About Renaissance

Mission

The mission of Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center is to empower and increase the entrepreneurial capacities of socially and economically diverse women and men, and thereby strengthen our communities through the creation of sustainable new businesses, new jobs, and the promotion of financial self-sufficiency.

Renaissance SOMA

275 Fifth Street San Francisco, CA 94103 Telephone: (415) 541-8580 Fax: (415) 541-8589

Renaissance SOMA houses the organization's administration and operations, and offers all Renaissance programs and services to clients from the nine county Bay Area region. Renaissance owns the 275 Fifth Street facility which houses Renaissance's on-site Incubator.

Renaissance SOMA is just 3 blocks south of Market Street from the Powell Street BART and Muni bus and rail stations. We are also just 3 blocks from the 5th Street exit of Highway 80 West; there is convenient street and lot parking nearby.

Renaissance Bayview

3801 Third Street, Suite 616 San Francisco, CA 94124 Telephone: (415) 647-3728 Fax: (415) 647-1542

Renaissance Bayview serves Bayview Hunters Point, Visitacion Valley and Potrero Hill emerging and established entrepreneurs with small business development services in English and Spanish that include business training, technology training and access to technology, individual consultation, financial education and access to capital, a Business Assistance Center (virtual incubation), lease strengthening and business attraction services with a focus on revitalizing the Third Street Commercial Corridor.

Renaissance Bayview is located within Bayview Plaza at the intersection of Third and Evans Street. The Muni T1 line stops directly in front of the plaza; where there is also ample parking.

Renaissance East Palo Alto

1848 Bay Road East Palo Alto, CA 94303 Telephone: (650) 321-2193 Fax: (650) 321-1025

Renaissance Palo Alto serves emerging and established entrepreneurs from East Palo Alto and the surrounding mid-peninsula communities with small business development services including training, business/life coaching, financial education, access to capital, technology training and access to technology and virtual incubation. All services are offered in English and Spanish.

Renaissance East Palo Alto is located in People's Plaza, a small business park which is also home to a credit union and one of Start Up's graduate retail businesses. We are less than one mile from the University Avenue Exit off Highway 101.

History
1985 – Renaissance launched with Business Planning classes to help very low-to- moderate income women and men start and grow their own small businesses. The organization grew steadily and added Introduction to Business and Advanced Business classes.

1990 – Renaissance launched the first non-profit small business incubator in Northern California, housing five businesses.

1995 – Renaissance added our Financing Resource Center to provide technical assistance and loan packaging services to help entrepreneurs who were otherwise unable to access traditional sources of capital.

1997 – Renaissance purchased our own building at 275 Fifth Street, San Francisco and expanded our Incubator to 14 emerging businesses and one commercial tenant.

1999 – In partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Renaissance became a Women’s Business Center.

2001 – Renaissance launched our second location, Renaissance Bayview, to serve emerging and established businesses in the Bayview/Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco.

2003 – Renaissance expanded the Incubator to serve 30 small businesses.

2004 – Renaissance expanded Renaissance Bayview to add a small business technology center.

2005 – Renaissance launched Business Acceleration, an initiative to provide customized advanced services to help accelerate the growth of graduate businesses.

2006 – Renaissance formed the Fashion Industry Network (FIN), a partnership with the Los Angeles based Fashion Business Incubator (FBI).

2007 – Renaissance merged with Start Up, an East Palo Alto based micro-enterprise organization.

2008 – Renaissance completed a five-year strategic plan outlining its goals for organizational growth, and launched offsite programs in Daly City, San Rafael and Richmond, CA.