FortyThree is one of the best kept secrets in Santa Cruz. A tech-focused PR agency with international reach, the company quietly resides in an office overlooking Pacific Avenue. Founded by Gary Bird, FortyThree rarely works with local companies, so the team keeps a low-profile by design.

By Molly Ressler

As a teenager in Israel, Suzanne Wouk, CEO and Co-Hounder of Sellhound, spent her free time searching for secondhand treasures at thrift stores. On one of her searches, she purchased a bag of vintage women’s clothing for the equivalent of $1 and then sold it to another shop down the street for $100. For a sixteen-year-old, this was on par with winning the lottery. Wouk was hooked.  

by Cat Johnson

Camp Six Labs is working to bring high quality transportation to areas around the world. The Santa Cruz-based startup’s vision includes getting goods into areas with few roads—such as Northern Alaska, roads of questionable quality, and areas that have been hit by disasters, such as floods and hurricanes.

The Camp Six team is designing a transportation system that includes autonomous aircraft delivering large amount of cargo—up to 600 pounds—to remote and rural communities.

In fewer than three short years, the ​NETLAB+​ Data Center has provided over 6000 Information Technology students 24/7 access to real networking equipment used in a systems administration or cybersecurity career. And according to Gerlinde Brady, ​Dean of CTE and Workforce Development at Cabrillo College, the NETLAB+ data center’s creation has opened up the possibility of even more community partnerships than once considered.

From the outside, YaDoggie appears to be on a fast track to dog food domination. Customers are fierce brand ambassadors of the dog food subscription company, donning YaDoggie hats and wielding YaDoggie poop bags stamped with humorous text like “Ewww! It’s Warm!” or my personal favorite, “Nickelback songs.” They’re a darling of the press, landing a mention on the Today Show, a feature in TechCrunch, and an ABC News segment on their pen full of puppies at TechCrunch Disrupt. And perhaps most impressive, YaDoggie is “Skyler the Surfing Dog’s” kibble of choice.