Nominations Now Open: Santa Cruz Works Wavemaker Awards
Know someone making waves in our region's tech and innovation community? Nominate them for the Wavemaker Awards, the new name for the Santa Cruz Works Titans Awards.
A New Name, the Same Mission
For nine years, the Santa Cruz Works Titans Awards (aka Titans of Tech) have celebrated the people driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and community impact across Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito counties. This year, we're giving the awards a new name that better reflects the spirit of our coastal community: Wavemaker Awards aka Wavemakers.
Wavemakers are the founders, scientists, educators, mentors, and connectors whose work creates ripples far beyond their own organizations. They build companies, launch careers, advance research, and lift up the people around them.
Who Can Be Nominated
We're looking for individuals who made a meaningful impact in business, education, innovation, science, and technology in Santa Cruz, Monterey, or San Benito County during 2026. Nominees might be:
Founders and startup leaders building something new
Researchers turning discoveries into real-world solutions
Educators and mentors growing the next generation of innovators
Community builders strengthening our local ecosystem
Past honorees include JoeBen Bevirt (Joby Aviation), Marc Randolph (Netflix), Jacob Martinez (Digital Nest), Guy Kawasaki, Nina Simon, and most recently our 2025 class, including Ash Robbins, Maggie Nixon, Sol Lipman, and David Deamer.
How It Works
Submit your nomination by midnight December 3 HERE. Tell us who your nominee is and why their work has made a difference in our region. The Santa Cruz Works Board of Directors will review every submission and select up to 10 Wavemakers based on merit and overall impact.
Honorees will be celebrated at the Wavemakers Awards on January 20, 2027 at Kuumbwa Jazz Center, where you will hear about each Wavemaker’s inspiring story on stage. Expect live music, great food, and plenty of chances to connect with the people shaping our region.
Pssst…if you submit your nomination by November 4, you will be entered to win tickets to see Mountainfilm at the Rio Theater on November 14!
Make Some Waves
Every nomination helps us shine a light on the people who make this region such a remarkable place to build, learn, and grow. Know a Wavemaker? Nominate them today! You can submit more than one.
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