AUTHORITIES in California searching for a Silicon Valley millionaire who was kidnapped from his beachfront mansion have located a body near a vehicle, Santa Cruz police have confirmed.

Tushar Atre, 50, was reported missing around 3am on Tuesday when police received a 911 call reporting a home invasion at his property in the exclusive enclave of Pleasure Point.

The tech guru was last seen being forced into a white 2008 BMW SUV that reportedly belonged to his girlfriend.

Authorities appealed to the public for information, and seven hours later the BMW was located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 22 kilometres from Mr Atre's home, with an unidentified male body nearby.

"We have found the car associated with this case, along with a deceased person," a post on the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office Facebook page said.

Police did not say if the body was Mr Atre.

Police are seeking multiple people in connection with the case.

"There is more than one suspect involved" and they are "still actively investigating the motive of the kidnapping", a spokesperson from the Sheriff's Office told People.

Mr Atre is understood to be a long-time resident of the area, working in Silicon Valley since the 1990s. He is the CEO of a corporate web design company called Atrenet.

A friend of the tech guru, who asked not to be named, told local news station KPIX5 that Mr Atre had enemies.

"Atre made enemies over his business deals. And not specifically with his company," they said.

Santa Cruz authorities assured the public "we are working hard to bring whoever is responsible to justice".