In this week’s roundup of Santa Cruz County business news, Jessica M. Pasko reports on Bay Federal Credit Union’s expansion to the south with a new branch in Monterey County. She also notes accolades for Santa Cruz County Bank’s CEO and the hiring of eight new humanities professors at UC Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz County business roundup
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Ambient Photonics’ vision to replace batteries, English Ales for sale, local bank rebrand
In this week’s roundup of Santa Cruz County business news, Jessica M. Pasko reports on Scotts Valley-based Ambient Photonics’ bid to replace small batteries with low-light solar cells, owners of English Ales putting the brewery up for sale, and Santa Cruz County Bank rebranding as West Coast Community Bank.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Ambient Photonics takes on the battery with its low-light solar tech
Headquartered in Scotts Valley, Ambient Photonics has a mission to reduce consumer dependency on single-use, disposable batteries. The replacement? Small solar cells that can harvest and store energy under low-light conditions, making them well-suited for small appliances such as computer mice or keyboards.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Local broadband gets more state cash
Expanded broadband access in Santa Cruz and adjacent counties got another boost with a new round of funding from the California Public Utilities Commission. The new funding comes on the heels of $45 million granted earlier this year to help fund 10 projects aimed at increasing internet connectivity in underserved areas around the Central Coast. It’s part of the state’s goal of ensuring broadband access to 98% of state households by 2032.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Midtown business district considered; Paystand grows in Canada
Santa Cruz officials are mulling the establishment of a business improvement district, which funds projects via fees or assessments on area businesses, in Midtown, Jessica M. Pasko reports in her weekly roundup. Meanwhile, Scotts Valley-based Paystand is expanding into Canada, the Big Lots in South County is closing, and Adorable French Bakery has opened at the former Malone’s Grille on Scotts Valley Drive.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Local hotel industry finishes July strong
In her weekly roundup, Jessica M. Pasko reports on an occupancy uptick for Santa Cruz County hotels – with a slight dip in room rates – plus comings and goings, numbers to know and events for your calendar.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Joby Aviation the ‘coolest thing made in California’?
This week in Santa Cruz County business news, Santa Cruz-based Joby Aviation is competing for the title of “coolest thing made in California,” a competition won last year by Tesla’s Model Y.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Driscoll’s climate change-resistant berries, proposed settlement in Plantronics suit, housing forum takeaways
Jessica M. Pasko gets a look at what Driscoll’s is working on from new CEO Soren Bjorn to lead this week’s local business roundup. She also has an update on a class action brought by investors in former Santa Cruz company Plantronics and other news, notes and numbers.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Hot summer for tourism, new Santa Cruz Accelerates cohort, Universal Audio hires
In this week’s local business roundup, Jessica M. Pasko reports on a second summer of growth for Santa Cruz County’s tourism industry; eight local startups being picked to compete for seed funding; new executive hires at Universal Audio and changes at other local businesses.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Tech sector loans for local affordable housing, cannabis struggles and latest unemployment numbers
In this week’s local business roundup, Jessica M. Pasko reports on $800,000 from the Monterey Bay Housing Trust for the downtown Santa Cruz library/affordable housing project, plus the sad state of the local cannabis industry, comings and goings and numbers to know.