Santa Cruz Launchpad is back on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, and if you’ve ever complained that school doesn’t prepare students for the real world, congratulations: here’s your chance to do something about it. Santa Cruz Works and regional education partners are bringing Launchpad to The Grove at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, combining a student startup pitch competition with a major community job fair.

Mentors Needed: all disciplines, real-world experience

From 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, twelve student teams (UC Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College, and local high schools) will pitch their ventures live, with five minutes to make their case to expert judges. This year includes an exciting addition: a high school startup pitch competition, expanding the pipeline of young founders taking on real problems early.

Mentorship for these teams is not just “startup stuff.” The best mentors are often the ones who bring perspective from everywhere else: product, engineering, design, marketing, sales, HR, operations, finance, legal, healthcare, education, public service, manufacturing, hospitality, the arts. Students don’t just need advice on pitch decks. They need help thinking clearly, validating assumptions, communicating with humans, and building something that can survive contact with reality.

The Ask

Volunteer as a mentor (or judge) and help students pressure-test their ideas, sharpen their storytelling, and learn what execution actually requires. Then stick around as the event transitions to the job fair from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, featuring 25+ local companies and 300+ opportunities.

Apply to be a Mentor

Go to this handy form and apply!

Apply to be a Startup Mentor

Student Application

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