Starbucks Investing in Englewood

July 16, 2015 Community & Responsibility

Starbucks Deepens Investments in Diverse, Under-represented Communities across the U.S.

Starbucks Plans to Open Stores in Diverse, Under-represented Neighborhoods in 15 U.S. Cities, Will Work with Local Minority and Women-Owned Suppliers, Nonprofits and Civic Leaders to Create New Opportunities for Economic Development and Community Engagement

First Stores to Open in Chicago (Englewood), Ferguson, Milwaukee, Phoenix, and Queens, New York 

Starbucks Multiplies Impact Beyond Stores with $1.5 Million in Starbucks Foundation Opportunity for Youth Grants in 15 U.S. Cities to Support Youth Training and Hiring Programs with Proven Results

SEATTLE (July 16, 2015) – On the heels of the launch of the private-sector led 100,000 Opportunities Initiative to increase hiring of America’s opportunity youth, Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) today announced two key strategic initiatives to support economic development and social change in diverse, urban communities by helping young people connect with meaningful employment and pathways to success. 

Starbucks to Open Stores in Diverse, Urban Communities 

Starbucks today announced it will open stores in 15 diverse, low to medium income urban communities across the U.S., with at least five stores expected to open in 2016. 

These stores will be a key strategy in achieving the company’s previously stated goal of hiring 10,000 Opportunity Youth – young people between the ages of 16-24 who face systemic barriers to meaningful jobs and education – and the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative’s collective goal of hiring 100,000 Opportunity Youth by 2018. 

Starbucks will open the first of these stores in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago’s south side; the West Florissant neighborhood in Ferguson, Missouri; the Jamaica neighborhood in Queens, New York; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and will remodel its store at 7th & Camelback in Phoenix, Arizona. Each of these locations will have an onsite training space where young people can learn valuable customer service and retail skills, based on the same world-class training Starbucks partners (employees) receive. Starbucks will also partner with local youth services organizations and government to leverage existing programs that help connect young people with internships, apprenticeships and jobs in the community and foster the type of dialogue and engagement needed for continued social change.

“We have a long history of developing stores in diverse neighborhoods and we hope to do even more – together with the community – to bring great jobs, engage young people, and drive economic opportunity for all,” said Blair Taylor, chief community officer for Starbucks and chair of the Starbucks Foundation. “We want to be part of the solution in these communities and help create a sustainable future for those who may be looking for a second chance.” 

Starbucks will hire on average 20 to 25 partners (employees) per store from the local community, providing a new pathway to opportunity through training and development, meaningful career options and industry-leading benefits that include the chance to get an online, tuition-free bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan. 

Starbucks also plans to collaborate with local women and minority owned contractors and businesses in the design and development of these stores, and work with women and minority owned suppliers to bring locally-made food products to the stores.

“There’s a quiet, much-needed movement underway to rebuild Ferguson” said Michael McMillan, chief executive officer for the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, which recently broke ground on a new jobs and education center for youth in Ferguson. “Starbucks is stepping up and investing in our community in a way that will open up exciting opportunities for all. We hope more businesses will appreciate this city’s resilience and join us in turning what was a tragedy into a triumph.” 

“We want to decrease the number of young men and women in Phoenix who are not connected to meaningful educational or career paths,” said Mayor Greg Stanton. “I applaud Starbucks for helping low-income, diverse communities address this problem. These new Starbucks stores will help engage our young people with exciting new training opportunities and help support our city’s minority-owned and operated suppliers.”

“In making this commitment to open in Englewood, Starbucks, like Whole Foods, sees the opportunity and revitalization occurring in one of Chicago’s oldest neighborhoods. This is further proof that when the public and private sectors come together to invest in communities, we can create new jobs and economic resources that will spur economic growth into the future,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

“A new generation of young people - especially in low-income communities - are at risk for never, ever having a job,” saidCongressman Bobby L. Rush of the 1st District of Illinois. “These young people are often neglected, especially those who are no longer in school or unable to find jobs, and are not being trained to be productive citizens in the workplace. We look forward to welcoming Starbucks to our Englewood community and share in their ongoing commitment to the training, employment and education of our nation’s youth.”

To determine which communities are a good fit for this store concept, Starbucks looks at all the available data on the socio-economic health of America’s cities to understand which communities have the biggest opportunity gaps, which have the biggest need for business investment and leadership, and where there is local movement underway to build a better future for its residents. The company plans to accelerate the development of these stores over the next three years with the goal of opening in at least 10 additional cities by 2018.  Starbucks will monitor the success of the stores for continued adoption to embed with our store development strategies. 

Starbucks Foundation Announces $1.5 Million in Opportunity for Youth Grants in 15 U.S. Cities

Today, the Starbucks Foundation also announced it has awarded $1.5 million in Opportunity for Youth grants to 72 nonprofit organizations in 15 U.S. cities for fiscal year 2016. 

These grants, ranging from $5,000 to $75,000, build on the foundation’s long history of investing in proven, as well as innovative, programs that equip young people ages 16-24 with the skills and training required for the changing global economy. Starbucks partners (employees) engage and volunteer with the organizations to help young people become job-ready and develop skills to continue on the pathway of opportunity. Since launching in 1997, the Starbucks Foundation has grown to support communities around the globe. In 2014, the foundation gave $13.1 million in 2014, making 144 grants to nonprofit organizations, including $3.37 million to organizations supporting opportunity youth around the world.

“The Starbucks Foundation is dedicated to empowering our nation’s young people to seek out the right path forward through development and training, public service and volunteering, educational opportunities as job readiness,” said Taylor. “We are thrilled to be able to award $1.5 million to these well-deserving non-profits who will help multiply impact beyond our stores and make a meaningful impact to these young future leaders.”

The White House is Ensuring Digital Opportunity but Chicago is NOT on the List!

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

July 15, 2015

FACT SHEET: ConnectHome: Coming Together to Ensure Digital Opportunity for All Americans

Today, the President will travel to Durant, Oklahoma, to announce ConnectHome, a new initiative with communities, the private sector, and federal government to expand high speed broadband to more families across the country. The pilot program is launching in twenty-seven cities and one tribal nation and will initially reach over 275,000 low-income households – and nearly 200,000 children – with the support they need to access the Internet at home. Internet Service Providers, non-profits and the private sector will offer broadband access, technical training, digital literacy programs, and devices for residents in assisted housing units.                                                    

ConnectHome is the next step in the President’s continued efforts to expand high speed broadband to all Americans and builds on his ConnectED initiative that is on track to connect 99 percent of K-12 students to high-speed Internet in their classrooms and libraries over the next five years.  ConnectHome will help ensure that these students still have access to high-speed Internet once they are home.

Since the President took office, the private and public sectors have invested over $260 billion into new broadband infrastructure, and three in four Americans now use broadband at home. Thanks to smart spectrum policies and world-leading technology, fast 4G wireless broadband is now available to over 98 percent of Americans — up from zero percent since 2009.

Despite this progress, a new analysis released today by the President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) illustrates that some Americans are still unable to benefit from high-speed broadband, especially America’s lower-income children.  In fact, while nearly two-thirds of households in the lowest-income quintile own a computer, less than half have a home internet subscription. While many middle-class U.S. students go home to Internet access, allowing them to do research, write papers, and communicate digitally with their teachers and other students, too many lower-income children go unplugged every afternoon when school ends. This “homework gap” runs the risk of widening the achievement gap, denying hardworking students the benefit of a technology-enriched education.  

President Obama is announcing ConnectHome to help close this gap and provide more Americans digital opportunity. 

Specifically, ConnectHome is:

Building regional partnerships:  The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is collaborating with EveryoneOn and US Ignite who worked with private- and public-sector leaders to build local partnerships and gather commitments that will increase access to the Internet for low-income Americans.  These partnerships will bring broadband, technical assistance, and digital literacy training to students living in public and assisted housing across America. Mayors from Boston to Durham, and from Washington, DC to Seattle, have committed to reallocate local funds, leverage local programming, and use regulatory tools to support this initiative and the expansion of broadband access in low-income communities.

• Twenty-eight communities strong: The President and HUD Secretary Julián Castro announced today that HUD has selected the following twenty-seven cities and one tribal nation to participate in ConnectHome:

Albany, GA; Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Baton Rouge, LA; Boston, MA; Camden, NJ; Choctaw Nation, OK; Cleveland, OH; Denver, CO; Durham, NC; Fresno, CA; Kansas City, MO; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; Macon, GA; Memphis, TN; Meriden, CT; Nashville, TN; New Orleans, LA; New York, NY; Newark, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Rockford, IL; San Antonio, TX; Seattle, WA; Springfield, MA; Tampa, FL; and Washington, DC.

HUD selected these communities through a competitive process that took into account local commitment to expanding broadband opportunities; presence of place-based programs; and other factors to ensure all are well-positioned to deliver on ConnectHome.

• Helping deliver affordable connectivity: Eight nationwide Internet Service Providers have announced they are partnering with mayors, public housing authorities, non-profit groups, and for-profit entities to bridge the gap in digital access for students living in assisted housing units.  For example:
  • In Google Fiber markets (including the ConnectHome cities of Atlanta, Durham, Kansas City, and Nashville), Google Fiber will offer $0 monthly home Internet service to residents in select public housing authority properties and will partner with community organizations on computer labs and digital literacy programming to bridge the digital divide, especially for families with K-12 students.
  • In select communities of Choctaw Tribal Nation, Cherokee Communications, Pine Telephone, Suddenlink Communications, and Vyve Broadband will work together to ensure that over 425 of Choctaw’s public housing residents have access to low-cost, high-speed internet.
  • In Seattle, and across its coverage footprint, CenturyLink will make broadband service available to HUD households, via its Internet Basics program, for $9.95 per month for the first year and $14.95 per month for the next four years. 
  • In Macon, Meriden, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans, Cox Communications will offer home Internet service for $9.95 per month to eligible K-12 families residing in public housing authorities.As part of its existing ConnectED commitment, Sprintwill work with HUD and the ConnectHome program to make its free wireless broadband Internet access service program available to eligible K-12 students living in public housing. This builds upon the free mobile broadband service previously committed to low-income students by AT&T and Verizon, for ConnectED.
• Making internet access more valuable: Skills training is essential to effectively taking advantage of all the Internet offers.  HUD is collaborating with non-profits and the private sector to offer new technical training and digital literacy programs for residents in assisted housing units. 
  • Best Buy will offer HUD residents in select ConnectHome demonstration project cities, including Choctaw Tribal Nation, the computer training and technical support needed to maximize the academic and economic impact of broadband access. Best Buy will also offer afterschool technical training, for free, to students participating in ConnectHome at Best Buy Teen Centers in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York City, San Antonio, and Washington, DC.
  • The James M. Cox Foundation, a Cox Communications-affiliated Foundation, will make 1,500 discounted tablets, pre-loaded with educational software, available for $30 to students and their families participating in ConnectHome, in Macon.
  • GitHub will provide $250,000 to support devices and digital literacy training to HUD residents in ConnectHome cities.
  • College Board, in partnership with Khan Academy, will offer students and families in HUD housing in all ConnectHome communities free, online SAT practice resources, and contribute $200,000 over three years to fund digital literacy and personalized college readiness and planning training in Cleveland, Los Angeles, New York, San Antonio, Washington, DC and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
  • 80/20 Foundation will provide $100,000 to fund digital literacy training in San Antonio. 
  • Age of Learning, Inc. will make its ABCmouse.com online early learning curriculum available, for free, to families living in HUD housing in ConnectHome communities.
  • The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) will produce and distribute new educational, children’s, and digital literacy content via participating local PBS stations tailored for ConnectHome participants.
  • The American Library Association will lead a collaboration with local libraries in all the ConnectHome communities to deliver tailored, on-site digital literacy programming and resources to public housing residents. 
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of America will provide digital literacy training for HUD residents in ConnectHome communities that have a Boys & Girls Club, including in Durant, OK, part of Choctaw Tribal Nation. 
  • Southeastern Oklahoma State University and the Durant Independent School District will provide digital literacy courses, for free, to HUD residents in Choctaw Tribal Nation.
• Ensuring HUD assisted housing integrates broadband: The Department of Housing and Urban Development is also taking major steps to provide communities across the nation tools to improve digital opportunity for its residents. Today, Secretary Castro announced that HUD will: 
• Begin rulemaking that requires HUD-funded new residential construction and substantial rehabilitation projects to support broadband internet connectivity.
• Provide communities with the flexibility to spend portions of their Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grants on local broadband initiatives and associated connectivity enhancements, including approximately $150 million dedicated to the current competition.
  • Begin rulemaking to include broadband planning as a component of the Consolidated Planning process, which serves as a framework for a community-wide dialogue to identify housing and municipal development priorities.
  • Supply guidance and share best practices with HUD-funded grantees on how to more effectively utilize HUD funding to support broadband connectivity.
  • Integrate digital literacy programming and access to technology into related initiatives.
• Supporting Promise Zones: ConnectHome is launching in Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and includes Camden, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Antonio – all of which were designated Promise Zones, where the Administration works in partnership with local leaders in high-poverty communities to achieve their educational and economic goals.  President Obama has also called on Congress to cut taxes on hiring and investment in Promise Zones to attract businesses and create jobs.

IBM Unveils New Playbook to Expand Innovative P-TECH Schools Nationwide

IBM, CUNY to help school districts, higher education institutions, and companies replicate P-TECH school model in any state

ALBANY, NY - 14 Nov 2014: An innovative education model known as Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) that began in Brooklyn in 2011 is now spreading to nearly 40 schools around the nation and could grow to an estimated 100 schools by 2016.

With the IBM (NYSE: IBM) P-TECH model gaining ground, IBM, together with many P-TECH schools and the City University of New York (CUNY), today introduced a new digital playbook, making publicly available a formula that is reinventing high school in the United States and preparing students to enter the workforce with marketable skills that many employers now require.

The new website, which includes more than 30 tools and 15 case studies, is designed to help school districts, higher education institutions, and businesses establish new P-TECH schools across the nation by replicating IBM's groundbreaking public-private partnership education model.

The online playbook comes after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced this week that 10 new P-TECH schools are slated to open next fall, with IBM providing the tools, training and support to each participating school. The site will be shown to an audience of 100 school and business leaders from New York’s P-TECH schools, including representatives from the 10 new schools just selected by the State Education Department and Governor Cuomo, at a training session today at SUNY Plaza in Albany, hosted by the New York State P-TECH Leadership Council and the Public Policy Institute. New York State Education Commissioner John King, President and CEO of the Business Council of New York State Heather Briccetti, and President of the IBM International Foundation Stanley S. Litow will speak at the event.

“The extraordinary replication of the IBM P-TECH model in New York and around the country proves that school and business leaders can create powerful public-private collaborations that will help meet the country’s need for skills,” said Stanley S. Litow, IBM Vice President of Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs and President of the IBM International Foundation. “This new playbook will give principals, schools, and companies a detailed framework to provide our children with the 21st century education they need and deserve.”    

“When it comes to strengthening our schools, we know we need to engage students’ diverse interests," said New York State Education Commissioner John B. King, Jr. "That’s why Chancellor Tisch and the Board of Regents approved new multiple, rigorous pathways to graduation for our students. It’s also why the Board of Regents has been so supportive of P-TECH. It’s no secret that the U.S. lags behind some of our international competitors when it comes to preparing our students for the jobs of tomorrow. But with great partners like IBM, SUNY and all the other corporate and higher ed partners, New York can and will educate our way to the top. P-TECH will help make that possible – by providing challenging new opportunities that will give our students the skills and the knowledge they need to excel in college and in the workplace."

"The Business Council of New York State applauds IBM’s expanded commitment to the Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) model. The business community recognizes that New York’s growing STEM economy will be stifled if we do not find innovative new ways to help schools better prepare graduates to fill good paying middle-skill jobs and IBM is showing great leadership on this critical issue.  Creating more P-TECH high schools will produce thousands of new graduates to fill these jobs,” said Heather C. Briccetti, President and CEO of The Business Council of New York State.

The growing number of P-TECH schools follows the opening in 2011 of the nation’s first 9-14 school that blends high school, college and career into one. IBM, which designed the school, partnered with the New York City Department of Education, CUNY, and the New York College of Technology to create P-TECH in Brooklyn. Since its launch, Brooklyn’s P-TECH has above-average attendance, with more than 170 students, or 65 percent of the school, enrolled in at least one of 12 college courses last year. To date, 60 percent of fourth-year students have earned more than a semester’s worth of college credits. Six students are on track to graduate next spring – two years ahead of schedule.

The six-year program combines academic rigor with career focus, where graduates will earn a high school diploma and a no-cost, industry-recognized associate’s degree, and will be first in line for jobs with the employer partner. Students are paired with mentors from the business community and gain practical workplace experience with paid internships. The innovative education model is designed to build 21st century skills, fill in-demand jobs in the U.S., and ensure young people are college and career-ready in the skills of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) -- disciplines that underpin some of the fastest growing industries in the U.S.

 As P-TECH schools continue to expand and multiply, the website’s 31 tools serve as a guide for public-private partners at every stage of the program – from launching to sustaining a school. Highlights include:

• Helping schools develop a skills-based curriculum. Playbook details steps to develop a curriculum that is directly informed by in-demand skills and careers. A company who serves as the industry partner will identify what skills a student would need. From there, schools and college partners will use the data to create an integrated high school and college course curriculum.
• Helping companies prepare students for future careers. Playbook walks a company through its critical role in preparing students to be career-ready through workplace learning opportunities such as mentoring, paid internships, and worksite visits.

The site also includes 15 case studies from the perspectives of P-TECH principals, school staff, and business leaders on a range of topics including how to lead a school, supporting students in their college classes, mentoring students, and examples of skills-based internships.

There are currently 27 P-TECH model schools in New York, Illinois, and Connecticut. New York State plans to launch 10 more New York schools next fall and proposed tripling the number of P-TECH schools by 2016.

More than three years after opening the first P-TECH school, IBM, partnering with CUNY, developed a P-TECH virtual playbook in an effort to share their knowledge, best practices and lessons learned to help public-private partnerships that are currently developing a P-TECH school or are interested in adopting one. The program, which has been launched in urban and rural districts across a diverse range of STEM sectors, is designed to be both widely replicable and sustainable.

Small Business Optimism Hits New High in 2015 U.S. Bank Small Business Survey

Small Business Optimism Hits New High in 

2015 U.S. Bank Small Business Survey

• More business owners plan to hire, expand in coming months
• Business conditions strongest so far this decade
• Not taking action yet, demand for credit is still low

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 6, 2015-- The results of the 2015 U.S. Bank Small Business Annual Survey are in and they show small business owners are more confident about the future of their businesses now than at any time in the six year history of the survey. Optimism is on the rise, businesses are healthier, and they may be on the verge of taking action to expand; however, few are actually seeking credit to do it.

“The economy is gaining momentum and we are starting to see optimism rise among small businesses,” said Andrew Cecere, chief operating officer of U.S. Bancorp. 

“There is tremendous potential in that optimism. Small businesses are critical to the health of our economy. As their bankers, we are always advocating for them and looking for ways to help them take advantage of opportunities to expand and grow.”

When asked about the national economy, 18 percent of small business owners said they felt the economy was in recession in 2015, down from 89 percent in 2010. Moreover, 67 percent say the national economy is in recovery or expansion, up from 46 percent in 2013.

Business owners who said they plan to add staff increased to 25 percent in 2015 from 20 percent in 2014. Three out of four (76 percent) say their business is financially strong, and their revenues have stabilized, with 28 percent saying revenue increased and 52 percent stating that it had stayed the same over 2014.

Most are still not seeking credit, however, with 86 percent reporting they had not tried to borrow money for business purposes in the last six months. Of those who did borrow, 65 percent said it was easy, compared to just 44 percent who cited easy access to credit last year. In addition, significantly more small business owners (34 percent) said they plan to make a capital expenditure to expand their business over the next year.

“We are more than lenders – we are champions for small businesses, focused on helping convert their dreams and ideas into practical and prudent plans,” said John Elmore, vice chairman and head of branch channel and delivery at U.S. Bank. “Our role as bankers is to understand our small business clients’ opportunities and challenges as much as possible. They want us to relate to them in a simple, transparent way, and to be with them for the long haul – through the times of growth and contraction.”

Increased competition and rising healthcare and labor costs surfaced as more significant challenges facing business owners this year, however for the first time since 2010, fewer than half (47 percent) said the long-term impact of the Affordable Care Act will be negative. Business owners were split on whether the health care law resulted in premium hikes – 49 percent said they had higher premiums, 45 percent said there was no impact, and 7 percent said their premiums were lower. (Note: percentages do not add to 100 because of rounding.)

Mobile and social media are now an established part of the small business owner’s overall delivery, with 75 percent of respondents saying they have integrated a mobile solution into their business strategy, and 67 percent reporting that they maintain a social media presence to make connections, find talent or market their business. Top business uses of mobile include accessing bank accounts, accessing social media, making and accepting payments and depositing checks. They also offer mobile-friendly sites, use apps to organize and manage their business and use text alerts to market products, services or promotions.

The U.S. Bank Small Business Survey, now in its sixth year, monitors the attitudes, perceptions and outlook of small business owners across the 25-state U.S. Bank footprint. The survey was conducted by Market Probe via an online sample in January 2015 among 3,202 small business owners with less than $10 million in annual revenue. Full results of the survey are posted on U.S. Bank Connect, a small business networking and information sharing site for small businesses from U.S. Bank.

About U.S. Bank

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), with $410 billion in assets as of March 31, 2015, is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association, the 5th largest commercial bank in the United States. The Company operates 3,172 banking offices in 25 states and 5,016 ATMs and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at usbank.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20150506005151/en/

Source: U.S. Bancorp

Cisco Funds Training and Development Overseas.

Cisco Directs $10B at China, $60M to India for Training, Development

Jun 22, 2015 DH Kass | The VAR Guy

Cisco will target $10 billion at China over the next few years to support technical innovation, build strategic partnerships and support the local economy, and aim $60 million at India for IT training and manufacturing development. 

Cisco Systems (CSCO) said it will target $10 billion at China over the next few years to support technical innovation, build strategic partnerships and support the local economy and businesses.
New Cisco chief executive Chuck Robbins and outgoing boss John Chambers, in a Beijing meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang and other government leaders, announced what they called a “renewed commitment” built on the networking giant’s 20 years of doing business in China. Cisco doubtless believes the $10 billion investment ultimately will improve its sales in China, which fell some 20 percent in the vendor’s most recent quarterly results.

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Cisco said it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to increase its investment in China in technology innovation, equity investment, R&D and job creation.
In addition, the vendor signed a similar agreement with the Association of Universities of Applied Science (AUAS), to advance training programs to develop local IT talent. Cisco said it will help underwrite a four-year program with 100 universities of applied science recommended by AUAS through its Cisco Networking Academy.
“With these new partnerships and initiatives, Cisco is investing in the next generation of Chinese technology innovation, helping capture the opportunities presented by digitization and committing Cisco resources to ensure success together,” Robbins said.
Owen Chan, Cisco Greater China chairman and chief executive, said Cisco will work with the government and local partners on national development programs to improve products and services for Chinese customers, create value and assist China’s digitization transformation and economic growth.
Separately, Cisco said it will pour some $20 million over the next five years into India through its Cisco Networking Academy followed by a second wave of investments totaling $40 million to help build manufacturing and further the country’s “Digital India” initiative.
The $20 million, in direct and indirect investments, will underwrite the IT training of 120,000 students in India by 2020, Cisco said. The $40 million will be allocated to expand Cisco’s India facility to some 4 million square feet.
The networking giant also said it will leverage its global supply chain to help build and accelerate the manufacturing ecosystem in India, inviting 75 of its key suppliers and partners to the Cisco Design and Innovation Conference in Bengaluru in February 2016.
"The Indian government's vision for a Digital India is truly transformative and will create huge opportunities for the country and its citizens,” said Robbins.
Dinesh Malkani, President, Cisco India and SAARC president, said the “Digital India vision will unleash huge opportunities, revolutionizing the way we live, work, play, and learn.”

We Like This Idea, What about $1M for Digital Englewood!?

That's just $250K a year for 4 years!