News Highlights
We don’t only report the news, we make the news. Our news highlights and archive here.
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Joby Achieves the First Piloted eVTOL Air Taxi Flight Between Two Public Airports
Joby Aviation achieves first piloted eVTOL flight between two public airports.
Murray Street Bridge Emergency
The prolonged Murray Street Bridge closure has crippled Seabright businesses, cutting traffic and sales. A petition led by La Posta’s Patrice Boyle urges opening the unused rail bridge to pedestrians and cyclists, restoring neighborhood connections and stabilizing the local economy.
UCSC Patented Fuels Future Power
Patriot Sustainable Fuels offers a scalable, agile, and distributed energy model, with a patented process born at UC Santa Cruz.
Climatize Surpasses $10 Million Investment Milestone
Climatize hit a major milestone: $𝟭𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 invested through Climatize.
From Ashes to Action: How a Santa Cruz Native is Fighting Wildfire with Tech
After losing friends’ homes in the CZU Fires, Santa Cruz native Jake Haselden built AirMetrix.io, a wildfire detection and prevention platform using aerial imagery, IoT sensors, and AI—helping communities act before flames spread, protecting lives, property, and the environment.
UCSC Student Founders Invited to Pitch for $10,000 in Ocean Exchange Collegiate Awards
Ocean Exchange's 2025 Collegiate Call for Solutions is still open. Three non-dilutive awards of $10,000 each will go to student-led solutions that drive ocean and coastal resiliency.
Paystand & Digital NEST: Student Bitcoin Financial Literacy Program
Paystand and Digital NEST launched Santa Cruz County’s first Bitcoin-focused financial literacy course for youth.
Fullpower: Camera Phones to Smart Beds
From Santa Cruz, Philippe Kahn’s Fullpower-AI just inked a 10-year deal with Tempur Sealy and doubled down on “Sleep AI.” Your bed won’t just hold you—it will know you, mapping your nights like telescopes map the cosmos.
Chillshark: From the Santa Cruz Shoreline to the NBA
For longtime Santa Cruz residents, cold ocean plunges aren’t a trend—they’re tradition. A bracing swim in the Pacific has long been embraced for its energizing, restorative effects. Now, a startup is working to bring the experience inland—with data, hardware, and clinical rigor.
Joby Aviation is Hiring in Monterey Bay
Joby Aviation has expanded its Marina facility and is hiring A&P mechanics to help bring its electric air taxis to market. Skilled aviation professionals are encouraged to apply.
Genome Polishing: Because Even Mother Nature Needs a Spell-Checker
UCSC and Google’s DeepPolisher AI halves genome assembly errors, cutting indels by 70%, boosting accuracy for 232 human genomes, and giving scientists an ultra-clean reference for disease research, drug discovery, and genetic diversity studies.
Joby Reports Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results
Joby issued its Second Quarter 2025 Shareholder Letter detailing the company’s operational and financial results for the quarter ending June 30, 2025.
From Dirt to Orbit: How Botanical Bots Are Hacking Houseplants and Growing Into a Startup
Botanical Bots, winners at CruzHacks 2025, created a smart self-watering plant system. After showcasing at Launchpad and the Summer Rooftop Mixer, the team is evolving into a full-fledged startup redefining how we care for plants at home.
Grid-Free, Fail-Proof: The Advanced Hybrid Power System for Modern Infrastructure
Blue Power Systems delivers cutting-edge hybrid off-grid power for homes, data centers, EV charging, and critical infrastructure. With patented generator-battery integration, it slashes fuel use and ensures 24/7 reliability—even when solar fails. Grid-free energy, reimagined for the modern world.
From Steam Engines to Superintelligence: The Next Growth Revolution
What if AI supercharges global growth to sci-fi levels? AGI could automate innovation, collapse costs, and upend labor markets—making capital king. The result? An economic boom like never before, with massive upside, deep inequality, and a very uncertain timeline.
AI 2027: The Roller Coaster to Tomorrowland
From stumbling AI assistants in 2025 to superintelligence by 2028, the AI 2027 timeline charts a rapid, transformative rise—highlighting breakthroughs in AI R&D, the emergence of a superhuman coder, and the dawn of a new digital era.
Joby Aviation Nears Final Certification for Electric Air Taxis
Joby is mere steps away to commercialization and remains on track to start flying first TIA aircraft in 2025.
Bringing Solar Power to Rural America: Powered by Climatize
In the first episode of Powered by Climatize, Climatize sits down with Tennessee farmer and Iraq veteran Joshua Dowdy, who now powers his entire operation with solar and battery storage.
California’s Economic Future: A Fireside Chat with the State Treasurer
On August 20th, the Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce will host a pivotal fireside chat with California State Treasurer Fiona Ma at the Back Nine Grill & Bar.
ANA Holdings, Joby Plan to Accelerate Air Taxi Deployment in Japan
Joby and ANA intend to establish a joint venture to provide air taxi service in Japan.