‘Yes SF’ Innovators Unveiled: 14 Ecopreneurs Launching Urban Sustainability Solutions in San Francisco

Salesforce, along with Deloitte, Citi, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, and the World Economic Forum, today announced 14 Top Innovators chosen as part of the Yes San Francisco, Urban Sustainability Challenge (Yes SF). This marks a critical milestone in the effort to make the city of San Francisco a more sustainable and equitable place to live and work.

Winning solutions include hydroponic green roofs, accessible solar storage, AI-driven green technology, and more. 

Significance: Cities produce 75% of global emissions and face the dual challenge of sustainable development and improving residents’ quality of life amid rapid urbanization.

• Launched earlier this year, Yes SF aims to find and support ecopreneurs with solutions that have the potential to create positive environmental and social impact. 
• The solutions must also align with the city’s Roadmap to Downtown San Francisco’s Future and its Climate Action Plan.
• Salesforce, Deloitte, and the World Economic Forum launched the challenge to serve as a roadmap for action, not only for the Bay Area but also to extend its impact in building resilient, inclusive cities across the nation. 

Go deeper: Yes SF received nearly 150 submissions, which were evaluated by a committee of experts. Selected Top Innovators will receive support from:

• The World Economic Forum and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which will offer resources to deploy their solutions, including introductions to local stakeholders and advisory services. 
• UpLink, a global hub for innovation, will provide visibility, connections, and targeted resources to facilitate growth and scalability of ideas. To-date, UpLink has run more than 50 challenges and selected over 400 Top Innovators.
• Several Francisco-based organizations, including the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and SPUR, will offer community expertise and resources to help the selected ecopreneurs scale their ideas and bring tangible, positive change to the city.

Meet the Meet the 14 Top Innovators:

• 374Water: Supports a circular economy and enables organizations to achieve their ESG goals through a pioneering new sustainable waste management system.
• Babylon Micro-Farms: Brings sustainable hydroponic farming to anyone who needs it by automating indoor farming production.
• BluumBio: Cleans the soil, air, and water with enzymes.
• Butlr: Provides powerful insights into how people use their spaces with data-driven insights to make them safer, healthier, while reducing their carbon footprint.
• Flower Turbines: Offers a combination of low noise and high efficiency technologies ideal for urban and off-the-grid wind energy applications. 
• itselectric: Partners with city property owners to unlock access to untapped electricity supply while they earn passive income.
• Moxion Power: Stores mobile energy by manufacturing zero emission and off-road generators for commercial and industrial applications.
• Posh Electric: Delivers home power backup and off-grid solar storage products that are easy to install and use.
• RainStick Shower: RainStick Shower circular system technology aims to reduce people’s water needs to 13 gallons of water per person per day without compromising their experience.
• Sun Ice Energy: Captures daylight energy to maintain a cooling facility for two to three days without sun exposure.
• Taro AI: Makes tree health monitoring and inventories cheaper and faster for cities.
• Urban Machine: Removes staples and nails from reclaimed wood to turn it into premium lumber products using AI.   
• Washbox: Uses technology to sustainably wash tools and equipment on site, quickly and easily.
• Zauben: Offers living designs that are beautiful, sustainable, and brings environments to life. 

Soundbites:

• “Yes SF is a catalyst for innovation. This cohort of Top Innovators will contribute to the city’s transformation through sustainable innovation and community expertise, benefitting both San Franciscans and the planet. Together with our collaborators and ecopreneurs, we can harness the power of technology, sustainability, and innovation that has been core to the city’s identity for decades.” — Suzanne DiBianca, EVP and Chief Impact Officer at Salesforce

Yes SF is a catalyst for innovation. This cohort of Top Innovators will contribute to the city’s transformation through sustainable innovation and community expertise, benefitting both San Franciscans and the planet. Together with our collaborators and ecopreneurs, we can harness the power of technology, sustainability, and innovation that has been core to the city’s identity for decades.

Suzanne DiBianca, EVP and Chief Impact Officer at Salesforce

• “You can’t help but feel the incredible energy behind Yes SF. This UpLink challenge has been a catalyst for collaboration across sectors, by the community and for the community, and it is a testament to what can be achieved when united in pursuit of a shared goal. Deloitte is happy to provide additional support to the Challenge through our grant so that the ‘Top Innovators’ can scale their ideas and bring tangible, positive change to San Francisco.” — Kwasi Mitchell, Chief Purpose & DEI Officer, Deloitte
• “Yes SF is more than simply a challenge; it is a shared commitment from public and private sector leaders to reimagine the possibilities of urban living and revitalize San Francisco’s downtown economy for a more sustainable and resilient future. We look forward to leveraging the World Economic Forum’s global network and platform to support these world-leading innovators as they scale their solutions in San Francisco and beyond.” — Jeff Merritt, Head of Centre for Urban Transformation; Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum

More information:

• Learn about the UpLink Challenge to make air travel more sustainable
• Learn how local innovators tackle global challenges with technology and  collaboration
• Read more Salesforce sustainability news here