OpenAI Hosts Small Business Jam, Increases Presence in Bellevue Community

Bellevue Chamber of Commerce  |  April 2026

Hey, Chat: How can I use AI to optimize my small business's operations? According to the OpenAI team, who hosted a Small Business Jam earlier this month here in Bellevue, there may be fewer ways you can't use it.

"We want small businesses to have access to the same tools and capabilities that big companies have had for years. AI can help level the playing field, whether that's helping SMBs save time, reach new customers, or run their businesses more efficiently." — Traci Lee, State and Local Government Affairs Lead, OpenAI

As a convener for small business, and frankly, as a small nonprofit ourselves, we understand how daunting it can be to tackle new projects with already-thin bandwidth. Throw in the fact that we are located in one of the most innovative and competitive tech hubs, and the input-to-output math doesn't compute.

Enter the Small Business Jam program from OpenAI. Held March 6 at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue, this event gathered small businesses from across the Eastside to learn how they can leverage their business via practical uses of artificial intelligence. The team started with high-level how-tos and use cases, eventually scaling up to a more personalized and hands-on experience for attendees.

HANDS-ON LEARNING

Attendees were urged to pick a problem plaguing their business and spend the afternoon with the OpenAI experts tackling it in a workshop format. We saw folks fix their scheduling woes (complete with automations adjusting employee availability and personal preferences), draft up a brand kit and website, establish sales pipelines, and much more.

If you missed out on this opportunity but want to get started, check out their Small Business Prompt Pack, online video series, and a step-by-step GPT for business owners.

OPENAI'S GROWING EASTSIDE PRESENCE

This event not only marked OpenAI's commitment to small business and evening the playing field, but also to their expansion here in the Pacific Northwest. As reported by GeekWire, the company has opened its new engineering office in downtown Bellevue for its 250 employees in the region, with enough room in the tower to ultimately accommodate as many as 1,400.

"We're excited to help make that possible for folks here in Bellevue." — Traci Lee, OpenAI

Thanks to everyone who joined us, and thank you to our partners at OpenAI and the Washington Small Business Development Center for putting on such an impactful event.