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 the way a human editor would.
Not on our mailing list yet? Subscribe to our newsletter!
Interested in getting 10,000+ eyeballs to view your company’s content? Become a Santa Cruz Works Partner or, see 3rd party content Sponsors.
Apple’s New AI Siri
David Pogue tested Apple’s new AI Siri 125 ways and found it remarkably capable. It searches personal data, controls apps, understands screens and cameras, handles complex commands, and could dramatically reduce app-switching, Googling, and everyday phone fumbling.
Santa Cruz Can't Punish Joby by Breaking Its Own Promise
A candidate for mayor has told UCSC students the City should walk away from its agreement with Joby Aviation. Here's what the agreement actually says — and why breaking it would cost Santa Cruz, not Joby.
Calling Santa Cruz Companies in the Wrigley Building: Help Inspire the Next Generation of Innovators
Do you have an awesome company in the Wrigley building? Help inspire the next generation of innovators!
Help Rename Santa Cruz Works' Titans Event
We’re renaming our annual event and we want YOUR input! Help us rename Titans and you could win VIP tickets to our next event and more!
Behind the Beans: Cat & Cloud Company Spotlight & Roastery Tour
Ever wonder what actually happens between the coffee farm and your coffee cup? Join Santa Cruz Works and Cat & Cloud Coffee for an inside look at their roastery, straight from the source. This is a how-it's-made field trip for coffee lovers, curious minds, and anyone who's ever wanted to take a peek behind the counter.
Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour: Adventure Night Returns to the Rio
Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival is one of the largest and most prestigious mountain festivals in the world! Hot on the heels of the Festival that is held every fall in beautiful Banff, Alberta, the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour hits the road.
SCWorks New Tech Photos
Thank you to River Row for allowing us to host our New Tech event at their space, and to the six presenters who shared what they're building right here in Santa Cruz! View the photos.
The Ducks of Santa Cruz
A Dutch database, an Amazon acquisition, and a surf town's most improbable export: how Looker's alumni quietly built the strange, tangled, occasionally hilarious family tree behind DuckDB and MotherDuck.
Investment Advice in Troubling Times
Thomas Wynn from Wynn Capital Management, gives his investing advice during a time of uncertainty and all time highs in the markets.
Paystand Rolls Out AI Agents to Automate Finance Teams' Busywork
Santa Cruz-based Paystand launches AI agents that take on accounts receivable, spend management, and reporting for finance teams.
Joby Aviation Kicks Off Texas Flight Campaign as Autonomous Aircraft Crosses the Country
Joby Aviation is running two demonstrations at once this week: electric air taxi flights across Dallas-Fort Worth and a coast-to-coast tour of its autonomous J208 cargo aircraft.
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
Reggiardo Ranch invites Santa Cruz’s tech community to trade constant connection for redwoods, good food, and a slower pace.
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.
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.
Winner Announced: Ocean Film Festival Ticket Giveaway
The winner of the Ocean Film Festival World Tour ticket giveaway has been announced!