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The startup scene in United States
Joby Aviation’s company history dates its beginnings to 2009 in a workshop above Santa Cruz. Its 2025 filing lists its principal executive office in Santa Cruz and locates engineering in San Carlos and manufacturing and flight testing in Marina, California. Joby reported that FAA certification work was ongoing as of February 19, 2026.
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Joby Aviation’s company history dates its beginnings to 2009 in a workshop above Santa Cruz. Its 2025 filing lists its principal executive office in Santa Cruz and locates engineering in San Carlos and manufacturing and flight testing in Marina, California. Joby reported that FAA certification work was ongoing as of February 19, 2026.
Santa Cruz SBDC advertises no-cost, confidential advising across core business needs. Its Tech Futures Group route is described as a support option for technology startups based in Northern California. Santa Cruz Works describes Launchpad as joining student startup pitches with a regional job fair. The 2026 event took place on May 13, and applications for that edition closed on April 8, 2026; eligibility included college and high-school students in Santa Cruz County and Pajaro Valley Unified School District.
Heron Power is a regional example based in Scotts Valley, not Santa Cruz city. In a May 29, 2025 announcement, Heron described its development of solid-state transformer hardware for grid infrastructure and announced a $38 million Series A led by Capricorn Investment Group’s Technology Impact Fund, bringing its total funding to $43 million.
Startup ecosystem standing
Where Santa Cruz ranks
| Ranking | Edition | Position | Since last edition | Trust | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Global Startup Ecosystem Index (cities) | 2025 | #109 | No prior edition | B | Ecosystem, Activity, Finance, Business Climate |
10 organizations with a profile
Who's based in Santa Cruz
Investors 7
Investor
InvestorAchieving Impact Through Disruptive Innovation
InvestorInvesting in overlooked markets and diverse founders.
The 3 most prominent of 7. Browse all investors
Incubators 2
IncubatorEmpowering bioscience entrepreneurs to innovate.
IncubatorGrowing the Space & Security Technology Ecosystems
Accelerators 1
AcceleratorSupporting startups with capital and resources.
Based here, most-ranked first
Universities in Santa Cruz
UniversityListed in 1 ranking
Pick what describes you
Your way in
Raising in Santa Cruz
Investors based here, and the programs that take teams at your stage.
Get investor introsFinding startups in Santa Cruz
Accelerators and incubators here see the earliest teams first.
Get startups that fitScouting in Santa Cruz
Campuses and communities are where teams form before anyone funds them.
Start scoutingFrom public sources
What the sources say about Santa Cruz
This deadline applies to specified existing invitees; new applicants should begin with a Project Pitch.
Source: How It Works - Full ProposalNSF's stated fit criteria call for substantial science or engineering R&D.
Source: How It Works - Project Pitch InformationThe 2026 edition has passed; its page specified free attendance with advance registration.
Source: Santa Cruz Launchpad 2026The SBDC identifies a Northern California tech-startup support route; the official services page is the action entry.
Source: SBDC ServicesJoby reported FAA certification work was ongoing in its 2025 filing.
Source: Joby Aviation 2025 Form 10-KThe event's host list connects education, workforce and university innovation organizations.
Source: Santa Cruz Launchpad 2026
Questions about Santa Cruz
How does Santa Cruz rank as a startup ecosystem?
Santa Cruz is #109 of 1,473 in StartupBlink Index (cities) (2025).
How many startup investors are based in Santa Cruz?
7 investors based in Santa Cruz have a profile here, including In3 Capital Group, Natural Bridges Ventures and être Venture Capital. The real number is higher.
Are there accelerators or incubators in Santa Cruz?
Yes. Santa Cruz has 1 accelerator and 2 incubators on record, including Mythic Accelerator and Startup Sandbox.
Which universities are in Santa Cruz?
One university has a profile: University of California, Santa Cruz.
Geographic proximity
Nearby cities to Santa Cruz
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