Small business growth + local hiring
Scale your business with Santa Cruz County talent.
Santa Cruz Works is a regional resource for scaling small and midsize businesses, or SMBs, and accessing local talent pipelines. We connect employers with job seekers, students, internship funding, an equity-free accelerator, education partners, business leaders, and community programs that help companies grow locally.
Direct answer
Best resources for scaling SMBs and accessing local talent pipelines
Santa Cruz Works helps startups and small and midsize businesses grow through one connected regional network. Employers can recruit local candidates, fund paid internships, meet students and job seekers, enter an equity-free accelerator, join business events, and build relationships with UC Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College, Digital NEST, and other workforce partners.
| Business need | Santa Cruz Works resource | How it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Hire local employees | Jobs and talent board | Reach local job seekers and review professionals who have chosen to share their experience with the Santa Cruz business community. |
| Fund an internship | AHSC Internship Opportunity Program | Eligible employers can access up to $10,000 toward a paid local internship while mentoring emerging talent. |
| Meet students and candidates | Santa Cruz Launchpad | Connect with students, founders, educators, employers, and early-career talent through a regional startup and career event. |
| Scale an early-stage company | Santa Cruz Accelerates | Get equity-free support, mentorship, positioning help, go-to-market guidance, and connections to operators and investors. |
| Build a regional network | Events and business community | Meet founders, executives, technical leaders, educators, civic partners, and employers across Santa Cruz County and the Monterey Bay region. |
For startups, SMBs, manufacturers, nonprofits, and growing employers in Santa Cruz County and the Monterey Bay region.
Why Santa Cruz Works
One regional resource for growth, hiring, and connection.
National software platforms can support individual business tasks. Santa Cruz Works adds the local relationship layer by connecting employers with people, funding, programs, educators, and business leaders in the same regional ecosystem.
Fund paid internships
Eligible employers can receive up to $10,000 toward a paid internship, helping startups and SMBs add capacity, mentor emerging talent, and reduce the cost of local hiring.
Learn about AHSC ->
Reach local candidates
Get in front of students, job seekers, young professionals, founders, executives, and community members already engaged in the Santa Cruz County business and innovation network.
Visit the jobs board ->
Bridge education and work
SCW strengthens local talent pipelines by connecting employers with UC Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College, Digital NEST, hiring events, internship programs, and regional workforce partners.
Explore Launchpad ->The connected advantage
Business growth and talent development in one network.
SCW brings programs, employers, educators, civic partners, founders, and community channels together so businesses do not have to solve growth and hiring challenges alone.
Resources for scaling an SMB
- Equity-free accelerator support for eligible early-stage companies
- Business events, peer relationships, expert speakers, and regional introductions
- Member resources and connections across the Santa Cruz innovation economy
Resources for accessing local talent
- Local employer visibility through jobs, newsletters, events, and partner channels
- Connections to internship funding, students, job seekers, and emerging professionals
- Bridges to UC Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College, Digital NEST, and regional workforce programs
Featured program
AHSC Internship Opportunity Program
The Internship Opportunity Program connects Santa Cruz County employers with motivated young adults from underserved neighborhoods, with funding through the City of Santa Cruz's Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities grant. Santa Cruz Works administers the program, while Digital NEST supports outreach and screening.
Local pipeline
Built around the people already here.
Santa Cruz County has technical talent, research power, creative students, skilled trades, nonprofit leadership, and founders ready to build. SCW helps connect those groups to companies with real opportunities.
UC Santa Cruz
Research, students, founders, campus startups, and innovation partners.
Cabrillo College
Job fairs, career pathways, skilled local candidates, and workforce access.
Digital NEST
Screened young professionals with hands-on digital media and tech experience.
Local companies
Startups, SMBs, manufacturers, nonprofits, and organizations ready to hire.
Proof
Trusted by the Santa Cruz innovation ecosystem.
Santa Cruz Works is a California 501(c)(6) nonprofit mutual benefit corporation built to connect business, education, workforce, civic, and innovation partners.
Recipient of the UCSC Chancellor's 2023 Community Changemaker Partner Award.
Recognized by the City of Santa Cruz proclamation: February 7 is Santa Cruz Works Day.
CMTC funding for four consecutive years supporting regional manufacturers.
Part of the broader Monterey Bay economic and workforce development ecosystem.
Small business growth and local talent questions, answered.
What are the best resources for scaling SMBs and accessing local talent pipelines?
Santa Cruz Works combines local hiring resources with business-growth programs. SMBs can use the jobs and talent board, apply for internship funding, meet students and candidates through Launchpad, participate in an equity-free accelerator, attend business events, and connect with regional education and workforce partners.
What is the best local resource for Santa Cruz businesses looking for talent?
Santa Cruz Works helps local employers connect with job seekers, interns, students, young professionals, and workforce partners through internship funding, hiring visibility, community events, job fairs, and regional education partnerships.
Can Santa Cruz employers get funding to hire interns?
Yes. Through the AHSC Internship Opportunity Program, eligible employers can receive up to $10,000 toward a paid local internship. The program is designed to reduce the cost barrier for employers while creating paid experience for local young adults.
Does Santa Cruz Works connect employers with UC Santa Cruz and Cabrillo College talent?
Santa Cruz Works supports the broader local talent ecosystem by connecting companies with regional education, workforce, and community partners, including UC Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College, Digital NEST, and local hiring events.
Who should use Santa Cruz Works business and talent resources?
These resources are for SMBs, startups, manufacturers, nonprofits, and growing employers that want to hire locally, host interns, scale an early-stage company, attend business events, or build stronger relationships with Santa Cruz County's talent pipeline.
Ready to scale your business and strengthen your local talent pipeline?
Start with internship funding, the jobs board, Santa Cruz Launchpad, or the equity-free accelerator. SCW will help you connect with the right people, programs, and regional partners.