Quick Take

In her weekly roundup of local business, Jessica M. Pasko reports that Santa Cruz-based Joby Aviation is eyeing late this year or early 2026 for carrying the first passengers aboard its electric air taxis. She also has news on the aftermath of the Moss Landing battery plant fire and national honors for Santa Cruz Metro, plus names, numbers and events to know.

Each week, we’re taking a closer look at the movers and shakers, the growth of industries, and what’s really driving the Santa Cruz County economy. I’ll be spotlighting some of the biggest areas for opportunity, updates on local development and all things underpinning the regional business scene each Wednesday.

Got ideas? Send them my way to news@lookoutlocal.com with “Business News” in the subject line.

Joby Aviation planning for first passenger flights in late 2025, early 2026

Joby Aviation electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft on the runway at Marina Municipal Airport during a June 2023 media event. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz-based Joby Aviation announced last week that the company is close to carrying its first passengers aboard its electric air taxis, possibly as soon as late 2025 or early 2026. 

Joby’s electric air taxis are designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 mph. The company envisions its commercial services operating similarly to Uber or Lyft, with consumers using a mobile app to hail a ride.

In a recent update to shareholders on efforts to launch commercial service, Joby officials said they’ve made record progress on the fourth of five stages required to certify their aircraft for commercial passenger use in the U.S. The company expects to begin flight testing for Type Inspection Authorization – the final stage – within the next 12 months.

When the company eventually launches commercial service, it plans to begin with the Los Angeles and New York City markets. That will be done with the help of Joby’s partners, Delta Air Lines and Uber. Both markets are major hubs for Delta, which previously invested $60 million in Joby. Delta has said that by partnering with Joby and Uber, its customers could quickly travel from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City to downtown Manhattan and from Los Angeles International Airport to downtown Los Angeles. (Uber sold its own flying taxi business to Joby in 2020 and is an investor in the company.)

Meanwhile, Joby plans to deliver an aircraft to Dubai in the middle of this year to complete flight testing ahead of carrying its first passengers. The company previously inked a six-year deal to operate and scale air taxi services in the United Arab Emirates region, including exclusive rights to run air taxi services in Dubai. Work with the U.S. Department of Defense is also moving forward, with a second aircraft delivered to Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California recently. And late last year, Joby became the first company to fly an electric air taxi as part of a challenge launched by the South Korean government to support the commercialization of air taxis in that country.

Joby was founded in Bonny Doon in 2009, but later moved its headquarters to the former Poly headquarters in the Harvey West neighborhood of Santa Cruz. It also operates a research and development facility in Marina, though the company is currently building a manufacturing facility in Dayton, Ohio, that could see production starting this year. 

ICYMI: Citing design flaws, Moss Landing restaurant owners sue Vistra over battery plant fire

The Haute Enchilada Cafe sits just across Highway 1 from the battery storage facility in Moss Landing. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Fallout continues from last month’s blaze at a Moss Landing battery energy storage system. The owners of the Haute Enchilada Cafe, a restaurant located on the other side of Highway 1 from the fire, are suing the Texas-based corporation that runs the facility. 

In their lawsuit filed against Vistra Corp., owners Kim and Luis Solano accuse the company of negligence and carelessness. The Solanos said they’ve closed their restaurant indefinitely following the Jan. 16 fire and the subsequent flare-up on Feb. 18. Read Christopher Neely’s full story here.

Ch-ch-changes: Openings, closings and other developments

  • Metro lauded for its Monterey Bay-focused campaign: The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (Metro) received two national awards for its One Ride at a Time campaign, which promotes conservation in the Monterey Bay region. As part of the campaign, around 30 buses in the county feature images by renowned wildlife photographer Frans Lanting. The American Public Transportation Association, a nonprofit with more than 1,500 member organizations, picked the campaign for two AdWheel Awards. These awards recognize the marketing, communications and customer service efforts of its member organizations. 
  • Visit Santa Cruz County seeking nominations for board of directors: Visit Santa Cruz County, the region’s nonprofit tourism marketing organization, is seeking nominations for four seats on its board. Three of those seats must be filled by representatives from the local lodging industry; the fourth is open to representatives from other sectors. The board has 25 members, around half of whom are from the lodging industry. Terms last two years. To apply or nominate someone before the March 14 deadline, go here.
  • Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Benefit Shop closes: The volunteer-run thrift store that raised money for the county’s animal shelter closed last weekend, but shelter officials say it could reopen in a new form and new location later this spring. The benefit shop had operated in a county parks department-owned building at 17th Avenue and Felt Street in Live Oak since 2018, but the department needed the space to relocate some maintenance staff and storage. If volunteers and supporters can secure adequate funding and insurance in the coming weeks, the store will reopen as the Love Animals Benefit Shop in April, most likely in the nearby East Cliff Village shopping center. The goal is to establish the shop as an independent nonprofit venture that supports the county shelter as well as other animal rescue organizations.

Got hires, promotions, or departures to report? Send them to news@lookoutlocal.com with the subject line “Career changes.”

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Looking at the numbers 

  • 51.5%: That’s the occupancy rate for Santa Cruz County hotels in January 2025, an increase of more than 7% from the same month in 2024, according to the latest statistics from Visit Santa Cruz County. The average daily room rate, however, was down to $138 from $145 in January 2024. 

Save the date 

  • Wednesday, March 5: Santa Cruz Works’ next New Tech event will feature presentations about four different startup tech companies, including Petszel, a new platform designed to help pet owners co-founded by Santa Cruz resident Sara Swenson. The event, held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., also includes a networking hour. More details and the link for registration are available here.
  • Thursday, March 13: The Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce will host a women in business lunch at Joby Aviation, 345 Encinal St., Santa Cruz, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Bonny Simi, Joby’s president of operations, will talk about her work and career. Details and registration here.
  • Wednesday, March 19: The Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its next business after-hours event with representatives from the San Jose Mineta International Airport and the Santa Cruz Dream Inn. The event takes place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Dream Inn, 175 West Cliff Dr. in Santa Cruz. Details and registration here.
  • Wednesday, March 19: The cities of Watsonville and Santa Cruz are co-hosting a job fair for employment in construction, electrical, plumbing, welding, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), agriculture and related fields. The event, open to those age 18 and up, will be held from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Watsonville Civic Plaza Community Room, 275 Main St., Watsonville. For details and registration, click here.
  • Friday, March 21: The Santa Cruz Small Business Camp will bring together a day of interactive sessions with local business owners, networking opportunities and a keynote address by Jared Truby of Cat & Cloud Coffee at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. Speaker and session details will be released later this month. Details and registration here.
  • Thursday, April 3: The Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual awards gala at the Cocoanut Grove Ballroom in Santa Cruz from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Details and registration here. 
  • Thursday, April 10: The Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce is hosting a business expo and job fair at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Register here.

Add your business or networking events to Lookout’s free public calendar, BOLO. Click here to add your event.

Business news worth reading

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Jessica M. Pasko has been writing professionally for almost two decades. She cut her teeth in journalism as a reporter for the Associated Press in her native Albany, New York, where she covered everything...