You can work from home: In these uncertain times, San Francisco startups are among those leading the charge for companies trying to navigate a fully distributed workforce in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. How is it going so far? We spoke with representatives of Zendrive, Scalero, Upwork and Ironclad to learn how they’ve pivoted in recent weeks. [Built In SF]
Funding for COVID-19 innovation: Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, announced last week that he is offering funding to startups that are able to quickly produce technology and supplies like masks, ventilators and gowns that will be needed to battle the anticipated surge of infections. He has asked those with ideas to add them to a public spreadsheet so that any interested investors can see whatever innovations are in the works to battle the outbreak. [The Next Web]
Aid for small business: A new petition is gaining traction in its call for the city of San Francisco to launch an aid package for small and medium-sized businesses that are affected by the outbreak. The petition claims the aid previously announced “is not enough.” The petition was initiated by Up All Night and Flavor Group CEO Prem Kupta and, to date, over 8,500 people have signed on. [Change.org]
Therapy for cofounders: Perhaps unsurprisingly, San Francisco is an epicenter for cofounder therapy, which has grown into a respected leadership tool aimed at helping teams working to get a startup off the ground deal with the struggles of running a company. Among the leaders in this space are the Well Clinic. If this approach takes, don’t be surprised if you overhear a “Do you even journal?” at an industry event. [The Verge]
No events, no problem: Speaking of events, and the fact that the bulk of them are postponed for the foreseeable future, sales teams that rely on face-to-face interactions with potential clients to spark potential deals are being forced to rethink their strategies. We spoke with Sendoso, an SF startup that specializes in personalized marketing campaigns, to learn how they’re adapting in these uncertain times. [Built In SF]
GDC’s new date: One canceled event that is back on the calendar is the Game Developers’ Conference (GDC) Summer. Originally slated to take place last week, the conference is now set for August 4-6 at the Moscone Center. [Hollywood Reporter]
Bandcamp backs artists: Oakland-headquartered music streaming platform Bandcamp opted to waive its typical share of artist revenue for 24 hours on Friday. It was an effort aimed at getting more cash into the pockets of indie artists who are struggling with show and tour cancelations due to the COVID-19 outbreak. [Pitchfork]
