# Santa Cruz Works

> Santa Cruz Works is a California nonprofit mutual benefit corporation connecting Santa Cruz County entrepreneurs, employers, students and civic partners through networking events, startup mentorship, workforce programs, recruiting support and local innovation coverage.

- **Founded:** 2012
- **Headquarters:** Santa Cruz, United States
- **Founders:** Bob Cagle (Co-founder), Bud Colligan (Co-founder), Bonnie Lipscomb (Co-founder)
- **Products:** Santa Cruz Accelerates, New Tech events, Santa Cruz Launchpad, AHSC Internship Opportunity Program, CEO Works
- **Notable:** UC Santa Cruz recognized Doug Erickson and Santa Cruz Works through its 2023 Community Changemaker award program., Launchpad 2026 offered $20,000 in student pitch prizes and connected attendees with 25 industry partners and organizations., UCSC reported in 2023 that the accelerator had supported more than 50 companies.

## Products & services

- **Santa Cruz Accelerates** — Equity-free startup mentorship and online learning program established in 2015. The June 2026 update puts Cohort 7 on hold while resources and timelines are reviewed.
- **New Tech events** — Recurring presentations and networking rooted in the Santa Cruz New Tech meetup founded by Doug Erickson in 2007.
- **Santa Cruz Launchpad** — Student startup pitch competition combined with a local job fair; the 2026 event featured $20,000 in prizes and more than 300 advertised job openings.
- **AHSC Internship Opportunity Program** — Publicly funded paid internships for eligible residents ages 18-24. Employer wage reimbursements of $5,000-$10,000; approximately six months. Digital NEST was a launch partner; the fall 2026 cohort involves Cabrillo College.
- **CEO Works** — Confidential executive peer discussions and expert-led luncheons.
- **Membership and company visibility** — Annual student, individual and business tiers offering event access, promotion, recruitment connections and conditional third-party perks.
- **Manufacturer resource connections** — Referrals to Roadmap 4 Innovation for operational support, workforce training and funding navigation.
- **Newsletter and talent connections** — Free local innovation newsletter, job listings, talent directory and event recordings.

## Achievements

- UC Santa Cruz recognized Doug Erickson and Santa Cruz Works through its 2023 Community Changemaker award program.
- Launchpad 2026 offered $20,000 in student pitch prizes and connected attendees with 25 industry partners and organizations.
- UCSC reported in 2023 that the accelerator had supported more than 50 companies.
- Santa Cruz Works reports that accelerator alumnus Light Links entered Berkeley SkyDeck.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — Announced a rebuilt events calendar and redesigned jobs, membership and benefits pages.
- **2026-06** — Cohort 7 placed on hold pending review of resources and timelines.
- **2026-05** — Launchpad brought student founders and employers together at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
- **2026-02** — Announced PassportOS shutdown by April 30; separate OneValley perks access would continue.

## Links

- Website: https://www.santacruzworks.org
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/santa-cruz-works/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/SantaCruzWorks
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@santacruzworks
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/santacruzworks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/santacruzworks

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/santa-cruz-works
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-08