Top Santa Cruz County Companies to Watch in 2024
Move over, Silicon Valley! Santa Cruz County is brewing a potent blend of innovation and inspiration, and its startup scene is ready to achieve new heights in 2024. From AI, biotech, healthcare, and robots these up-and-coming companies are poised to disrupt industries and possibly even change the world as we know it.
Yes, we will see inspiring progress from many of the companies list in past years, including: Ambient Photonics, Climatize, Cruz, Cruz Foam, Joby Aviation, OneWheel, FullPower, SapientX, Paystand, SupplyShift, and more. And the hits keep coming.
So buckle up, because we're about to introduce you to the hottest Santa Cruz County startups you need to keep your eye on in 2024.
The mission is simple yet revolutionary: to quantitatively measure how many calories individuals burn in real-world environments while they maintain their normal lifestyle, diet, and exercise routines. The company also measures calorie intake, body fat percentage, and exercise levels, providing a comprehensive overview of an individual's metabolic health. (health, medical)
Since its establishment in 2020, Capstan Medical has diligently assembled a team of heart valve implant experts and experienced robotics engineers. Their mission: to offer a minimally invasive alternative for treating heart valve diseases.(health, medical)
CarbonBridge makes ultra low carbon microbial methanol enabling forward thinking industry leaders to be compliant with low-carbon fuel regulations. (energy, biotech)
Farm-ng is a startup founded by Ethan Rublee, an experienced roboticist who is building general purpose off-road robotics hardware and software products to help upskill agricultural workers and help farmers. Their product Amiga V7 was featured in the World Ag Expo’s Top 10 New Product Winner category. (robotics, AI, ag)
A deep learning solutions company based in Santa Cruz, California has secured $5.3 million in seed funding which will support the company’s mission in furthering innovation in the application of AI in the semiconductor industry. (AI, semiconductor)
Founded in 2019, Ohalo is uses gene editing technology to create new plant varieties in major crops leading to significantly increased yields and productivity, ultimately helping farmers make more food using far less land, resources, and capital. The company announced David Friedberg as its new CEO in early December 2023. Friedberg was chief executive of The Climate Corporation, the first unicorn in the agricultural technology space. (biotech, ag)
The first venture group to provide seed funding for entrepreneurs in the tri-county (Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito). Primarily focused on planetary health, Santa Cruz Ventures is backed by local leadership with a proven track record for supporting and mentoring successful startups. (tech, startups, funding)
Eco-friendly surfboards that not only perform well in the water but also help protect our planet. From using 3D printing technology to recycled materials, Swellcycle is constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible in sustainable surfboard production.
Maker of an AI-enhanced platform that creates entirely new drugs by engineering synthetic molecules to mimic nature’s macrocycles. (biotech, AI)
Check out 2023’s top companies to watch or the list of Startups to Watch in 2022. Those lists include reader favorites like Climatize, Ambient Photonics, Cruz Foam, Joby and more!