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

INNOVATION NEWS

Check out our news highlights and archive here.

NOTE: Our blogs are typically “assisted by AI”. We use AI to assist us in research and style.

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Malina Long 1/9/26 Malina Long 1/9/26

Venture Capital 101 Course for Women Returns

Are you a woman that is interested in dividing into the world of venture capital? Check out this free online opportunity.

Malina Long 7/1/25 Malina Long 7/1/25

Project Fempire: A New Reality Competition Series Seeking to Spotlight Women Entrepreneurs and Founders

Project Fempire is a new reality T.V. show seeking to spotlight women entrepreneurs and founders.

Guest User 2/18/25 Guest User 2/18/25

CSUMB's Women in Venture Capital Initiative

CSUMB’s Women in Venture Capital Initiative on March 18 aims to empower women with the knowledge, connections, and resources needed to break into the venture capital industry, featuring insights from industry leaders Hilary Bryant and May Roen.

Malina Long 1/22/25 Malina Long 1/22/25

Venture Capital 101 for Women Course Returns

Are you a woman interested in learning more about the venture capital world? Check out this free course!

September 9, 2026

Betting Big on AI: Lessons from Omni's 10x Scale-Up

How a scrappy team of ex-Lookers turned Santa Cruz roots into a $1.5B AI-powered data company, and what they learned along the way.

A Different Pace in the Santa Cruz Mountains

A day at Reggiardo Ranch invites Santa Cruz’s tech community to trade constant connection for redwoods, good food, and a slower pace.

September 8, 2026

Santa Cruz HardTech Launches to Support the County's Physical Builders

A new SBDC-backed initiative, Santa Cruz HardTech, is organizing the county's hardware, robotics, biotech, and clean energy founders — offering free advising, capital guidance, and a monthly meetup at Idea Fab Labs.

Westly Prize Now Accepting Applications for 2027

The Westly Prize is an annual award from the Westly Foundation for young social innovators in CA that gives out up to $145,000 total, including three $40,000 Grand Prizes, as unrestricted funding to early-stage founders tackling social challenges in areas like AI, education, health, environment, and youth development.

NPS to Showcase Five Breakthrough Technologies at Reverse Pitch Event

Investors and industry leaders get an exclusive look at Navy-born innovations ranging from artificial muscles to satellite-free data transfer.

Building Belonging: Four Highlights From Cabrillo's Fall 2026 Semester Kickoff

Cabrillo College's fall semester opened with a burst of momentum, from new collaborative student support spaces to the leasing launch of Costa Vista, its groundbreaking student housing project with UC Santa Cruz.

September 4, 2026

GOODLES Just Beat Barilla at Its Own Game — And Barilla Had to Buy It to Find Out

A Santa Cruz mac-and-cheese startup just got acquired by a 149-year-old Italian pasta giant. The real story isn't the deal, it's what it says about legacy brands, category disruption, and why $88 million buys you something money can't build.

High School Robotics Club Open Houses — Students & Mentors Wanted!

The High School Robotics Club is opening their doors! Students, mentors, and innovators are invited to explore hands-on robotics, meet local teams, discover opportunities, and learn how to get involved.

September 3, 2026

Winner Announced: Ocean Film Festival Ticket Giveaway

The winner of the Ocean Film Festival World Tour ticket giveaway has been announced!