Santa Cruz is becoming one of the best places to build a startup, but most of the early-stage entrepreneurs we speak to aren't aware of the local tech resources that are available to help them.
With applications for the Santa Cruz Founder Institute now open, we're excited to release the Santa Cruz Startup Resource Guide, which is currently in Draft v1 below! It was developed by the Santa Cruz Founder Institute and local leaders: Kirill Satanovsky and Pete Biggam.
This is just a draft, and while we spent many hours on this research, more input is needed. Please leave your comments on this collaborative Google document to help us complete the list. There are definitely omissions on this current version.
Are you looking to build a startup in Santa Cruz? Then apply to the Santa Cruz Founder Institute today!
Text version included below, for ease of searching:
Startup Stages
There is no one right way to build a technology company, but for the sake of simplicity we have outlined a basic, common, sequential framework.
1. Idea Stage
This is where new entrepreneurs get inspired, learn best practices, develop skills, validate ideas, and begin to build their team and product.
A. Inspire
- Santa Cruz Startup Media: Centralized local information, listings, and news. (i.e. startup blogs/ publications/ lists/ FB groups/ newsletters)
- Inspirational Santa Cruz Startup Events: Open, inclusive startup events that often focus on ideation. (i.e. Startup Weekend, idea fairs, and inspirational meetups)
B. Educate
- Best Practices: Beginner knowledge-sharing tech events. (i.e. beginner events that serve to educate more than inspire).
- Training & Feedback: Skill & Idea development events and startup bootcamps for entrepeneurs. (Includes comprehensive training programs, like Founder Institute, General Assembly, Lean Startup Machine, code camps, etc)
- Cabrillo College Fab Lab
- Founder Institute
- Idea Fab Lab
- Lean Startup Machine
- Santa Cruz Data Science and Analytics MeetUp
- Santa Cruz PyLadies
- Santa Cruz Python Meetup
- Santa Cruz Startup School Lecture Group
- Santa Cruz Strategic Consulting Startup Bootcamp
- Santa Cruz Tech Public Relations
- Santa Cruz Unity User Group
- Santa Cruz Works
- SCORE Central Coast
- UCSC Startup Development Group
- UCSC Startup Entrepreneurship Academy
C. Validate
- Team Formation: Events for Finding Co-founders in Santa Cruz. (i.e. tech networking events or other resources that facilitate early-stage recruitment and cofounder matching)
- Build First Product: Hackathons & product events in Santa Cruz.
2. Launch Stage
In this stage, entrepreneurs establish and formalize the company, develop the product, get feedback from customers, and prepare for the next step.
A. Start
- Establish: Santa Cruz law firms & banks for startups
- Santa Cruz Workspaces: Co-working and flexible workspaces for startups in Santa Cruz.
B. Develop
- Formalize: Santa Cruz accounting, development and HR tools for early-stage startups.
- Brooktown Design
- Chiorini, Hunt & Jacobs
- Cloud Brigade
- Coast Financial Services
- CodeStringers
- Concept Squared
- Francine Tyler CPA
- Iversen Design
- Kelly Services
- Launch Brigade
- Patricia A. Beckwith CPA
- Santa Cruz Pacific Accounting and Tax
- Santa Cruz Staffing
- Santa Cruz Web Design
- SLEEPLESS MEDIA
- Studio Holladay
- Wavestaff
- Yappert Accounting & Consulting
- Santa Cruz Incubators: Groups that prepare companies for seed investment and provide advanced mentorship. (i.e. advanced knowledge sharing, later stage events and resources)
C. Launch
- Santa Cruz Seed Accelerators: Seed funding mentor programs (Techstars-style programs that provide funding)
- Pitch & Demo Events: Tech events that showcase Santa Cruz startups for investment.
3. Growth Stage
Here, a startup proves their utility, receives recognition, and scales up. This usually requires funding, angels, VCs, and ways to connect them to startups.
A. Recognition
- Santa Cruz Investor Networking: Events and groups that connect professional investors with founders.
- Major Media: Mainstream local business press that often showcase local startups.
B. Funding
- Santa Cruz Angel Investors: Seed-stage investors and micro-vcs.
- Santa Cruz Venture Capitalists: Series A and beyond
C. Growth
- Infrastructure: Office space, HR, local business insurance. (i.e. office space/ HR/ insurance providers for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
- Expansion: Santa Cruz Growth accelerators and consultants. (i.e. programs and business consultants for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
4. Santa Cruz Startup Success Stories
Successful homegrown companies that have raised significant institutional funding, employ a large workforce, or have achieved liquidity.
- 2ndNature
- Benevolently
- Cerego
- Cruz Foam
- Cruzio Internet
- DagM8
- Edge Mobile Payments
- Emboline
- FileOpen
- Fullpower Technologies
- GraphOn
- Joby Aviation
- Lookback
- Looker
- MakerDAO
- Parallel Flight Technologies
- Paystand
- Poly
- Recombinant
- SellHound
- SupplyShift
- Tuul
- Unnatural Products
Supporters
To facilitate the steps, every ecosystem needs strong supporters.
1. Santa Cruz Startup Leaders
Successful local founders who lead the ecosystem & frequently mentor newbies.
- Chris Benner
- Doug Erickson
- Geoffrey Dillon
- Helen Pastorino
- Kirill Satanovsky
- Lou Pambianco
- Matthew Swinnerton
- Nathan Westrup
- Peggy Dolgenos
- Pete Biggam
- Sara Isenberg
- Suzanne Wouk
2. Santa Cruz Government Startup Resources
Public organizations that facilitate local economic development
- City of Santa Cruz Economic Development
- Santa Cruz County Business Council
- Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce
- Santa Cruz Economic Development
- Santa Cruz SBDC
3. Talent
Major local business or tech universities and employers that attract and retain local talent.
- Local Santa Cruz Tech Universities (universities with prominent technical or business programs)
- Santa Cruz Tech Employers
Learn more about the Startup Ecosystem Canvas here, and leave us your thoughts on the Santa Cruz Canvas on this collaborative Google document (This is just a draft, and more input is needed!)
