2020 has forever changed how many of us work, communicate, and innovate. While this year has been unlike any other, our community has united to continue and grow the innovation ecosystem, despite the challenges we encountered.
When the pandemic hit, Octane transitioned our events to a digital platform, utilized all of our resources, and successfully brought three conferences and one award program to be consumed virtually or on-demand. Octane found alternative channels for our content and discovered a much broader base of attendees, some located internationally.
While this year was different, to say the least, we set a total funding record of $445M capital raised for the year, as well as an additional $164M raised by companies that utilize Octane, and two companies successfully used the public markets. LaunchPad SBDC continues to be the foundation of our job creation engine.
This year’s fundamental shift focused on our Octane Foundation for Innovation (OFI) community initiatives, including Women Leaders of Octane, STEM Fellows, Non-Profit Accelerator, and NextGen leadership. These four initiatives provide the impact which builds the community, creates jobs, and promotes opportunities for diverse individuals and groups.
Finally, our dedication to the mission of innovation and economic prosperity is inseparable from our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. It is critical to ensuring that each member of our community has the full opportunity to thrive and flourish in our environment. At Octane, we believe diversity is central to the advancement of knowledge and shared outcomes.
Thank you for your continued support of Octane. We navigated a challenging 2020 together and look forward to a bright 2021.
Bill Carpou
CEO, Octane
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