Local Business Red Tape: New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani rolled out “O.P.E.N. for Small Business,” a three-part overhaul aimed at cutting paperwork, permit costs, and delays for the city’s ~180,000 small businesses, including a one-stop concierge case manager and a “business owner bill of rights” for inspections. Innovation Funding: New Zealand hit a $10B milestone for its Research and Development Tax Incentive, with record application momentum and a big share of new enrollees being small businesses. SME Growth Programs: Georgetown County’s Minority Business Accelerator graduated 15 entrepreneurs and awarded development grants to help local founders scale. Startup Talent & Training: St. Maarten students joined the Kingdom Startup Programme in Aruba to develop business ideas with mentorship and workshops. Business Climate & Recovery: Western North Carolina tourism push framed the region as “open for business” while highlighting ongoing Hurricane Helene rebuilding support for local brands and homes. Ag & Food Security Entrepreneurship: Qatar’s Hydrovest Technology grew from a home hydroponics hobby into a QSTP-based research effort targeting arid-environment farming. Fintech Product Adoption: Forms Capital rebranded its MTN MoMo overdraft service from “XtraBalance” to “MoMo Boost” to drive clearer customer uptake. AI Policy Watch: The EU ordered Google to open Android access points for Gemini and share search ranking/click data starting January 2027, tightening platform rules that affect smaller AI competitors.