Major Milestones Achieved By Santa Cruz County Companies in 2023
Santa Cruz County has emerged as a vibrant hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, with several companies and startups making headlines. Many, MANY exciting announcements or major milestones were achieved throughout 2023. Interestingly, majority of the largest news occurred toward the end of the year. Lots of significant achievements were made, but here are some of the biggest accomplishments we saw in 2023.
Ambient Photonics
Ambient Photonics, a pioneer in low-light energy harvesting technology for connected devices, secured $30 million in a Series A2 funding round and opened a factory in Scotts Valley.
Capstan Medical
Capstan Medical is a pioneer of a patient-optimized approach to repair and replace heart valves. They successfully secured an oversubscribed $31.4 million Series B investment.
Climatize
This climate-focused investment platform gained traction by offering individuals the ability to invest in sustainable projects with as little as $5. Climatize launch their app earlier this year and have nearly 400 community members on their platform who have invested over $1,500,000 in 5 solar projects. Climatize Co-Founders Alba Forns and Will Wiseman were also on Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
Cruz Foam
GOODLES
Nutrient-packed boxed mac and cheese and noodle brand GOODLES raised $13M in Series A Funding Round.
Joby Aviation
Joby made several huge moves including going public, flying it’s EVTOL in New York City, receiving CalCompetes Grant to support California Facility Expansion and 690 new jobs, as well as flight testing with a human pilot on board. Oh and a $100m investment.
Minds.Ai
Minds.AI, a deep learning solutions company, secured $5.3 million in seed funding to support the company’s mission in furthering innovation in the application of AI in the semiconductor industry.
Our Future
In January 2023, Morning Brew announced the acquisition of Our Future Media, Inc., a digital media startup that produces short-form business video content and helps large companies thrive on emerging platforms.
Parallel Flight Technologies
Parallel Flight Technologies, creator of a heavy lift autonomous aircraft, welcomed a new CEO and received a $1 million contract from National Security Innovation Capital (NSIC), a key segment of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) of the Department of Defense.
Peregrine Hydrogen
Peregrine Hydrogen, a company pioneering a dual production method for green hydrogen and valuable chemicals, announced an oversubscribed $7.8 million seed financing round.
SwellCycle Surfboards
SwellCycle is 3D printing sustainable surfboards using recycled materials to minimize environmental waste, slash production and shipping expenses, and enhance the buying experience for surf enthusiasts. The company took first place in Santa Cruz Works’ 5th Annual Pitch Competition.
Verdagy
Verdagy, a leader in advancing electrolyzer technologies tailored for industrial applications, declared the successful closure of a $73-million Series B financing in 2023.
Did we miss any major milestones? Let us know in the comments below!