Santa Cruz Launchpad 2026 Is Looking for Volunteers
Want to get involved in one of Santa Cruz’s most energizing community events? Santa Cruz Launchpad 2026 is looking for volunteers to help make this year’s event run smoothly on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at The Grove.
Santa Cruz Launchpad brings together two important pieces of the local innovation ecosystem under one roof: a student startup competition during the day and a community job fair and networking event in the evening. This year’s event will feature student pitches from 12–4 p.m., employer setup from 4–4:45 p.m., and the public job fair from 5–7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, with advanced registration required.
Volunteers help create the experience that attendees, students, employers, and partners remember. In last year’s volunteer call, Santa Cruz Works highlighted roles including check-in support, parking help, attendee Q&A, and load-in assistance for employers. Those roles gave volunteers a chance to support event flow, welcome guests, answer questions, and help participating organizations get set up for success.
There is also a real upside for volunteers. Past outreach emphasized the benefits clearly: volunteering at Launchpad offers a chance to build community, grow your network, develop practical event and people skills, and get a behind-the-scenes look at how a major regional event comes together. Most importantly, volunteers help connect local talent with real opportunities across Santa Cruz County.
This year’s Launchpad is expected to include a job fair featuring 25+ local companies and 300+ opportunities, including internships, part-time roles, and full-time jobs. It also brings together a strong coalition of regional partners including Santa Cruz Works, Cabrillo College, UCSC Center for Innovation and Development, PVUSD, Santa Cruz County Office of Education, UC Santa Cruz Innovation & Business Engagement Hub, UCSC Career Success, and UCSC QB3.
If you want to help students, job seekers, employers, and the broader Santa Cruz community all in one afternoon and evening, this is a great way to do it. Volunteer signups are open now, and Santa Cruz Works asks interested volunteers to sign up by May 6.
Sign up here: Santa Cruz Launchpad Volunteer Form