InvestorInvesting in California's sustainable future.
The startup scene in United States
Startup Monterey Bay, an institute at CSU Monterey Bay, connects founders with regional resources, events, and competitions. The regional Startup Challenge began in 2010 and has been hosted by CSUMB since 2013.
About
Startup Monterey Bay, an institute at CSU Monterey Bay, connects founders with regional resources, events, and competitions. The regional Startup Challenge began in 2010 and has been hosted by CSUMB since 2013.
The organizer reports that through 2024 the Startup Challenge had more than 1,000 entrants, over $150 million in follow-on funding, and more than 600 jobs created. MBEP describes an aviation and drone cluster across Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties. It links the tech hub with UC Santa Cruz and DART and works with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources on the Farm Robotics Challenge.
Local reporting places Joby Aviation’s 2009 founding in the Santa Cruz Mountains, outside Monterey city, and identifies its regional site at Marina Municipal Airport. Monterey County’s strategy identifies low startup formation and few accelerators as gaps.
Startup ecosystem standing
Where Monterey ranks
| Ranking | Edition | Position | Since last edition | Trust | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Global Startup Ecosystem Index (cities) | 2025 | #398 | No prior edition | B | Ecosystem, Activity, Finance, Business Climate |
1 organization with a profile
Who's based in Monterey
Investors 1
InvestorPick what describes you
Your way in
Raising in Monterey
Investors based here, and the programs that take teams at your stage.
Get investor introsFinding startups in Monterey
Accelerators and incubators here see the earliest teams first.
Get startups that fitScouting in Monterey
Campuses and communities are where teams form before anyone funds them.
Start scoutingFrom public sources
What the sources say about Monterey
DART documents a 2025 launch cohort, but not a current application window.
Source: AMT Apprenticeship Program LaunchesThe coalition frames its agenda around workforce, AAM infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and regional coordination.
Source: Monterey Bay Tech HubLocal reporting documents a four-person paid 2025 internship cohort; this is historical, not a verified current opening.
Source: Joby Aviation is getting close to turning its vision of air taxis into reality, but…Local reporting places Joby’s founding in the Santa Cruz Mountains, outside Monterey city.
Source: Joby Aviation is getting close to turning its vision of air taxis into reality, but…The County strategy identifies thin startup formation and accelerator capacity as gaps.
Source: Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy: Year 2 UpdateMBEP links the tech hub with UC Santa Cruz and DART and works with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources on farm robotics.
Source: Innovation & Technology
Questions about Monterey
How does Monterey rank as a startup ecosystem?
Its best position is #398 in StartupBlink Index (cities) (2025).
How many startup investors are based in Monterey?
1 investor based in Monterey has a profile here: HawkTower, VC for California's future. The real number is higher.
Geographic proximity
Nearby cities to Monterey
Superscout Pro
Find faster. Show up verified. Keep your deals private.
$99a year, or $12 a month
Get Pro- Search that narrowsInvestors, programs, accelerators, incubators and studios, by stage, sector and place.
- A verified profileThe people you reach know you are who you say you are.
- A private deal vaultThe startups you are watching, with your notes and your reasons. Nobody else's eyes.
Is this page right?How the research works