California Jobs First

Investment in Southern California’s life sciences sector is surging, fueling innovation, accelerating breakthroughs and bringing together researchers, engineers and scientists to shape the next era of discovery. The sector remains a key driver for economic strength and growth.

California is welcoming aerospace startup Hermeus as it relocates its headquarters to the Los Angeles County Region to tap the state’s deep talent pool as it builds the future of autonomous hypersonic aircraft. Learn more about what’s driving the move: latimes.com/business/story…

Major milestone for fusion! Inertia raises $450M to speed commercialization of inertial fusion energy, building on the historic ignition at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and boosting CA’s clean energy future. Learn more: techcrunch.com/2026/02/11/twi…

The Jobs First Council visited the Bay Area Region, meeting with business & civic leaders to learn about economic development opportunities. Council members toured Cal Poly Maritime Academy, preparing students for careers in engineering, transportation, global logistics and more.

As we reflect on last week's launch of Quantum California, one theme continues to rise to the top: the state’s unmatched ecosystem of researchers and innovators is working together to advance breakthroughs in this emerging bet sector and fuel economic opportunity.

California is leading the quantum future. With today’s launch of Quantum California, experts & researchers are joining forces to power innovation, create jobs and keep California at the forefront of this bet sector. Learn more: bit.ly/3JzQMuj

California is investing $80M in 11 projects across 18 counties — creating jobs & driving growth in key strategic sectors as we mark a major milestone of the CA Jobs First initiative and move from planning to implementing. Find out more: bit.ly/45ICcJ6

Southern California’s aerospace & defense roots are fueling a new wave of startups pushing the limits of space technology. With the necessary talent and infrastructure, the region is becoming the launchpad for the next generation. Read the full story: bit.ly/4oZfOTh

Santa Ana’s first Community Land Trust welcomed over 500 neighbors for its Grand Opening, offering community access to fresh produce, local entrepreneurial support, and a cultural space. A testament to the power of community development!
Read the story: bit.ly/La-Colmena-Job…

The CalCompetes Tax Credit, available to businesses looking to expand in California, will give special consideration to businesses within the strengthen and accelerate sectors in FY 25-26. Find more information about these credits and how to apply here: bit.ly/CalCompetes-FY…

California is awarding $15M to 14 Native American tribes, coalitions & tribally led orgs—spurring economic growth, creating good-paying jobs & supporting projects that reflect tribal priorities as we work toward a more sustainable future for all Californians.

The California Jobs First Investment Summit showcased 35 regional projects pitching bold ideas to investors, all focused on creating good-paying jobs and a vibrant economy. It was inspiring to hear such innovation from across the state—thank you to all who attended and pitched!

California is dedicated to advancing innovation in the life sciences sector by backing emerging companies, upskilling the workforce, strengthening collaboration and supporting research and development. Here’s how we’re making it happen.

Last week, GO-Biz staff joined commercial, government, and military space leaders from around the world at the 2025 Space Symposium. There, they highlighted the state's skilled workforce, existing infrastructure, and emerging opportunities—advancing the Aerospace & Defense sector

We are proud to share that all 13 California Jobs First regional plans have been accepted as CEDS by the @US_EDA, opening up opportunities to advance and bolster the State's dynamic sectors in ways that wouldn't have been possible otherwise.
Find out more: bit.ly/Regional-plans…

We’re still gleaming from last week’s regional convening. We gathered with leaders from each of the 13 Jobs First regions to celebrate the launch of the Blueprint, align regional goals with the statewide strategies and learn more about growth avenues within the Pilot Sectors.

Jobs First invests in the Regional Investment Initiative (RII), empowering 13 regional collaboratives to bring together diverse partners and organizations to define economic visions and launch innovative projects, supported by the state.

In May 2023, the State invested $39M into 8 pilot projects to showcase community-led economic development. California Jobs First builds on this momentum by supporting regional efforts to create good-paying jobs around the state. jobsfirst.ca.gov

We are committed to helping regions execute their strategic priorities, focusing our initial efforts in the next two years on four pilot sectors and subsectors to prove that this approach can drive impact before expanding to the remaining strategic sectors by 2035.

We're working to create, attract, and increase access to good-paying jobs by:​

Supporting sustainable growth​
Investing in our workforce's future​
Creating a favorable environment for job creators​
Strengthening innovation & entrepreneurship​

Learn more: jobsfirst.ca.gov