Aliso Viejo, Calif., September 17, 2020 — Octane, Southern California’s leading accelerator announced today the winners of its 2020 High Tech Awards. The awards program, which entered into its twenty-seventh year, honored Orange County-based companies that have demonstrated exceptional leadership while developing new technological advancements in their respective industries. Despite the challenges of 2020, Orange County once again proved that it is an epicenter of innovation with over 80 companies being nominated in the following nine categories:
2020 High Tech Award Winners:
Best Consumer Technology Innovation: CalAmp
Best Enterprise or B2B Technology Innovation: Concise
Best Technology Company Leadership Team: MeridianLink
Best Small Technology Company CEO: Luke Freiler, CEO, Centercode
Deal of the Year: Tarsus Pharmaceuticals
Outstanding Emerging Technology Company: Menlo Microsystems
Outstanding Innovation in Medical Technology/ Lifesciences: 11 Health
Outstanding Small Technology Company: NowRx Pharmacy
VC of the Year: Visionary Ventures
As in previous years, Bill Carpou selected an individual to be recognized for their leadership and contribution to the Orange County community.
Amanda Fowler, Executive Director, Global Corporate Giving at Edwards Lifesciences received the Vision & Leadership Award. This award recognizes vision, leadership and the ability to disrupt the status quo. Amanda received this award as she represents the highest values of integrity, character, and team. She helps make a positive impact beyond themselves and their organizations throughout Orange County. “Edwards has always set an example of community leadership for all of us to learn from, and Amanda’s leadership is obvious. The amount of people the Edwards Lifesciences Foundation touch each year is only surpassed by the lives their products impact on a global scale,” said Bill Carpou, Octane CEO.
2020 has brought challenges and as a result Octane and The High Tech Awards committee wanted to recognize three companies that exhibited resiliency and support to the Southern California community and the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. Congratulations to: Alteryx, BioLargo, Inc. and Dinsmore Inc for your leadership and being awards the Covid-19 recognition award.
This year’s event was held as a digital experience and emceed by Steve Churm, EVP of Public Affairs and Communications at FivePoint. “Over the past two years, FivePoint has become a leader in driving innovation across Orange County, their executives lead by example and are an important strategic partner of Octane and the entire community,” said Bill Carpou.
The Octane High Tech Awards were sponsored by Bank of America, Stradling, Deloitte, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co, Knobbe Martens, Squar Milnar, UCI Beall Applied Innovation, Insperity, JLL, RSM, Thinkbox Technology Group, and the Toronto Stock Exchange.
About Octane:
Octane convenes and enable the Southern California technology and medical technology business ecosystem by connecting people, resources and capital. Our goal is to create 55,000+ high-value technology jobs in Southern California by 2030. We impact our community through LaunchPad, an industry leading accelerator, Enterprise Solutions, a new platform to provide companies capital and growth resources to accelerate job creation, Signature Events & Programs, and direct access to capital. Learn more: octaneoc.org