, the San Francisco Chamber Foundation received 143 submissions by the August 11, 2023 deadline. The proposals were required to have a positive impact on the community through the lens of sustainability, and work to transform downtown San Francisco and revitalize spaces across the city. Innovations, which can be found here, included:
- Redesigned indoor and outdoor spaces that bring residents, visitors, and new businesses to the area while utilizing sustainable materials that minimize the city’s carbon footprint.
- Converting downtown office buildings into residential housing
- Innovative clean energy and storage solutions for the urban area
- Reimagined ideas for urban food production to provide healthy, reliable nutrition to the community.
- Innovative approaches to water conservation and reuse that stimulate equitable job creation.
The Yes SF, Urban Sustainability Challenge will bring together a community of organizations, entrepreneurs and leaders to help create a more sustainable and inclusive San Francisco as the city works to become a model for resiliency.
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