Santa Cruz Launchpad 2025

Santa Cruz Launchpad, previously known as “Get Hired” features an exciting combination of student business pitch competition plus a community career fair open to the public. This year’s Santa Cruz Launchpad event is proudly hosted by Santa Cruz Works, Cabrillo College, UC Santa Cruz Innovation & Business Engagement Hub, UCSC Career Success, and CIED.

THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND. Parking is free and included with your registration BUT you must park in the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk lot across from the Cocoanut Grove/Neptune's Kingdom and hold onto your ticket. Ticket validation machine will be available upstairs in the Cocoanut Grove lobby by check in.

• 12-4pm: Student business plan pitches (open to the public)
• 4-4:45pm: Employer Table setup
• 5-7pm: Job Fair + Networking (open to the public)

From 12-4pm, students will compete in a business plan competition for $25,000 in cash prizes. The pitch competition portion of the event typically includes 12 student teams who each have five minutes each to deliver their pitches to a judge panel comprised of UCSC alumni and mentors. Check out 2023 and 2024 winners here. If you are interested in participating in the pitch competition, please sign up here by April 21.

From 5-7pm, job seekers will have the opportunity to interact with 20+ local companies offering 200+ jobs and internships ranging from aviation, engineering, marketing, healthcare, project management, sales, customer support, and MUCH more.

This event allows students, job seekers, and professionals of all experience levels and backgrounds the opportunity to show off their resumes, find career opportunities, and make new connections. There is no charge for job seekers to attend the job fair. The job fair is open to the public (you do not need to be a student or pitch contest participant to participate). But all attendees must register in advance!

Sign up for your booth by registering for an Employer Table ticket. Fee is waived for (please use Partner Ticket option). For non-profits who are hiring and would like to participate for free, please email malina[at]santacruzwork.org for a discount promo code as soon as possible. If your are not a non-profit but the registration fee is a significant barrier for your company to participate, please reach out to us to let us know.

Previous participating employers included Joby Aviation, PayStand, Looker / Google, Cabrillo College, Santa Cruz Bicycles, Ambient Photonics, Cruz Foam, Digital NEST, Bay Federal Credit Union, Unnatural Products, Santa Cruz Seaside Company, Zero Motorcycles, and more.

See prior year information and companies here.

Want to volunteer?

Email malina[at]santacruzworks.org with the subject SC Launchpad 2025 Volunteer to let us know you are interested in helping us with the event.

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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Boardwalk's Cocoanut Grove, 400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz, United States