Nominate a Titan: Recognize Santa Cruz County's Most Inspiring Innovators!
Do you know someone who is driving extraordinary impact on business, entrepreneurship, or technology in Santa Cruz County? Someone whose innovative efforts are making a huge impact and are solving today's challenges or shaping tomorrow's opportunities?
Now is the time to ensure their groundbreaking work is celebrated! Nominations are officially OPEN for the 9th Annual Titans Awards aka 2025 Titans Awards, an event dedicated to honoring the most inspiring and innovative leaders in our community.
What is a Titan?
A Titan is an individual who embodies exceptional leadership and vision, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the Monterey Bay region (Santa Cruz, Monterey, or San Benito County). Many of them have created groundbreaking products, services, or business models that truly make a difference, locally or globally. Some of them have built incredible businesses, and others have helped save them, or push them towards tremendous success!
Our past awardees represent the pinnacle of innovation, including:
Joe Ben Bevirt, CEO/Founder of Joby Aviation
Aviv Elor, Co-Founder of Immergo Labs
Tim Sylvester, Founder and Executive Director of X Academy
Jacob Martinez, Founder of Digital Nest
Margaret Lawrence Rosas, Former Head of People/Culture at Looker (a company founded in Santa Cruz and acquired by Google)
Nina Simon, Former Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History - MAH
Juliane Farrand, Head of People at Joby Aviation
These leaders—and many others—have shared their powerful stories and insights on our stage, inspiring countless others in the entrepreneurial community.
Get Inspired by Last Year's Titans
Want to know what makes a Titan Award winner? You can watch the incredible talks and hear the personal journeys of last year's awardees right now: Click here to see last year's Titans talks.
Who Should You Nominate?
Think of the individuals in your network, company, or community who have:
Demonstrated significant impact: Their work has made a clear, positive mark on our local or global community.
Shown exceptional innovation: They are pioneers, creating new ways to solve problems through technology, business, or non-profit initiatives.
Embodied entrepreneurial spirit: They have taken risks, built something remarkable, and are actively driving growth and positive change.
This is your chance to publicly honor the people from 2025 who are building a stronger, more vibrant Santa Cruz County. Don't let their dedication and vision go unrecognized.
Please submit nominations by no later than 5pm on December 1, 2025. Titans event date to be announce soon!
