David Pricco
Painting of the Santa Barbara waterfront and mountains at sunset

SBTechList · Updated November 2026

CALIFORNIA101Santa Barbara Startups & Tech Companies

The top 101 tech companies and startups in Santa Barbara and Goleta. For the comprehensive database of 500+ local companies, with search and sort, visit SBTechList.com.

About: This list was originally started in 2013 by David Pricco as a resource for UCSB’s Technology Management Program, and has since grown to be a stand-alone project. It is maintained thanks to generous input from local experts: Dan Engel, John Greathouse, Jeffrey Carmody, Josh Geffon, and more.

Order: Companies are ranked by their weight in the local scene first (headcount in town, and roots in Santa Barbara and Goleta), then by overall size, so major companies with local offices follow the homegrown ones. Switch to A–Z any time.

Updates and additions welcomed. Contact me here.

Top 101 tech companies in Santa Barbara and Goleta

  • 1. AppFolio

    Software

    Property management and legal practice software.

    Founded
    2006
    Employees
    1,001-5,000
    Status
    Public (NASDAQ: APPF)
    Address
    70 Castilian Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93117

  • 2. Yardi Systems

    Software

    Real estate and property management software. In talks (May 2026) to move HQ to the former downtown Macy’s at Paseo Nuevo.

    Founded
    1984
    Employees
    5,001-10,000
    Status
    Private
    Website
    yardi.com
    Address
    490 S Fairview Ave, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 3. Procore Technologies

    Software

    Construction management platform.

    Founded
    2002
    Employees
    1,001-5,000
    Status
    Public (NYSE: PCOR), IPO 2021
    Address
    6309 Carpinteria Ave, Carpinteria, CA 93013

  • 4. Sonos

    Hardware

    Wireless home audio.

    Founded
    2002
    Employees
    1,001-5,000
    Status
    Public (NASDAQ: SONO)
    Website
    sonos.com
    Address
    614 Chapala St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

  • 5. LogicMonitor

    Software

    IT infrastructure observability SaaS.

    Founded
    2007
    Employees
    1,001-5,000
    Status
    Private (PE-backed)
    Address
    820 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

  • 6. impact.com

    Software

    Partnership and affiliate marketing platform.

    Founded
    2008
    Previously called
    Impact Radius
    Employees
    1,001-5,000
    Status
    Private
    Website
    impact.com
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 7. Inogen

    Hardware

    Portable oxygen concentrators.

    Founded
    2001
    Employees
    501-1,000
    Status
    Public (NASDAQ: INGN)
    Website
    inogen.com
    Address
    301 Coromar Dr, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 8. Teledyne FLIR

    Hardware

    Thermal imaging; Goleta is a major site.

    Founded
    1978
    Previously called
    FLIR Systems
    Employees
    501-1,000
    Status
    Owned by Teledyne (2021)
    Website
    flir.com
    Address
    6769 Hollister Ave, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 9. Raytheon (Goleta)

    Hardware

    Infrared and electro-optical sensors.

    Founded
    1922
    Employees
    501-1,000
    Status
    Part of RTX
    Website
    rtx.com
    Address
    75 Coromar Dr, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 10. Karl Storz Imaging

    Hardware

    Endoscopy cameras and OR video systems.

    Founded
    1990
    Employees
    501-1,000
    Status
    Part of Karl Storz
    Address
    Goleta, CA

  • 11. Google Quantum AI

    Deep Tech

    Superconducting quantum computers; Willow chip built in Goleta. Bought an 83,000 sq ft campus at 147-153 Castilian Dr in 2026.

    Founded
    2014
    Employees
    Goleta lab
    Status
    Part of Google
    Address
    Goleta, CA

  • 12. CJ

    Software

    Affiliate marketing network.

    Founded
    1998
    Previously called
    CJ Affiliate, Commission Junction
    Employees
    501-1,000
    Status
    Subsidiary of Publicis (Epsilon)
    Website
    cj.com
    Address
    530 E Montecito St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103

  • 13. Green Hills Software

    Software

    Embedded real-time operating systems and tools.

    Founded
    1982
    Employees
    251-500
    Status
    Private
    Website
    ghs.com
    Address
    30 W Sola St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

  • 14. Tecolote Research

    Software

    Cost analysis software and engineering services for defense and space.

    Founded
    1973
    Employees
    501-1,000
    Status
    Private (employee-owned)
    Address
    420 S Fairview Ave, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 15. Amazon

    Software

    Alexa and AI engineering in Santa Barbara.

    Founded
    1994
    Employees
    SB office
    Status
    Public; local office grew out of Graphiq (2017)
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 16. Toyon Research

    Hardware

    Defense sensors, signal processing and analysis.

    Founded
    1980
    Employees
    201-500
    Status
    Private (employee-owned)
    Website
    toyon.com
    Address
    6800 Cortona Dr, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 17. Arthrex California Technology

    Hardware

    Surgical imaging and visualization systems.

    Founded
    2004
    Employees
    501-1,000
    Status
    Part of Arthrex
    Address
    460 Ward Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93111

  • 18. Invoca

    Software

    AI call tracking and conversation analytics.

    Founded
    2008
    Employees
    201-500
    Status
    Private
    Website
    invoca.com
    Address
    419 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

  • 19. Microsoft Station Q

    Deep Tech

    Topological quantum computing; Majorana 1 chip (2025).

    Founded
    2005
    Employees
    UCSB lab
    Status
    Part of Microsoft
    Address
    California NanoSystems Institute, UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA 93106

  • 20. HG Insights

    Software

    Technology install-base and B2B market intelligence.

    Founded
    2010
    Previously called
    HG Data Company
    Employees
    201-500
    Status
    Private
    Address
    1 N Calle Cesar Chavez, Ste 100, Santa Barbara, CA 93103

  • 21. Zoom

    Software

    Video communications; Santa Barbara engineering office.

    Founded
    2011
    Employees
    SB office
    Status
    Public (NASDAQ: ZM); HQ San Jose
    Website
    zoom.com
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 22. Wyatt Technology

    Hardware

    Light-scattering instruments.

    Founded
    1982
    Employees
    201-500
    Status
    Owned by Waters (2023)
    Website
    wyatt.com
    Address
    6330 Hollister Ave, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 23. QAD

    Software

    Manufacturing ERP. Sold its Carpinteria HQ campus in 2022; current HQ listing unclear.

    Founded
    1979
    Employees
    1,001-5,000
    Status
    Private (Thoma Bravo, 2021)
    Website
    qad.com
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 24. Curvature

    Hardware

    Data center hardware and maintenance.

    Founded
    1996
    Employees
    501-1,000
    Status
    Part of Park Place Technologies (2020)
    Address
    6500 Hollister Ave, Ste 210, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 25. Bitwarden

    Software

    Open-source password manager.

    Founded
    2015
    Employees
    201-500
    Status
    Private
    Address
    1 N Calle Cesar Chavez, Ste 102, Santa Barbara, CA 93103

  • 26. Artera

    Software

    Patient communication platform for health systems.

    Founded
    2015
    Previously called
    WELL Health
    Employees
    201-500
    Status
    Private
    Website
    artera.io
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 27. ParentSquare

    Software

    K-12 school-to-home communication.

    Founded
    2011
    Employees
    201-500
    Status
    Private
    Address
    6144 Calle Real, Ste 200A, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 28. Evidation

    Software

    Health data and engagement platform; also has a San Mateo office.

    Founded
    2012
    Employees
    201-500
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 29. FastSpring

    Software

    Ecommerce and payments for software companies.

    Founded
    2005
    Employees
    201-500
    Status
    Private (Accel-KKR)
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 30. Novacoast

    Software

    Cybersecurity services and software.

    Founded
    1996
    Employees
    201-500
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 31. Northrop Grumman Space Systems (Goleta)

    Hardware

    Deployable space structures and solar arrays.

    Founded
    1982
    Previously called
    Orbital ATK
    Employees
    201-500
    Status
    Part of Northrop Grumman (2018)
    Address
    600 Pine Ave, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 32. Redwire Space (Goleta)

    Hardware

    Deployable solar arrays and space structures; Goleta campus ~90,000 sq ft after 2024 expansion.

    Founded
    2008
    Previously called
    Deployable Space Systems
    Employees
    201-500
    Status
    Part of Redwire (NYSE: RDW)
    Address
    326 Bollay Dr, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 33. GoTo

    Software

    GoToMeeting maker; large Goleta engineering office.

    Founded
    2003
    Previously called
    LogMeIn, Citrix Online
    Employees
    Goleta office
    Status
    Private (Francisco Partners, Evergreen)
    Website
    goto.com
    Address
    7414 Hollister Ave, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 34. Agilysys

    Software

    Hospitality software; Goleta office from InfoGenesis.

    Founded
    1963
    Employees
    Goleta office
    Status
    Public (NASDAQ: AGYS)
    Address
    Goleta, CA

  • 35. Umbra

    Hardware

    Synthetic aperture radar satellites.

    Founded
    2015
    Previously called
    Umbra Lab
    Employees
    101-250
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 36. Kyocera SLD Laser

    Hardware

    Laser light sources for automotive, display and lighting.

    Founded
    2013
    Previously called
    SLD Laser, Soraa Laser Diode
    Employees
    101-250
    Status
    Owned by Kyocera (2021)
    Address
    485 Pine Ave, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 37. Lockheed Martin Santa Barbara Focalplane

    Hardware

    Infrared focal plane arrays and sensors.

    Founded
    1999
    Previously called
    Santa Barbara Focalplane
    Employees
    101-250
    Status
    Part of Lockheed Martin
    Address
    Goleta, CA

  • 38. Carpe Data

    Software

    Data and analytics for insurers.

    Founded
    2016
    Employees
    101-250
    Status
    Private (PE investment 2022)
    Website
    carpe.io
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 39. Briq

    Software

    AI financial automation for construction.

    Founded
    2017
    Employees
    101-250
    Status
    Private
    Website
    briq.com
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 40. Xurrent

    Software

    IT service management platform.

    Founded
    2012
    Previously called
    4me
    Employees
    101-250
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 41. Transphorm

    Hardware

    Gallium nitride power semiconductors.

    Founded
    2007
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Owned by Renesas (2024)
    Address
    75 Castilian Dr, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 42. Seek Thermal

    Hardware

    Thermal imaging cameras and cores. Moved into a 3x larger HQ in 2025.

    Founded
    2012
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private
    Address
    6300 Hollister Ave, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 43. Qolab

    Deep Tech

    Superconducting quantum hardware; co-founded by John Martinis.

    Founded
    2022
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private (Series B $54M, 2026)
    Website
    qolab.ai
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 44. OpenLight

    Deep Tech

    Silicon photonics for AI data centers.

    Founded
    2022
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private (Series A-1 2026)
    Address
    6868 Cortona Dr, Ste C, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 45. Theta Lake

    Software

    AI compliance and security for video, chat and collaboration tools. Asked to be listed.

    Founded
    2017
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 46. MixMode

    Software

    AI network threat detection.

    Founded
    2012
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private
    Website
    mixmode.ai
    Address
    111 W Micheltorena St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

  • 47. Anchore

    Software

    Software supply chain and container security.

    Founded
    2016
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private
    Address
    800 Presidio Ave, Ste B, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

  • 48. Ontraport

    Software

    CRM and marketing automation for small business.

    Founded
    2006
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private
    Address
    2030 Alameda Padre Serra, Ste 200, Santa Barbara, CA 93103

  • 49. ProductPlan

    Software

    Product roadmap software.

    Founded
    2013
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 50. PayJunction

    Software

    Payment processing platform.

    Founded
    2000
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 51. ShipHawk

    Software

    Shipping and warehouse software.

    Founded
    2012
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 52. AutoVitals

    Software

    Software for auto repair shops.

    Founded
    2009
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Goleta, CA

  • 53. Strategic Healthcare Programs

    Software

    Analytics for post-acute healthcare.

    Founded
    1996
    Previously called
    SHP
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Owned by Roper Technologies (2014)
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 54. ZeroBounce

    Software

    Email validation and deliverability.

    Founded
    2015
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 55. Axia Payments

    Software

    Payment processing.

    Founded
    1992
    Previously called
    Axia Technologies
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 56. Calient Technologies

    Hardware

    Optical circuit switches.

    Founded
    1999
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Owned by Suzhou Chunxing (2017)
    Address
    25 Castilian Dr, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 57. Freedom Photonics

    Hardware

    Lasers and photonic integrated circuits.

    Founded
    2005
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Part of Luminar Semiconductor; sale to Quantum Computing Inc. agreed during Luminar Chapter 11 (Dec 2025)
    Address
    41 Aero Camino, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 58. Innovative Micro Technology

    Hardware

    MEMS foundry.

    Founded
    2000
    Previously called
    IMT
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private
    Address
    75 Robin Hill Rd, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 59. Asylum Research

    Hardware

    Atomic force microscopes.

    Founded
    1999
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Part of Oxford Instruments (2012)
    Website
    oxinst.com
    Address
    6310 Hollister Ave, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 60. Biopac Systems

    Hardware

    Physiology data acquisition systems.

    Founded
    1985
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Private
    Website
    biopac.com
    Address
    42 Aero Camino, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 61. Santa Barbara Infrared

    Hardware

    Infrared test and calibration systems.

    Founded
    1987
    Previously called
    SBIR
    Employees
    51-200
    Status
    Part of HGH Infrared
    Website
    sbir.com
    Address
    30 S Calle Cesar Chavez, Santa Barbara, CA 93103

  • 62. Aeluma

    Deep Tech

    Semiconductor sensors on large-diameter wafers.

    Founded
    2019
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Public (NASDAQ: ALMU)
    Website
    aeluma.com
    Address
    27 Castilian Dr, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 63. Nexus Photonics

    Deep Tech

    Heterogeneous photonic integrated circuits.

    Founded
    2016
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Acquired by IonQ (June 2026, ~$76M)
    Address
    Goleta, CA

  • 64. Blue Laser Fusion

    Deep Tech

    Pulsed lasers for fusion energy and defense.

    Founded
    2021
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Public via alternative offering (2026)
    Address
    6950 Hollister Ave, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 65. Quintessent

    Deep Tech

    Optical interconnect chips for AI data centers.

    Founded
    2019
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private (Series A $40M, 2026)
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 66. Lucidean

    Deep Tech

    Optical interconnects for data centers.

    Founded
    2023
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private (raised $18M, 2025)
    Address
    Goleta, CA

  • 67. ChipAgents

    Software

    Agentic AI for chip design and verification.

    Founded
    2024
    Previously called
    Alpha Design AI
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private (Series A 2025)
    Address
    Goleta, CA

  • 68. Apeel

    Deep Tech

    Plant-based produce coatings.

    Founded
    2012
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private (sharply downsized)
    Website
    apeel.com
    Address
    71 S Los Carneros Rd, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 69. Sidero Labs

    Software

    Talos Linux and Omni for Kubernetes.

    Founded
    2019
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 70. Service Objects

    Software

    Contact data validation APIs.

    Founded
    2001
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    27 E Cota St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

  • 71. SecureDocs

    Software

    Virtual data rooms.

    Founded
    2012
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Acquired by Onit
    Address
    Goleta, CA

  • 72. VRTCAL Markets

    Software

    Mobile advertising platform.

    Founded
    2016
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Website
    vrtcal.com
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 73. Freedcamp

    Software

    Project management software.

    Founded
    2011
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 74. ClearPathGPS

    Software

    GPS fleet tracking and telematics. Asked for an HTTPS link and offered a logo.

    Founded
    2013
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 75. VerticalChange

    Software

    Case management software for social services.

    Founded
    2012
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 76. Lesson Planet

    Software

    Teacher resources and curriculum platform.

    Founded
    1999
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 77. RingRx

    Software

    Cloud phone systems for healthcare.

    Founded
    2014
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Website
    ringrx.com
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 78. D2 Technologies

    Software

    VoIP and communications software.

    Founded
    1993
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Website
    d2tech.com
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 79. WorldViz

    Software

    Enterprise virtual reality software.

    Founded
    2002
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 80. cielo24

    Software

    Captioning and transcription.

    Founded
    2012
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 81. Unwrap.ai

    Software

    AI customer feedback analytics.

    Founded
    2021
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private (Series A $12M, 2025)
    Website
    unwrap.ai
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 82. CrossnoKaye

    Software

    Industrial refrigeration control and energy optimization.

    Founded
    2017
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 83. Live Data Technologies

    Software

    Real-time job change and people data.

    Founded
    2021
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 84. Mentium Technologies

    Deep Tech

    AI inference chips.

    Founded
    2016
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 85. LaunchPoint EPS

    Hardware

    Electric propulsion motors for aviation.

    Founded
    1992
    Previously called
    LaunchPoint Technologies
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Goleta, CA

  • 86. Sovato Health

    Software

    Remote robotic surgery platform.

    Founded
    2020
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Website
    sovato.com
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 87. True Digital Surgery

    Hardware

    3D digital surgical microscopes.

    Founded
    2014
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Goleta, CA

  • 88. Thorlabs Crystalline Solutions

    Hardware

    Crystalline coatings for precision optics.

    Founded
    2012
    Previously called
    Crystalline Mirror Solutions
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Part of Thorlabs (2019)
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 89. Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp.

    Hardware

    Optical photothermal infrared microscopes; founded by Anasys alumni.

    Founded
    2018
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 90. PseudolithIC

    Deep Tech

    Heterogeneous RF and mm-wave semiconductor integration.

    Founded
    2021
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 91. Zymbit

    Hardware

    Hardware security modules for edge devices.

    Founded
    2014
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Website
    zymbit.com
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 92. Beacon Photonics (Beacon West)

    Deep Tech

    Integrated photonics; first industry member at UCSB’s OASIS (2026).

    Founded
    2020
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private; HQ Arlington VA
    Address
    UCSB OASIS, Goleta, CA 93117

  • 93. C-Zero

    Deep Tech

    Natural gas decarbonization into hydrogen and solid carbon.

    Founded
    2018
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 94. Next Energy Technologies

    Deep Tech

    Transparent solar window coatings.

    Founded
    2012
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 95. Musubi

    Software

    AI content moderation and trust and safety.

    Founded
    2023
    Employees
    11-50
    Status
    Private (seed $5M, 2025)
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 96. Constructable

    Software

    Construction project management.

    Founded
    2023
    Employees
    1-10
    Status
    Private (Y Combinator S23)
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 97. Veles

    Software

    CPQ and sales quoting software.

    Founded
    2024
    Employees
    1-10
    Status
    Private (Y Combinator W24)
    Website
    veles.ai
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 98. BridgeDoc

    Software

    Software for public works departments.

    Founded
    2020
    Employees
    1-10
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 99. Allthenticate

    Software

    Passwordless physical and digital access; UCSB spinout.

    Founded
    2019
    Employees
    1-10
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 100. ProFoldBio

    Software

    Antibody design and screening software; UCSB spinout (2026).

    Founded
    2025
    Employees
    1-10
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Santa Barbara, CA

  • 101. InPractice

    Software

    AI tools for medical practices.

    Founded
    2022
    Employees
    1-10
    Status
    Private
    Address
    Goleta, CA

Updated November 2026. Employee counts are ranges from public sources; addresses show the city where a street address could not be confirmed. Missing a company, or something out of date? Send me a note.

Santa Barbara tech news: the last 12 months

  • Nov 2026Blue Laser Fusion closed a $34M raise, partly for its Goleta optics fab.
  • Aug 2026Google bought an 83,000 sq ft campus on Castilian Dr in Goleta for $32.5M to expand Quantum AI.
  • Aug 2026Quintessent raised a $40M Series A for optical interconnect chips.
  • Jul 2026Qolab, co-founded by Nobel laureate John Martinis, raised a $54.2M Series B.
  • Jun 2026IonQ agreed to acquire Goleta photonics spinout Nexus Photonics for about $76M.
  • May 2026Yardi began talks to move its headquarters to the former Macy’s at Paseo Nuevo.
  • Apr 2026OpenLight raised a $50M Series A-1 for silicon photonics.
  • Mar 2026Tech Park @ Goleta, home to Lockheed Martin, Umbra and Curvature, sold for $235M.
  • Mar 2026Beacon Photonics opened Beacon West as the first industry member of UCSB’s OASIS facility.
  • Dec 2025Lucidean raised $18M for data center optics.
  • Oct 2025ChipAgents raised a $21M Series A led by Bessemer.
  • 2025Santa Barbara startups raised about $293M across 35 deals, up 15% on 2024.

Where are they now? Companies from earlier editions

Some of the best-known Santa Barbara startups from the 2013–2018 lists were acquired. Here is where they went.

  • Lynda.comAcquired by LinkedIn (2015), now LinkedIn Learning
  • GraphiqAcquired by Amazon (2017), now Amazon’s Santa Barbara office
  • RightScaleAcquired by Flexera (2018)
  • LastlineAcquired by VMware (2020)
  • Eucalyptus SystemsAcquired by HP (2014)
  • HoneyAcquired by PayPal (2020)
  • InTouch HealthAcquired by Teladoc (2020)
  • TapjoyAcquired by ironSource (2021), now Unity
  • ResonantAcquired by Murata (2022)
  • BioIQAcquired by LetsGetChecked (2022)
  • AurrionAcquired by Juniper (2016)
  • Anasys InstrumentsAcquired by Bruker (2018)
  • SoraaAssets sold 2020; laser unit is now Kyocera SLD Laser
  • Riptide IOAcquired by Turntide (2021)
  • ClarionDoorAcquired by Zywave (2021)
  • Social IntelligenceAcquired by Fama (2023)