Why can’t Berkeley hang on to its successful companies?

Sungevity, which makes home solar electricity systems, is moving from Bancroft Way in Berkeley to Jack London Square in Oakland. The company currently has 54 employees. Its Berkeley offices have 6,000 square feet, and the Oakland move will give them 20,000 square feet.

Sungevity is the latest Berkeley-founded business to move out of the city as it grows. Clif Bar moved to Emeryville last year and PowerBar moved out in 2007. Let’s hope that ventures like Nordic Windpower find ways both to thrive and stay in Berkeley.

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Lance Knobel (Berkeleyside co-founder) has been a journalist for nearly 40 years. Much of his career was in business journalism. He was editor-in-chief of both Management Today, the leading business magazine...