This timely webinar explores how AI is reshaping work, entrepreneurship, ethics, and human agency, while arguing that curiosity, critical thinking, and values will matter more than ever. Watch the recording for a thoughtful discussion.

As AI reshapes the job market, universities must do more than prepare students for employment. They should become incubators for entrepreneurship, teaching critical thinking, curiosity, ethics, and innovation so young people can build the future, not just enter it.

We had a sold out event on March 4 with rapid-fire demos from Innovation Within, BrandCapsule, Radi8, Activity Ally, and The Host Mindset. Sponsored by Comcast Business and Wynn Capital.

Launchpad returns May 13, 2026 at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, and student teams need mentors now. Share your expertise to sharpen pitches, validate ideas, and build confidence before the live competition and job fair.

The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH) invites the community to celebrate three decades of creativity, connection, and community at The Red Ball, the MAH’s 30th Anniversary Gala, taking place Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 6:00–11:30 pm.

Support Santa Cruz’s Hephaestus Robotics team at a 1920s-themed Murder Mystery Party on March 14, 6–9 p.m. at MJA Vineyards. Enjoy wine, bites, and live entertainment while helping local students return to the World Championships. Tickets on Eventbrite.

Santa Cruz doesn’t need to become Silicon Valley to matter. As our startup ecosystem grows, the real opportunity is to build world-class companies while staying rooted in the character and values that make this place unique.

Podcast host Jonathan Hicken and Save Our Shores director Katie Thompson unpack offshore drilling threats, explain California’s “Blue Wall” of local ordinances limiting onshore infrastructure, and share ways communities can comment, organize, and protect ecosystems.

When the city's bridge reconstruction plan threatened to strangle Murray Street businesses with one-way traffic, owner and organizer Patrice Boyle rallied the community, launched a petition, and won — restoring two-way access for the neighborhood.

Anthropic refused to loosen Claude’s military guardrails, so the Trump administration ordered a six-month federal phaseout and branded it a “supply chain risk.” OpenAI promptly landed a Pentagon deal. The backlash boosted Claude to No. 1.

Federal agencies are fast-tracking offshore oil drilling and deep-sea mining, though no commercial DSM exists. BOEM is shortening permits and public input. Santa Cruz should update ordinances to block infrastructure and protect ecosystems and economy.

CarbonBridge is shifting from R&D mode to early commercialization: 2025 ARPA-E reimbursement billing helped fund operations, and 2026 begins with first product sales to Lawrence Berkeley Lab (via BEAM Circular). Fundraising and pilot-site planning remain key bottlenecks.

Joby’s Q4 2025 update shows certification momentum accelerating, manufacturing scaling, and commercial timelines sharpening toward 2026 passenger flights. With strong liquidity and expanding production capacity, Joby is positioning Santa Cruz-built air taxis to move from test flights to real-world routes.

Chaminade Resort & Spa has renovated all 156 guestrooms and suites with EDG’s contemporary mission-style design, blending natural materials and Santa Cruz photography. Santa Cruz Works members get major perks: 25% rooms, 50% meeting rentals, 20% team-building.

Parallel Flight Technologies has received FAA approval to begin commercial operations of its heavy-lift hybrid drone in the U.S., marking a major step forward for the La Selva Beach–based company as it prepares to deploy its Firefly system for wildfire response, logistics, and other industrial missions.

Connected University is a Santa Cruz experiment that reimagines online publishing as an embodied learning space, not a distraction machine. Each release is a concise multimedia handbook—readable in 20–30 minutes and paired with audio, ambient music, visual design, and centering practices—shared openly through voluntary stewardship rather than paywalls.

Finding the right accelerator can change your startup's trajectory, but with options like YC, SkyDeck, Techstars, and 500 Global, how do you choose? This guide breaks down the major players, explains where Santa Cruz Accelerates fits into the ecosystem, and helps you determine if you are ready to apply or need more preparation first.

Flip helps local businesses grow by building simple systems that connect social media, customer data, and automation — turning everyday online attention into steady, trackable revenue without paid ads.

UC Santa Cruz’s Innovation Catalyst program is advancing breakthrough research in multi-virus diagnostics and energy-efficient electronics.

Join us for a learning and networking opportunity focused on Women in Venture Capital, featuring a panel of industry leaders and led by Executive Champions Hilary Bryant and May Roen, hosted at Cal State Monterey Bay.