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Doug Erickson 9/28/26 Doug Erickson 9/28/26

Philippe Kahn's Fullpower-AI Earns ISO 42001 Certification for Trustworthy AI

Santa Cruz legend Philippe Kahn's Fullpower-AI has earned ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification, the global benchmark for responsible AI governance, proving that local innovation can lead on trust as well as technology.

Doug Erickson 1/4/26 Doug Erickson 1/4/26

Santa Cruz Companies to Watch in 2026

Santa Cruz County’s 2026 watch list marks a shift from invention to execution. These companies are scaling with real organizational maturity, durable advantages, and clear catalysts, while staying anchored locally. From aviation and fintech to climate systems and biotech delivery, Santa Cruz is proving it can build globally and keep value here.

October 8, 2026

The Boring Billions: Why Santa Cruz Ventures Just Backed Farmblox

Santa Cruz Ventures adds Farmblox to its portfolio — a Santa Cruz–headquartered farm automation company that began in maple syrup and now guards California irrigation pumps against a copper theft epidemic.

October 6, 2026

UCSC, Santa Cruz and Water: The Deal Was Made a Long Time Ago

Santa Cruz promised UCSC water in the 1960s to win the campus, and an appeals court has upheld that deal. The real question isn't whether UCSC gets water. It's how growth can use less.

October 5, 2026

Santa Cruz's Next Economic Opportunity May Already Live Here

Santa Cruz County's greatest economic asset isn't something we need to attract. It's already here: a workforce more educated than California's. The opportunity now is building local jobs worthy of it.

October 3, 2026

When Fiction Gets There First: Sentient and a Real AI Safety Chief Sound the Same Alarm

Tony J. Hughes imagined it. AI safety scientist Geoffrey Irving warns of it. Scott Galloway says Trump and Xi just missed a chance to address it. Fiction and forecast are converging.

Court Throws Out Archer's Counterclaims Against Joby for Good

A federal judge has dismissed Archer Aviation's counterclaims against Santa Cruz-based Joby Aviation a second time, this time with no option to refile. Joby's core trade-secret case keeps moving.

Could the Monterey Bay Region Support a Data Center?

Data centers are becoming a midterm battleground. In the tri-county region, they're a political flytrap: the economics don't work, and our communities' collective will makes them a nonstarter from the start.

Omni's Trevor Heath to CEOs: Bet Big on AI, But Don't Stop Hiring

Omni's Trevor Heath told CEO Works luncheon attendees how AI powered the ex-Looker startup's 10x scale-up, and why governance, semantic layers, and human judgment still matter.

October 1, 2026

RoboticsCats' AURA Foresight Team Takes Third Place in $11M XPRIZE Wildfire Competition

Santa Cruz Accelerates alum RoboticsCats and its international consortium, AURA Foresight, earned third place and $500,000 in XPRIZE Wildfire's Autonomous Wildfire Response track, capping a four-year journey from team formation to podium.

September 30, 2026

Santa Cruz Is Hiring: Joby, Feanix, Paystand and More Have Open Roles

Santa Cruz companies are hiring. Explore current openings at Joby Aviation, Feanix Bio, Paystand, Swellcycle, and other local employers across tech, manufacturing, sustainability, and more.

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