This is our latest Weekly Wire RoundUp where we cover and summarize news and stories published during the previous week. Founders First CDC Announces 2022 Kitty Fund 50 Finalists: Founders First CDC’s 2022 Kitty Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization that enables expansion and job creation in diverse founder-led, revenue-generating firms, has revealed the fifty (50) grant recipients of the year 2022.

California Gears Up to Embrace Crypto with Executive Order by Governor Newsom: On Wednesday May 4th 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order laying down the basis for the state’s cryptocurrency economy to be bolstered and regulated. As stated in the executive order, Newsom’s goal is to create a clear and uniform business environment for blockchain enterprises that balances the rewards and dangers to consumers.

The executive order directs the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) to work with the state’s Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) and the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency to improve the state’s business climate (BCSH). The state agencies have been assigned to develop “possible blockchain applications and enterprises,” which might include applications in the “private sector, academia, and community.”

Cathedral City to Host 2022 State of The City Business Awards & Expo: The Cathedral City State of the City Business Awards & Expo is being hosted by the Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the City of Cathedral City in 2022 at DoubleTree by Hilton Golf Resort on Thursday, May 19, 2022.

University of California Riverside Ranks Among Top 1.3% of Universities Worldwide: In the 2022-23 Center for World University Rankings, University of California Riverside was rated in the top 1.3 percent of universities worldwide. The rankings were announced on Monday, April 25, 2022. The university was placed 249th out of 19,788 institutions. UCR was ranked 81st nationally.

Lithium Valley: The Salton Sea will Be a Boon For Riverside & Imperial Counties: A Major Source of Raw Material for EV Batteries: According to the California Energy Commission, the Salton Sea holds enough lithium to supply all of the United States’ expected future consumption and 40% of global need. Lithium is the common denominator in EV batteries; this is important news for the expanding electric-vehicle sector.

The Salton Sea is a diminishing landlocked lake about 40 miles north of the California-Mexico border. Though the lake was once the heart of a bustling vacation city, water pollution and decades of drought have resulted in the ecosystem’s collapse and the emergence of ghost towns. Open-pit mining or evaporation ponds, which function by pumping lithium-containing brine to the surface and waiting for the water to dry out, have traditionally been used to recover lithium. Both of these systems have large land footprints, use a lot of water, and produce a lot of contaminants and trash.

Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce Allocates $14K To Student Hires: The Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce announced that $14,000 of On-the-Job Training Funds has been given to Student Hires LLC with a total of $30,000+ of On-the-Job Training Funds distributed so far to bring workforce development to the Chino Valley and help students accelerate their careers.

Events

1. BCCIE Chamber Monthly Mixer – Mon, May 16th https://www.meetup.com/BPIE-1/events/285821378/

2. Inland Empire Python Users Group: General Discussion – Tue, May 17 https://www.meetup.com/iepython/events/284263022/

3. Thursdays in Murrieta Bitcoin, Beer, Freedom, Etc – Thur, May 19 https://www.meetup.com/oc-btc/events/285605574/

4. The City Business Awards & Expo – May 19

5. Riverside Robotics, In-person – Robot Meeting! – Sat, May 21 https://www.meetup.com/The-Riverside-Robotics-Society/events/285635750/

6. Health 2 Wealth hosted by the ABAIE – Sat, May 21 https://www.facebook.com/events/1297402721085112/?ti=ls

7. Startempire Founder’s Night – Mon, May 23 (5-7pm) https://www.meetup.com/startupie/events/285900203/

8. Caravanserai Project Social Impact Startup Pitch Competition – Thurs. May, 26

9. Tech-O-Tuesday Tech Meetup – Tue, May 31 https://www.meetup.com/Techotuesday/events/284817414/

Author: Editorial Staff

We are the team behind the production and publishing of the best articles & content for the Startempire Wire Community. Our role is to curate what is relevant, helpful & timely so that you can be best informed of all of the happenings for startups, people & events locally.