lifeinaction
DoingBusinessinCarlsbad

 

OIED work 125

 OIED commuter 125 OIED life 3 125

 

Workforce development &
small-business assistance

Carlsbad Commuter app

Carlsbad Life in Action Recruiter
 

2024 Carlsbad Business Survey is Open

The City of Carlsbad has launched its 2024 Carlsbad Business Survey. This survey is a confidential and convenient way for local business owners and leaders to share feedback about Carlsbad as a place to do business. 

You can take the survey here: carlsbadca.gov/BusinessSurvey 
It should only take about 15 minutes to complete. 

About the Survey
  • The survey is intended for business owners, executive management, and senior leaders who have knowledge of the overall operations and direction of the business.
  • Responses will be anonymized and aggregated with other responses. No individual or business information will be shared or published.
  • The survey asks about different aspects of current business operations, such as workforce and hiring needs, access to clients and customers, and permitting and regulatory concerns. It also asks about future growth expectations and feedback on the business climate in Carlsbad.
  • The survey is conducted every two years to ensure the city understands current challenges and trends in the business community.
  • The City of Carlsbad appreciates your time and participation in this survey. Your feedback will help improve services and support for the local business community.
  • For any questions related to the survey, please contact our economic development team at business@carlsbadca.gov.

Thank you for taking the time to ensure the City of Carlsbad is better informed about the state of the business community!

Doing business

The economic development team is here to serve and support the city’s business community. Whether you are a small business or our largest tech employer, the city wants to make sure your business thrives in Carlsbad. The city team is here to help with getting your business license, bidding on projects and contracts or meeting with our development services team about permits and processes. You can learn more about the benefits of starting or expanding a business in Carlsbad at our Doing Business in Carlsbad story map. If you are a business looking for a new space in Carlsbad, please email economic development staff at business@carlsbadca.gov.

Useful resources 

Looking to start your own business? Our questionnaire is designed to link small businesses with local resources, providing information to tackle some of the top challenges prospective small businesses commonly face.

The Guide to Opening an Eating Establishment provides insight on where you can open an eating establishment in our city and how the process works. Useful information for food truck and sidewalk vendors can be found on our website as well. 

New state and local environmental regulations are being phased in over the next couple of years. Find information on these regulations, as well as resources for your staff and customers, on the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle page. 

Talent attraction & retention

One of the City Council’s strategic focus areas is bringing quality jobs to the city in today’s globally competitive economy. Carlsbad's Life In Action initiative is a resource for employers looking to land that perfect candidate. It provides additional tools, such as a hiring toolkit with media assets, brochures and infographics, to make the case for why the job in Carlsbad is the right one. 

The Carlsbad Job-Readiness Room is a free program that helps residents build job skills and bolster their chances of landing a new job in Carlsbad. The platform is powered by Bendable, a learning marketplace that allows people to discover new knowledge and skills through online courses, in-person events and other learning resources.

Economic Snapshots

Carlsbad Economic Snapshot FY 2022-2023 Q3

Economic Development Strategic Plan

Carlsbad Economic Development Strategic Plan

Biennial Business Report

The biennial business report provides an understanding of specific attributes of Carlsbad’s business climate, including workforce and hiring needs, access to clients and customers, and permitting and regulatory concerns, among other issues for Carlsbad’s business community.

2022 Carlsbad Business Report

Connect with us

Carlsbad has a range of options for businesses to establish, grow and thrive. If you are ready to learn more about doing business along the creative coast or have general questions about doing business in our city, contact the Innovation & Economic Development Department at business@carlsbadca.gov. 

News headlines

City of Carlsbad wins top 10 Digital Cities Award

Post Date:11/14/2022

The City of Carlsbad earned top-tier recognition in the Center for Digital Government’s 2022 Digital Cities Survey. The awards recognize cities that utilize technology to improve the government experience for their communities. Carlsbad ranked ninth in the nation among cities with a population of 75,000-124,999 for the second year in a row.

“This award showcases our city’s commitment to ensuring that we have the technology infrastructure in place to provide robust services and enhance the lives of all who live, work and play in Carlsbad,” the city’s Chief Innovation Officer David Graham said. “We’re proud to be recognized as one of the most innovative digital cities in the country.”

The city is committed to strategically invest in improving connectivity for its residents, businesses and visitors. As a connected city, Carlsbad is using information and communication technologies to increase efficiency, communication, transparency and the overall quality of government service. Carlsbad recognizes that the ever-increasing connectivity and integration of technologies demands a more unified approach, guided by a common understanding of needs and priorities.

As the city continues to grow and develop, the use of technology has also grown exponentially over the last two decades. The city developed Connected Carlsbad: An Inclusive City Innovation Roadmap to provide a high-level, organized guide to the principles that matter to the city in creating a more connected community. Connected Carlsbad is Organized into the five primary goal areas approved by City Council, including:

  • Pursue Community-wide Digital Transformation focuses on the foundational elements, including connectivity, up-to-date hardware and software, and a robust security strategy while providing an aspirational vision for the future.
  • Build Capacity for Data-Driven Government focuses on the policies, procedures and staffing necessary for the city to fully capture the value of emerging models of data analytics.
  • Foster a Vibrant Civic Engagement Culture builds upon the first two goals with a human- centered perspective that an engaged city that uses data and technology in a way that respects people and their privacy will support a vibrant culture where residents, organizations and businesses are invested in their community and its future.
  • Enhance Accessibility and Transparency recognizes that open government and approaching problem-solving from an accessibility perspective leads to better outcomes for all.
  • Promote Safety and Sustainability Through Connectivity leads to understanding the interconnected nature of our communities that can achieve environmental, mobility and sustainability goals when approached in a cross-departmental and community informed manner.

This technology-forward roadmap has enabled the city to take a proactive approach to today’s digital challenges, enables innovation, and fosters creative approaches to delivering efficient service to residents.

More information
Learn more about the awards
Email business@carlsbadca.gov

Return to full list >>