Kulitvate Labs

Kultivate Labs, a non-profit business accelerator. They believe that entrepreneurship is one of many ways to build wealth in local communities.  By creating new economic opportunities and closing the income inequality gap in San Francisco, Kultivate Labs hopes to stem the displacement of our low and middle income residents.

It's premier project, UNDISCOVERED SF is a non-profit venture designed to jump-start economic activity and public awareness of SOMA Pilipinas. UNDISCOVERED SF is part of a multi-prong strategy to build a thriving new commercial corridor in the SOMA Pilipinas cultural district by 2020. Kultivate Labs envisions incubating a batch of innovative retail concepts, award-winning restaurants, and neighborhood serving businesses that are culturally relevant, financially resilient, and adaptable to the market needs of all San Franciscans. 

Recognizing that there was huge a gap between what the Filipino community needed to develop its cultural district and what was available to accomplish this task, their founder Desi Danganan was inspired to start Kultivate Labs in 2017.

The Filipino people, like many people of color have been marginalized for centuries. They were forced into a worldwide diaspora to seek a better life as blue collar laborers, sailors, soldiers, nannies, entertainers, etc.

Many children of the Filipino diaspora have overcome the challenges of marginalization and have risen to the highest levels of education and prominence. No matter what level of success, they all posses the potential, talent, and drive to succeed.

Now we're given a golden opportunity to live up to our potential by abandoning the colonial mindset that's plagued our people and signal the start of a new Filipino Business Renaissance. Kultivate Labs is the culmination of our forefathers' struggles and a new chapter of the American Dream. 

If we're successful in creating a thriving commercial community for SOMA Pilipinas, then we can take this model and apply to other communities seeking to develop themselves in a socially conscious way.