CONNECT, San Diego’s original high-technology incubator, honored 10 companies Thursday night for developing the most innovative products in San Diego over the past year.
It was the 30th annual Most Innovative Product Awards, which were presented before a crowd of tech company finalists, investors and supports at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine.
“At CONNECT, we believe San Diego entrepreneurs are disrupting the world. Tonight’s winners demonstrate the incredible intellect and drive that continue to elevate our region’s innovation ecosystem,” said Greg McKee, CEO of CONNECT.
The 10 winners were:
- Cleantech, Sustainability and Energy — Amionx’s SafeCore, which prevents a lithium-ion battery from being the source of fire or an explosion.
- Defense, Aerospace and Transportation — Fuse Integration’s CORE, a miniaturized networking system that ensures secure data communications across multiple domains.
- Information Communication Technologies — Nextivity’s Cel-Fi GO, which improves cellular voice and data service by eliminating dead zones and dropped calls.
- Life Science Diagnostics and Research Tools — StemoniX’s microHeart, a biologically accurate beating heart micro-organ derived from stem cells for screening drugs for heart toxicity.
- Life Science Products, Clinical Stage — ViaCyte’s PEC-Direct, a cure for patients with high-risk type 1 diabetes.
- Medical Devices — TereoPneuma’s ReDe Mask, an oxygen face mask that provides a visual signal of a patient’s exhalation.
- Mobile Apps —NotesFirst, a mobile platform for capturing and improving the quality of health data for lower-middle income regions of the world.
- Robotics and Unmanned Vehicles— Brain Corp’s BrainOS, a self-driving artificial intelligence technology.
- Software & Digital Media — Sourcify, a platform that connects companies with the right factories and walks them through the product development cycle.
- Sport & Active Lifestyle Technologies — Levitate Technologies’ AIRFRAME, a lightweight wearable exoskeleton technology engineered to support the upper extremity of professionals and skilled trade workers who are exposed to the repetitive elevation of the arms.
To be eligible for the 2017 awards, a product must have been first introduced after January 1, 2015, never nominated for the award before, and generated revenue from sales, except for free mobile apps and clinical stage life sciences products.
The evening’s celebration also featured the official induction of Jay Flatley, executive chairman of Illumina, into the CONNECT Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.
