Sacramento Region Innovation Awards Opens 2017 Nomination Period

Stoel Rives LLP, Moss Adams LLP and the Sacramento Business Journal serve as presenters of awards program that recognizes innovative Capital Region companies and their breakthrough discoveries.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The submission period for the second annual Sacramento Region Innovation Awards, presented by Stoel Rives LLP with support from Moss Adams LLP and the Sacramento Business Journal, opens June 1, 2017. The awards program recognizes recent business innovations in six categories, honoring the people and organizations that bring new products, services and processes to the regional* economy. Entries are accepted via online submission through July 31, 2017.

“We’re excited to continue our role in fostering the region’s innovation ecosystem,” said Melissa Jones, the Stoel Rives California Offices Managing Partner and Innovation Awards Program Co-Chair. “Greater Sacramento has a vibrant start-up scene, not to mention bold advancements from established businesses. We’re honored to take part in acknowledging these pioneers and drawing attention to this hub of innovation and entrepreneurship.”

The 2017 award categories and 2016 winners include: 

• Advanced Manufacturing: Watercraft Manufacturing by Free Form Factory Inc. — a proprietary technique to manufacture personal watercraft hulls 10 times faster, 3.5 times stronger, and with no volatile organic compounds. 
• Food & Agribusiness: Radio Frequency Pasteurizer by RF Biocidics — a food-safety solution that eliminates harmful contaminants from foods using radio frequency technology. 
• Hardware & Electronics: Linkbot by Barobo, Inc. — a programmable educational robot that can be customized with snap-on parts and STEM curriculum.
• Medical & Health Technologies & Services: B. infantis by Evolve BioSystems — a microbiome-based solution to establish, restore and maintain a healthy infant gut microbiome. 
• Software: The Risk Number by Riskalyze — a proprietary risk assessment product that measures individual investors’ risk tolerance. 
• Sustainability: FastOx Gasifier by Sierra Energy — waste gasification technology that transforms waste into clean, renewable energy.

The 2016 group of honorees also includes Innovation of the Year Golden 1 Center, the new home of the Sacramento Kings and the world’s most technologically advanced sports and entertainment arena.

Stoel Rives has celebrated innovative companies and their accomplishments since hosting the first Innovation Awards in Salt Lake City in 2002. Each consecutive year, the law firm has honored groundbreaking advancements from emerging to established businesses. In its commitment to foster the innovation ecosystem across its footprint, Stoel Rives has since expanded its Innovation Awards program to Boise, Idaho (2006) and Sacramento, California (2016). In 2017, the firm partnered with the Puget Sound Business Journal as a presenting sponsor of the publication’s inaugural innovation awards program in Seattle, Washington.   

Additional information on the categories and submission qualifications can be found online. Last year, more than 80 nominations were reviewed by a 50-member Selection Committee consisting of leaders from Sacramento’s business, civic and academic sectors. 2017 finalists will be announced in September and winners will be named at an awards luncheon on Tuesday, November 7, at the Hilton Sacramento Arden West.

*The innovation must be created or a primary portion of the work on the innovation must have been performed by a Sacramento-region entity. Sacramento-region is defined as Butte, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Solano, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties. 

About Stoel Rives LLP: Stoel Rives is a leading U.S. corporate and litigation law firm. One of the largest national firms focused on energy, natural resources, environmental law and climate change, Stoel Rives also serves the agribusiness, food and beverage, health care, life sciences and technology industries. With more than 350 attorneys operating out of 10 offices in seven states and the District of Columbia, Stoel Rives is a leader in regulatory and compliance matters, and  business, labor and employment , intellectual property, land use, real estate development and construction law. For more information, follow us @stoelrives or visit www.stoel.com. 

About Moss Adams LLP: Moss Adams LLP provides accounting, tax, and consulting services to public and private middle-market enterprises in many different industries. Founded in 1913 and headquartered in Seattle, Moss Adams has 29 locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, and Texas. Moss Adams is one of the 15 largest accounting and consulting firms in the United States. Our staff of more than 2,400 includes approximately 267 partners. For more information, visit www.mossadams.com. 

About the Sacramento Business Journal: The Sacramento Business Journal provides coverage on the latest in Sacramento business news, digitally and in print, and is an industry leader in our region for delivering breaking news to the business community. In addition, the Business Journal hosts a number of events each year to provide content relating to current news in a variety of industries. For more information, visit www.sacramentobusinessjournal.com.