Santa Cruz Works News — Updates on Events, Community Stories & Local Innovation

INNOVATION NEWS

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Neil Erickson 7/9/26 Neil Erickson 7/9/26

She Walked Every Street in Santa Cruz County

Angelica Glass, Santa Cruz Local, has just released her new book “Scavenging Beauty” - a memoir in walks. The book follows her journey through walking every street in Santa Cruz County. She finds unexpected healing and a passion for photography.

Guest User 10/30/19 Guest User 10/30/19

Part 1: Why Santa Cruz? Lifestyle + Business Sense

For locals, and perhaps outsiders, it seems like common knowledge: people want to live in Santa Cruz over Silicon Valley because it’s an objectively wonderful place. Beach, redwoods, limited fog, cheap parking garages.

July 30, 2026

The Surf Brand That Outgrew Its Own Success

Santa Cruz apparel founder Megan Thorn grew her company from a garage operation into an $8 million business, but disconnected inventory and sales data made fast decisions difficult. By bringing Shopify, wholesale, warehouse and margin information into one daily briefing, Cardyn helped her identify risks earlier, avoid costly stockouts and plan production with greater confidence.

How Google’s AI Search Shift Could Change Online Visibility

Google is reshaping Search around AI-generated answers, changing how users discover websites and how businesses measure online visibility. As more research happens directly within search results, companies will need clear, detailed content that AI systems can understand, reference and recommend.

X Academy Celebrates World Championship Win and Feature in Santa Cruz Vibes

From a garage to a world championship to the pages of Santa Cruz Vibes, X Academy is celebrating and you're invited

SUP Shack Celebrates 15 Years on the Santa Cruz Harbor

SUP Shack is celebrating 15 years in Santa Cruz with a ribbon cutting on August 28, an open house on August 29 and a Decorate Your SUP event on August 30.

The Three R's: Lessons from a Serial Entrepreneur on Platform Shifts, Failed Ventures, and the AI Revolution

Did you miss our CEO Works event with Toby Corey? Check out the recording and recap here.

July 28, 2026

Calling Santa Cruz Startups: New Flex Space Coming to the Westside

If your company is outgrowing its current space, or you’re searching for the right home to grow into, we want to hear from you.

July 27, 2026

Nine Projects Receive Seed Funding from UCSC’s Genomics Institute

Nine bold new research projects, from decoding fungal networks to mapping the genetic secrets of aging, just got seed funding from the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, and a new wet lab partnership with SCWorks could soon give them all a home.

UC Santa Cruz to Host UC Systemwide Bioengineering Symposium, August 22–23

The 2026 UC Systemwide Bioengineering Symposium returns to showcase the latest advancements in bioengineering research and innovation.

July 26, 2026

The Weird, Wonderful Machine of Making Games — and Why It Just Grew a Home in Santa Cruz

After two years of Santa Cruz Game Dev Meetups, host Tyler Coleman of Retra Games is throwing open the doors at Nextspace on July 30 — play local games, meet their makers, and meet the Game Grove Incubator's first cohort.