Santa Cruz Accelerates Demo Day: Innovation Takes Center Stage

On November 6, Santa Cruz Works hosted an exhilarating Demo Day for the 6th cohort of Santa Cruz Accelerates. Seven innovative startups delivered compelling 5-minute pitches to a panel of judges and venture capitalists, vying for top honors and seed funding opportunities.

Treeswax, the petroleum-free surf wax designed for performance, took first place, winning $5,000 from Santa Cruz Ventures. They also captured the People’s Choice Award, earning an additional $1,000 in audience-voted cash. Ryze AI claimed second place and $2,500 from Hawktower for its software improving efficiency and accuracy in precision-critical industries. TerraNova Bio earned third place and $2,500 for their nature-driven recycling solutions.

All finalists were invited to pitch for seed funding at Santa Cruz Ventures and Hawktower. Additionally, the winners received complimentary 409A valuations from Eqvista, each valued at $5,000. The event highlighted Santa Cruz’s thriving ecosystem of groundbreaking startups shaping the future.