CruzHacks, the largest and longest-running hackathon on the Central Coast, is back for its 11th year! From January 18–20, 2025, over 400 aspiring innovators will gather for 2.5 days of creativity, collaboration, and transformative ideas. Held at UC Santa Cruz and entirely student-led, CruzHacks is where the brightest minds come together to build technology solutions that make a meaningful impact.

This year’s themes—sustainability, justice, and health—reflect our commitment to tackling some of society’s most pressing challenges. Participants, ranging from high school students to college hackers, will dream big and push boundaries as they create projects that aim to shape a brighter future.

CruzHacks isn’t just a hackathon—it’s a launchpad for entrepreneurship, a catalyst for community growth, and a hub for talent development. Sponsors play a pivotal role in this transformative event, helping to grow the Central Coast’s innovation ecosystem while supporting students who represent the future of tech.

Why Sponsor CruzHacks?

By sponsoring CruzHacks, you’re directly contributing to the development of the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and tech leaders. You’ll gain access to top-tier talent with hands-on experience in coding, design, and project development. Many past participants have gone on to launch startups, join top tech companies, and become leaders in their fields—all starting with CruzHacks.

Sponsorship opportunities range from prize tracks to mentorship and workshops, allowing you to align your brand with innovation, community, and social impact. CruzHacks also offers sponsors direct engagement with participants through judging panels, networking events, and demo showcases.

A Proven Track Record

CruzHacks 2024 inspired projects that reimagined social justice, sustainability, education, and healthcare. Winning submissions included groundbreaking uses of AI, exceptional user experiences, and tools tailored to benefit the UCSC college community. The results speak to the talent and drive of our participants—and to the potential your sponsorship can unlock.

Explore last year’s winning projects: CruzHacks 2024 Winners.

Build the Future with Us

CruzHacks is more than an event—it’s a movement. It empowers diverse voices, fosters collaboration, and sparks innovation that ripples far beyond the Central Coast. Whether you’re a local business, global enterprise, or community organization, your support can help us provide the tools, resources, and inspiration that our hackers need to succeed.

Join us in shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs, growing our local tech ecosystem, and supporting solutions for a more sustainable, just, and healthy world. Together, we can drive meaningful change, foster innovation, and build a brighter tomorrow.

Let’s make CruzHacks 2025 the most impactful yet. Become a sponsor today and help turn big ideas into lasting impact!