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.

Paystand’s new Smart Controls help mid-sized businesses manage tariffs and protect margins amid global trade volatility, fueling a resilient shift toward domestic manufacturing and growth.

A look at the standout achievements of five innovative Santa Cruz companies that set the bar for excellence in 2024.

PayStand earned a spot on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 list for the second year, ranking #306 with 380% growth from 2020 to 2023.

Paystand, the global leader in blockchain-enabled B2B payments, today announced it has won the DeFi Innovation category in the 2024 Fintech Breakthrough Awards. More than 4000 fintech nominations were submitted for this competition.

Paystand announces Juniper Research has named the company the Platinum winner in the category “Best B2B Payment Platform” in the 2023 Future Digital Awards competition.

When you hear people talk about AI, the vibes are eerily reminiscent of some good ol' religious bedtime stories. Newspapers paint AI as this omnipotent tech-god. Maybe it is time for us to embrace AI as our next pantheon of mythological deities.

Did you miss our first New Tech event of the year? Check out the recordings here!

A little more than 100 people braved the rain and flooding to attend the first Santa Cruz Works New Tech of 2023. Eight companies presented their truly inspirational journeys, their visions for the year, and open job positions.

With over 400 innovative tech startups in Santa Cruz County, it was difficult to narrow our spotlight. Check out the companies who made the list!

While Silicon Valley is laying off thousands of tech workers, Santa Cruz County is still hiring — cautiously — as a recession looms.

The blockchain-enabled B2B payments network achieved unicorn status in 2022 and has grown 876% year-over-year for the past three years.

Paystand announced it will be a Gold sponsor at SuiteWorld 2022, Oracle NetSuite’s largest celebration for customers and partners that takes place September 27-30, 2022. The theme this year is “Full Suite Ahead”.

One of the fastest growing and successful companies in Santa Cruz is Paystand. CEO & Founder Jeremy Almond gives secrets to his success.

Paystand has attained 876% Growth over the last three years; being named to the Inc. list comes on the heels of Paystand’s acquisition of LATAM fintech Yaydoo, making it the fastest-growing DeFi fintech unicorn.

62% of new hires in the US work remotely. Santa Cruz tech companies are bucking that trend.

Nearly 500 people attended Launchpad 2022 to apply for 400+ jobs, and to hear innovative new business plans.

Get ready for an exhilarating event on June 1: Launchpad 2022. 15 teams will be competing in the UCSC Pitch Competition for $40,000 in cash prizes. 20+ companies will exhibit and offer 400+ jobs.

Paystand – the leader in blockchain-enabled B2B payments – today introduced the first business expense card with native crypto rewards.

For the past three years, Paystand has seen an acceleration in growth as a direct result of a critical business need to better manage payments and cashflow. Silicon Valley Business Journal named Paystand as #3 fastest growing company in the valley.