The Santa Cruz entrepreneurial ecosystem is celebrating a major achievement as Sophia Xu, CSO and Cofounder of CarbonBridge, has been named to this year's Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the Energy & Green Tech category for the 2026 class.

Santa Cruz Works profiled 6 AHSC Program Interns to find out what they have gained from their internships thus far.

AI is powering a $4 trillion economic transformation. Unlike past bubbles, it’s building real infrastructure, boosting GDP, and accelerating innovation at scale. Corporate investment is reshaping industries and positioning the economy for long-term growth and technological leadership.

Looking for the perfect gift? Here are some locally made or designed products to check out!

A diverse community of Santa Cruz business owners stands united against uncertainty, framed by the Boardwalk and Clock Tower. Their shared resilience says it all: learn from yesterday, act today, plan for tomorrow, and rest with gratitude this Thanksgiving.

Fullpower-AI’s Sleeptracker dataset shows Halloween triggers a nationwide spike in resting heart rate from sugar, alcohol, late nights, and nervous-system stimulation, revealing how lifestyle shocks and seasonal changes like the Fall Effect imprint themselves on human sleep at population scale.

Join learners, families, and industry members for free hands-on computer science exploration during two interactive CS Playground events on December 9 and 11.

A CSUMB Computer Science graduate with a passion for software engineering, Yuliana contributed to Nurbli by developing features and resolving production issues that directly support indigenous language accessibility.

Digital NEST and AT&T opened a new Connected Learning Center in Salinas, expanding free access to technology and digital skill-building for the community.

Future Motion’s new Antic bike is a retro-styled, chaos-friendly joy machine powered by Onewheel tech. It has torque for days, a dedicated wheelie mode, and exists purely to let adults behave gloriously irresponsibly again.

UC Santa Cruz grad Emily Ramirez uses her creativity to support Clean Oceans International’s outreach and ocean-protection mission through the AHSC Internship Program.

Alex Gershenson’s new venture helps founders avoid chaotic shortcuts with simple systems, giving startups cleaner operations, smoother fundraising, and stress-free paths to scale.

At the Genomics Rooftop Mixer, UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute researchers displayed the promise of genomics for improving lives.

Fall 2025 Startup Demo Day brings together UCSC’s most promising student founders for an evening of live pitches, innovation, and community. Hosted by CIED, Startup Club, Pie Fi, and Santa Cruz Works, the event showcases 10–12 emerging ventures, networking, food, and fresh ideas.

A tiny Santa Cruz startup, Light Links, is replacing Wi-Fi with invisible laser-based wireless. After joining Santa Cruz Launchpad, then Santa Cruz Accelerates, Light Links landed Wayne Fenton as president, and secured a multi-million-dollar contract. The company is now shaping the future of robotics and ultra-fast connectivity.

Worker Autonomy is reinventing land development with fully electric, autonomous mini-equipment built for precision, lower costs, and zero emissions. With deep industry talent and strategic partners, they aim to build the first scalable AI-driven platform for ground-engaging work.

Joby’s turbine-electric demonstrator marks a game-changing leap: a hybrid VTOL platform with far greater range, military “wingman” utility, and potential hydrogen integration via its H2FLY acquisition. The details remain unconfirmed, but the strategic brilliance of the shift is unmistakable.

Santa Cruz-based Paystand has acquired Bitwage to bring enterprise-grade stable-coin payments to global B2B finance, enabling faster cross-border payouts and blockchain-based treasury automation. It marks a major milestone for real-world stable-coin adoption.

Joby Aviation and the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia today announced plans for the rapid deployment of Joby’s electric air taxi in the Kingdom.

Santa Cruz’s Surf Skull debuted its revolutionary low-profile surf helmet on ABC’s Shark Tank on November 12th.