#SAMCEDAontheMove - April 2026

April’s events across San Mateo County and the Peninsula featured a wide range of initiatives spanning innovation, public health, life sciences, transportation planning, workforce development, and regional culinary programming, bringing together civic leaders, industry experts, and community stakeholders to highlight collaboration and regional progress.

Here are the highlights:

Check out #SAMCEDAonTheMove to see past events and activities. 

City of Redwood City’s Innovate RWC

Designed to highlight the companies and ideas shaping the local economy, Innovate RWC was introduced by the City of Redwood City as a quarterly speaker series featuring both emerging startups and globally recognized firms. Through conversations with industry leaders, the program gave residents insight into innovative work taking place within the community, while also showcasing related career opportunities and community impact.

Hosted at Cañada College in Redwood City, the inaugural Innovate RWC event highlighted the work of Quilt through a presentation by co-founder and CEO Paul Lambert. The Redwood City-based company developed all-electric home climate systems that paired high-efficiency heat pump technology with smart controls to create lower-carbon heating and cooling solutions for homes

Peninsula Health Care District and Blue Zones' Blue Zones Ignite San Mateo County Community Keynote Event

At College of San Mateo in San Mateo, Peninsula Health Care District and Blue Zones hosted the Blue Zones Ignite San Mateo County Community Keynote Event, featuring a presentation by Nick Buettner on the habits and cultural characteristics associated with some of the world’s longest-lived and healthiest populations.

The keynote also explored how communities throughout the United States had applied these principles to promote healthier lifestyles, enhance well-being, and environments that support long-term health

County of San Mateo’s Vehicle License Fee (VLF) Press Conference

SAMCEDA is supporting the County of San Mateo and every city and town in the county to raise awareness and support for the County’s efforts to work with Governor Newsom and our Legislators to solve a failed funding mechanism related to Vehicle License Fees (VLF) created in 2004 which now no longer works for our county and the 20 cities and towns.

San Mateo County leaders (elected officials, public safety representatives, nonprofit organizations, and business leaders) gathered at the Redwood City fire station to demonstrate that the community was united in protecting essential funding. The group highlighted the real impacts of the VLF funding shortfall and advocated for a lasting fix during the press conference.


Xona’s Satellite Factory Grand Opening

Xona Space Systems opened its new satellite manufacturing facility during a grand opening in Burlingame. The event showcased its transition into high-volume production of LEO navigation satellites.

Guests explored the production floor through guided tours, observed live station demonstrations, and participated in a commemorative activity by signing a solar panel that will be flown on the first satellite produced at the facility, scheduled for launch in October.

California Life Sciences’ From Lab Bench to Global Impact Tour

California Life Sciences (CLS) hosted the From Lab Bench to Global Impact Tour to give Bay Area legislators and regional leaders a firsthand look at South San Francisco’s life sciences ecosystem. The featured tour at Twist Bioscience showcased how scientific discovery had translated into economic growth, high-quality jobs, and life-saving therapies. 

Then CLS and BMWL convened a roundtable discussion with members of the Bay Area Caucus, the Rare Disease Caucus, and other regional elected officials at Genentech focused on the policies, infrastructure, and partnerships that had supported the region’s continued leadership in the biotechnology sector. 

The event concluded with an evening reception with Genentech’s 50th anniversary museum, where attendees participated in an immersive, self-guided experience exploring the company’s founding. The exhibit highlighted decades of scientific breakthroughs, its impact on patients, and its distinctive culture, while also celebrating its legacy and inspiring continued innovation and a shared commitment to pioneering what was possible in the decades ahead.





 

The San Francisco Peninsula’s Flavors of the Peninsula Industry Kick-off Event

An exclusive preview of the inaugural Flavors of the Peninsula was hosted by The San Francisco Peninsula, in partnership with regional chambers, at Oak + Violet at the Park James Hotel in Menlo Park. 

The invitation-only gathering brought together media, local partners, city officials, and industry leaders ahead of the 10-day festival kickoff scheduled for April 23rd.

JobTrain’s Breakfast of Champions

JobTrain’s annual Breakfast of Champions brought together community members and supporters for a benefit breakfast focused on funding job training programs and career services at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport in Burlingame.

Chamber San Mateo County’s 57th Annual Progress Seminar

Chamber San Mateo County held their 57th Annual Progress Seminar event at the Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine County in Santa Rosa.

SAMCEDA’s President & CEO, Rosanne Foust served as co-chair for the event, alongside fellow co-chairs: County of San Mateo's County Executive Officer, Mike Callagy, San Mateo County Central Labor Council's Executive Secretary-Treasurer's Julie Lind, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation's Chief Executive Officer's Nicole Taylor.

The weekend-long event kicked off with an outdoor strolling dinner and reception on Friday, where elected officials, community leaders, and business professionals gathered to connect and network.

The following day, Progress Seminar participants actively listened to informational sessions on leading with trust, continued progress, regional transit, housing development, and artificial intelligence.

The Progress Seminar concluded with Leading and Collaborating Together: Strengthening the Peninsula’s Three Counties.


[ From left to right: County of San Mateo's Mike Callagy, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors' President Supervisor Otto Lee, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors' President Supervisor Noelia Corzo, and County of San Francisco Board of Supervisors' President Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, SAMCEDA's Rosanne Foust ]

SamTrans’ SB 63 Local Investment Plan Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) Meeting

SamTrans convened a meeting with its Stakeholder Advisory Group, which played a key role in supporting the agency throughout the development of a plan for potentially up to $50 million annually in new public transportation funding. Held at its headquarters in San Carlos, the group’s input helped shape the proposal during the planning process.

It was also noted that the meeting represented the final opportunity for engagement with SamTrans through the Stakeholder Advisory Group before the SamTrans Board considered the proposal at its May 6 meeting.

The San Francisco Peninsula’s Flavors of the Peninsula – Opening Event + VIP Preview Hour Invitation

The San Francisco Peninsula hosted the Flavors of the Peninsula Opening Event and VIP Preview Hour Invitation, bringing together guests for an exclusive preview of the inaugural culinary showcase at Camber in South San Francisco.

This kickoff celebration featured tastings from standout chefs, wineries, and cocktail partners from across the region to launch a 10-day culinary festival spanning 32 cities.

Check out #SAMCEDAonTheMove to see past events and activities.