News Highlights
We don’t only report the news, we make the news. Our news highlights and archive here.
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The Inside Story of How This Startup Turned a 216-Word Pitch Email into a $2.6 Billion Acquisition
In August 2011, Lloyd Tabb started writing the first few lines of code for what would eventually become Looker. His co-founder Ben Porterfield joined a few months later to help build out the product.
Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce and Santa Cruz Works Strategic Partnership
Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce (“SCCC”) and Santa Cruz Works (“SCW”) announced today the formation of a strategic partnership. The objectives include connecting local businesses with skilled job seekers, promotion of local products and services, and a unified voice on key local city issues.
How Workbench is Housing Our Community, From Tech Employees to the Service Sector
The Santa Cruz tech scene is growing, attracting more talent from outside the area and giving residents more job opportunities on this side of the hill. It’s an exciting time for our county, but there are, of course, challenges that come with this growth spurt
Paystand Hires Former Tipalti Chief Revenue Officer to Lead Sales
Payments-as-a-Service leader adds former Tipalti senior executive to spearhead sales and drive another year of explosive growth.
Appdome Demo: Integrate Mobile Apps without Coding
Appdome is totally changing how developrs and non-developers add services to mobile apps. Appdome allows mobile app developers and mobility professionals to add any mobile service to any Android and iOS app in seconds withou having to code a thing.
Cabrillo College Wins NASA Swarmathon
Cabrillo College today announces that its Robotics Club has won the NASA Swarmathon, a nationwide autonomous robotics competition with the goal of advancing future space exploration.
Netflix's first home offered room service | Executive of the Year 2013
The Scotts Valley Best Western offers reasonable rates and complimentary breakfasts. It also boasts this unique selling point: It was the first home of Netflix Inc.
Workbench: SCW Company Spotlight Breakfast
At the monthly Company Spotlight Breakfast, we learned about Workbench and their focus on multi-family housing, the perfect solution for our housing supply deficit.
7 Tips for Launching a Tech Company in Santa Cruz
The news that Looker was acquired by Google was just the latest signal that Santa Cruz is, indeed, a tech hotbed. So what does it take to successfully start up in Santa Cruz?
Monterey Bay DART Symposium
Check out our latest interview with Josh Metz from Fort Ord Reuse Authority talk about Monterey Bay DART Symposium.
A look back at tech in Santa Cruz #TBT
I knew the man was a mere youngster when, referring to the “old days in Santa Cruz tech,” he said in an incredulous tone, “Back then, companies didn’t even let people work from home!”
That Will Never Work - The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea
In the tradition of Phil Knight’s Shoe Dog comes the incredible untold story of how Netflix went from concept to company – all revealed by co-founder and first CEO Marc Randolph.
Looker has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Google
Huge Santa Cruz Tech news: Looker Signs Agreement to Join Google Cloud
The Heart of Communication: Inside Plantronics’ Transformation into Poly
“One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
It’s one of history’s most famous quotes, transmitted from the moon back to earth by Neil Armstrong. And it was powered by a headset designed and built by Plantronics, a company born and based in Santa Cruz.
Local Santa Cruz Entrepreneurship for Social Good: Rising International
Carmel Jud leads a local/global non-profit that is on a mission to protect women and girls from poverty and exploitation. On her 50th birthday, she participated in the Santa Cruz New Tech Meetup first Cruz Cares competition.
Satellite Deskworks Awarded Patent for its Workspace Software
Satellite Deskworks founder and CEO Barbara Sprenger was recently awarded a patent for her proprietary coworking software.
Community of Makers: a Q&A with Idea Fab Labs Co-founder Jordan Layman
A “member-driven creation zone,” Idea Fab Labs is a community and makerspace in the Wrigley Building.
Onewheel Pint Kicks Off a New Chapter for the Santa Cruz Company
Led by founder and CEO Kyle Doerksen, the Future Motion Inc. team has grown to 40-plus people and Onewheel, its first product, is a global sensation.

