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

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NOTE: Our blogs are typically “assisted by AI”. We use AI to assist us in research and style the way a human editor would.

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Malina Long 12/4/25 Malina Long 12/4/25

Looking for Jobs? Here’s 7 Companies That Are Currently Hiring in Santa Cruz County [December 2025]

Are you currently looking for work? Here is a round up of 7 local Santa Cruz County companies who are hiring this December.

Doug Erickson 7/28/25 Doug Erickson 7/28/25

Santa Cruz Ventures Invests in Versa Vascular

Santa Cruz Ventures has invested in Versa Vascular, a local medtech startup pioneering treatments for tricuspid valve disease. In the $27.3M round, Santa Cruz Ventures was the only local investor, Versa’s breakthrough technology and strong clinical results spotlight Santa Cruz’s growing innovation ecosystem.

October 29, 2026

New Tech #198: We're Lighting the 20th-Anniversary Fireworks Early

Santa Cruz Works New Tech turns 20 in February 2027. Why wait? On Thursday, November 5, ElevationXR, Farmblox, g-SPACE, Printed Living, and Scale AI light the fuse at our 198th New Tech showcase.

From Sketch to Spotlight: 3DE Club Brings Inventor Academy to Nine Pajaro Valley Elementary Schools

3DE Club and PVUSD Expanded Learning are bringing Inventor Academy to nine Watsonville-area elementary schools, where kids design, 3D print, and pitch their own inventions while building confidence and future-ready skills.

Cabrillo College Offers New Classes for Spring Semester

In response to a growing need for high-skill, in-demand careers, Cabrillo College is offering 12 new classes for spring semester, which starts January 25, 2027.

Kate Roberts Returns as Interim CEO of Monterey Bay Economic Partnership

A familiar face returns: MBEP's longtime former leader and Santa Cruz Works alum Kate Roberts steps back in as interim CEO.

Santa Cruz Faces a More Extreme Climate as Historic El Niño Takes Shape

New research from UC Santa Cruz warns of stronger storms, worsening droughts and mounting coastal risks. With an unusually powerful El Niño developing in the Pacific, the region may soon face another test.

October 28, 2026

The Sphere Is Spectacular. Now Make It Fit in a Parking Lot.

Elevation XR's Sean Ahearn brings Sphere-style immersion to modular geodesic domes that can land almost anywhere. He will present at Santa Cruz Works New Tech on November 5. Bring questions.

Why Santa Cruz County Is Winning the Road-Trip Economy

Santa Cruz County hotels just posted their strongest gains in years. High fuel costs are steering travelers toward drivable destinations, and bets on AI trip planning and autism-forward hospitality are helping the county win them

NSF Funding Brings Super Intelligence to K-12 Classrooms

NSF released a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) titled "Supplemental Funding Requests to Support Super Intelligence (SI) Innovation in the Presidential SI Challenge." The goal is to spark student interest in SI and build foundational expertise through hands-on, experiential learning.

No Screens, No Streams: Santa Cruz Scene Is A Calendar Built for Showing Up

A free, locals-run calendar is out to prove that Santa Cruz County has never been short on things to do.