Did you miss our vibe coding webinar with Ian McHenry and Craig Vachon? Check it out here!

Joby’s acquisition of Blade Europe accelerates the shift to quieter, cleaner urban air travel. As cities push back against helicopter noise, Joby’s near-silent eVTOL aircraft offer a sustainable, people-first alternative that aligns with the future of transportation.

Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE: JOBY) and L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) today announced they are exploring opportunities to develop a new aircraft class for defense applications.

Ciggyboard transforms toxic beach litter—cigarette butts—into functional surfboards. It’s weird, brilliant, and exactly the kind of innovation our oceans need. Support their crowdfunder to help clean coastlines, raise awareness, and ride waves of change—one recycled butt at a time.

Wynn Capital celebrates surpassing $100 million in assets under management, tracing its roots from the Pacific Stock Exchange to Santa Cruz’s tech community. Founder Thomas Wynn credits persistence, innovation, and key connections from New Tech Meetups for fueling long-term success.

On July 29, Santa Cruz Works hosted a powerful session led by Peggy Tierney Galvin, Chief Strategy Officer at Force4, unveiling one of the most urgent shifts in digital marketing: the rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). For attendees seeking to stay ahead of the curve, Galvin’s message was clear—search as we’ve known it is dying, and AI-driven discovery is taking its place.

Runpod joins Santa Cruz Works as the AI infrastructure partner for the 2025 Accelerates cohort, supporting founders with GPU-first infrastructure. Together, they’re helping startups move from training to production with speed, clarity, and real-world impact—not just pitch decks.

Liminal Space launches Convergence Zone, a hands-on adult unschooling summit on August 16 at 11th Hour in Santa Cruz. The event features playful, experiential sessions for locals seeking growth, connection, and community impact.

Did you miss our webinar with Confluent last week? Check out the recap and recording here to learn aobut Apache Katfka & Data Streaming for Startups.

The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH), in partnership with the 3D Entrepreneurs Club (3DE Club), is proud to announce plans for Monterey Bay’s first 3D Innovation & Entrepreneurship Hub for Students—a transformative initiative designed to empower young minds with the skills to become future leaders, innovators, and change-makers.

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.

Traditional search is collapsing as AI engines like ChatGPT dominate how users discover content. Businesses must now optimize for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) or risk invisibility.

Act Now! California Competes Tax Credit application period closes August 5th.

Student founders in the E.S.I. incubator are turning bold ideas into real startups. With support from Santa Cruz Works, they’re building apps, AI tools, and robotics—all while learning to pitch, market, and launch. Capstone Week is just ahead.

Bonsai Robotics has acquired Watsonville-based farm-ng, marking a major milestone for Santa Cruz’s tech scene. As one of Santa Cruz Ventures’ first investments, farm-ng’s success validates the region’s potential to produce cutting-edge agtech. The merger combines powerful AI software with versatile robotics to shape the future of autonomous farming.

UC Santa Cruz chemists developed a low-temperature, recyclable method to turn used cooking oil into biodiesel—fast, clean, and efficient. This breakthrough could make small-scale, sustainable fuel production accessible for farms, businesses, and beyond. Read the full story at UCSC News.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), is emerging, and it's poised to redefine how your business connects with its audience. Learn why you should care and what to do about it.

Ever wanted to design your own surfboard from scratch? Swellcycle’s offering this unique opportunity to build your board and get a mini-replica made!

3DE Club and the Santa Cruz MAH hosted a successful 3D Toy Design Workshop for youth.

Students from several UC’s including the University of California, Santa Cruz played a pivotal role in the 2024–25 CITRIS Aviation Prize, a competition challenging UC students to design a groundbreaking intercampus air transportation system.