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State Rolling Out 'Business Incentives' Portal

The state’s first online business development portal — "like an Amazon for business incentives" — kicks off next week with a demo, but it's up and running and available for perusal.

The state’s first online business development portal, CBIG.ca.gov, kicks off next week with a demo by state Treasurer John Chiang — but the website is up and running and available for perusal.

The California Business Incentives Gateway is designed to connect entrepreneurs and small-business owners with financial incentives designed to boost their trade. 

“Like an Amazon for business incentives” is how a press release Friday describes the portal.

“CBIG puts scores of incentives such as tax credits, loans and bond financing under a sole user interface that makes it easy for businesses expanding or locating in California to find and apply for incentives as part of a strategic business plan,” it says.

Through CBIG, “businesses will discover opportunities which will in turn get more governments to post incentives which attract even more businesses, launching a virtuous market cycle.”

Techwire wrote about the program when it was first announced last March:

“The website can be browsed by category, incentive type, business phase and government agency. ... Website visitors may put the incentives they select in a ‘shopping cart,’ which then directs the user to the offerer's website for more information. The portal also provides recommendations for ‘you might also consider’ incentives. Users also can save their searches in a wish list, so they don't have to start from scratch at a later date.”

The State Treasurer's Office rolled out the program last year in partnership with Symsoft Solutions.

The new portal also enthusiastically welcomes other jurisdictions: "Calling all Cities, Counties, and State Departments! Sign up if your organization has incentives and you wish to see them listed on CBIG. It’s easy to create an account!" 

Chiang will headline an event on Thursday in Sacramento that will include a presentation, a “controlled demonstration of CBIG” and a question-and-answer session.

The project, which was completed for less than $500,000, took a cue from a 2015 Little Hoover Commission report on customer-centric government. 

Dennis Noone is Executive Editor of Industry Insider. He is a career journalist, having worked at small-town newspapers and major metropolitan dailies including USA Today in Washington, D.C.