Quick Take

In her weekly roundup of Santa Cruz County business, Jessica M. Pasko relays word on a boost for a Westside company pioneering sustainable surfboard technology, examines the woeful outlook for the local fishing industry and runs down 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.

New funding for SwellCycle, creator of sustainable surfboard technology

A Santa Cruz-based startup focused on creating more environmentally friendly surfboard materials has raised $1 millon in investment to help expand its technology to other industries.

SwellCycle, headquartered on the Westside of Santa Cruz, has developed a method of 3D-printing surfboard parts using recycled plastic waste (namely, plastic trays that medical instruments come packaged in). Last year, the company began testing its prototype boards with surfers and launched its pre-order process. 

Now, as the company continues to grow, its founders say they’re looking to work more with surfboard shapers and license their technology processes rather than focusing on selling boards directly to consumers. The company recently achieved what it says is a major breakthrough, creating a 3D-printed surfboard core that’s just 4 pounds, closer to the weight of the traditional foam blanks most surfboards use. That marks a 25% reduction from its previous 6-pound cores, along with improved durability and performance.

A SwellCycle surfboard made from recycled plastic from the health care industry.
A SwellCycle surfboard made from recycled plastic from the health care industry. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

“We are just coming out of a research and development cycle to improve the weight, strength and durability, so we still have a bit of in-the-water validation to go through before we start offering this new board construction,” said CEO and co-founder Patricio Guerrero. “We’re actually looking for people who want to ride for SwellCycle and help us validate the technology faster.”

The new funding comes from New York-based Third Sphere, a venture capital firm that largely invests in technologies focused on climate change and environmental sustainability. (See my full story here.)

ICYMI: A ‘perfect storm’ of environmental and political issues is driving Santa Cruz fishers out of the water

Fisher Valerie Phillips prepares bait for her Dungeness crab traps.
Fisher Valerie Phillips prepares bait for her Dungeness crab traps. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Lily Belli and I have both written a number of stories in the past few years about the challenges facing local fishers amid the ongoing shortened Dungeness crab fishing seasons and the cancellations of salmon affected seasons. Lily recently took a deeper look at how these repeat blows have impacted the local fishing industry as a whole and the outlook isn’t good. After nine years of delayed, shortened and canceled fishing seasons, the number of commercial fishing boats active in the Santa Cruz Harbor has dwindled to fewer than 20. That’s down from 100 in the 1980s and 1990s. Read Lily’s full story here.

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

Supervisor Candidate Kristen Brown
Kristen Brown, former mayor of Capitola, will lead the Santa Cruz area’s chamber of commerce. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce names new executive director: Kristen Brown has been named the new leader of the county’s longest-serving chamber of commerce. Brown, a former Capitola mayor, ran unsuccessfully for the District 2 seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors last year. For the past several years, she has served as the vice president of government relations for the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a business advocacy organization. Brown replaces Casey Beyer, who stepped down from the executive director role in November 2024.
  • Ambient Photonics partners with Japanese company: Scotts Valley’s Ambient Photonics is now working with Japan’s NGK Insulators to create new sustainable energy solutions to reduce reliance on disposable batteries. Ambient Photonics has created small solar cells that can harvest and store energy under low-light conditions, making them well-suited for small appliances like computer keyboards and mice. Ambient’s solar cells will be combined with NGK’s EnerCera pouch, a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, to enable efficient charging in low-light conditions and improve power storage for extended periods of time. The combined solution is both lightweight and thin, and is developed for use by manufacturers of connected devices like sensors or small appliances.
  • Water company to open second location on Westside: Blue Zone Waters is opening a new location on the Westside of Santa Cruz next month. Blue Zone sells ionized water, home filtration systems and the like from its storefront on Portola Drive. The new location at 1715 Mission St. will host a soft opening on Saturday, with a grand opening planned for March 9. 
  • SoulCare Studios opens wellness center in Aptos: A new facility that combines yoga classes with Chinese medicine, chiropractic care and more will open next month on Soquel Drive in Aptos. SoulCare Studios bills itself as a wellness center that takes a holistic approach by offering services for the mind, body and spirit. A grand opening will be held in late March, but starting Saturday, SoulCare is offering complimentary classes and opportunities to meet the teachers and learn more about its slate of offerings. 

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

  • 44%: That’s the percentage of Santa Cruz County workers, students and residents between the age of 18 and 34 who said they’d be interested in joining a union, according to a new survey conducted by students from UC Santa Cruz and Cabrillo College. The research, led by the Center for Labor and Community at UC Santa Cruz, looks at perspectives around unionization. A total of 1,947 respondents who aren’t currently part of a union were surveyed last spring. Of those, 19% said they were opposed to joining a union; the remaining 37% were uncertain. 

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 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 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 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 to 9 p.m. Details and registration 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...