CONNECT, San Diego’s original high-tech incubator and accelerator, announced Thursday the seven winners of its 31st annual Most Innovative New Product Awards.
The winning products ranged from drone defense to quantum-based security and new diagnostic tests.
“The winners of tonight’s Most Innovative New Product Awards are changing the world. The companies and products showcased in this event demonstrate the incredible talent and drive that exists in San Diego’s innovation ecosystem,” said Greg McKee, CEO of CONNECT.
The prestigious competition, which began with an application process in the spring and culminated in an awards ceremony on Thursday night, recognized products introduced after Jan. 1, 2016 and generating revenue.
The 2018 winners are:
Aerospace, Robotics and Transportation — Citadel Titan’s Citadel Defense Counter-drone technology, which uses artificial intelligence to detect and identify threatening drones. The product is currently deployed with U.S. troops.
Cleantech, Sustainability and Energy — Primo Wind‘s EnergiPlant, which generates power from wind, solar and batteries to provide security, a WiFi hot spot, lighting, and charging for phones and tablets in public parks and spaces.
Defense and Cybersecurity — Formalloy‘s L-Series 3D Printer, which uses a blue laser to build up objects from metal alloys.
Information Communication Technologies and Software — Qubitekk’s Quantum Transceiver, a quantum-based cybersecurity encryption and authentication technology for defense and energy applications.
Life Science Diagnostics — Banyan Biomarkers‘ Banyan BTI diagnostic blood test for patients suspected of having a concussion.
Life Science Products (Clinical Stage) and Pharmaceuticals — Biological Dynamics‘ OmniVerita, a benchtop platform for genomic analysis of cancer biomarkers directly from blood.
Life Science Research Tools and Medical Devices — StemoniX‘s microBrain 3D Assay Ready Plate, which is a human neural spheroid screening platform for drug discovery and neurotoxicology.
Thursday night’s awards event also featured the induction of Mark Dankberg, founder and CEO of the satellite communications company Viasat, into the CONNECT Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.
