LETTER FROM OCTANE’S CEO

2022 was an exceptional year for the many companies and individuals that created collective impact for our innovation community. It also marked Octane’s 20th anniversary, we are so grateful for everyone who supports our organization as members, partners, and ambassadors. Each year, Southern California and specifically Orange County continue to elevate the pace for innovation in the technology and medical technology industries. It gives us pause to reflect just how resilient we have been protecting against both the downside of potential shocks and preparing to capture the upside.

While it is prudent to anticipate headwinds in 2023, there are many opportunities with the proper strategy that will be welcome. Octane has many initiatives in progress to address this, most with immediate impact of connecting people, resources, and capital.

Our team continued to deliver content during 2022 through our in-person events, virtually and from our content library. Building off the success of Octane’s well-known Ophthalmology and Aesthetics Forums, we held our first Cardiovascular Summit and will continue to build on that momentum into the future.

Octane Foundation for Innovation added the capability of AI and healthcare into healthsocal.ai. This new area will deliver actionable data to all the residents in Southern California and start with an initial focus on mental health. The additional areas such as STEAM Ahead, Next Wave, Non-Profit Accelerator, and Women Leaders of Octane all progressed to bring a variety of diverse ideas and leaders to these important initiatives.

LaunchPad SBDC continues to be an important platform and in 2022 we serviced 173 companies bringing the aggregate of capital raised by LaunchPad SBDC companies to $1.6B in 2022.

Our final business unit, Octane Capital & Growth continued to provide access to both capital and growth resources for the companies we serve. Octane believes this is not an either/or, but that the best companies have a strategy and utilize partnerships to access capital and growth resources. We also introduced the first product Octane has created, Haystax. This diligence tool will predict with 90%+ accuracy the probability of success for an early-stage company. Haystax utilizes 13 years of data Octane has developed as a result of our LaunchPad accelerator combined with the power of AI and decision analytics. Haystax is already proving to be a valuable tool when evaluating the risk/reward of early stage investing.

Finally, the Octane Impact Fund is in motion, and I would ask you to consider a gift which will make an immediate and sustainable impact on the future of Orange County. Our COO, Janelle Brunette is leading this for us and can provide how any size contribution can change the trajectory of our community, create a legacy, and build a long term sustainable innovation ecosystem.

As always, I am filled with gratitude for all our partners, sponsors, and individuals that believe in Octane. Your continued confidence and support is appreciated and I am committed to assuring the long term sustainable impact Octane will make in 2023 and beyond.

Best, Bill Carpou CEO, Octane

About Octane

Octane drives innovation and growth by connecting people, resources, and capital to grow the tech and medtech industries of Southern California. We do that in 4 ways: Through content distribution, a nationally recognized accelerator, capital access, and growth resources.

We are creating 55,000+ high-paying jobs in Southern California by 2030. The initiatives we have in place create economic and social impact, including DEI and ESG outcomes. In the end, we have a history of delivering high-impact results that make a difference for the overall community.

Connect

The Convening Organization for Innovation & Content Creation in SoCal

Community

The Catalyst for Job Creation, Diversity, & Inclusion

LaunchPad SBDC

Accelerator for Late Seed & Series A

Capital & Growth

Solutions to Solve Capital Shortfall & Accelerate Revenue Growth

AI & Analytics

Decision Intelligence on Startups & Population Health

Vision Forward

We’re entering our third decade of operation after celebrating 20 years of accelerating innovation and driving impact. Octane continues to cultivate entrepreneurial, investment, and workforce opportunities across Orange County, San Diego, Los Angeles, and the Inland Empire.

The 20th Anniversary Octane Impact Fund is a capital campaign that builds off our legacy of tech innovation and growth to create generational impact in Orange County for decades to come.

Be a part of our story that’s creating high-paying jobs, changing lives, and accelerating a healthier future for all in Orange County.

LaunchPad SBDC companies are 17x more likely to get funded than all other technology startups.

LaunchPad SBDC is our award-winning Accelerator, offered as a pro-bono service, supported by funding from the SBDC and SBA. We focus on accelerating tech and medtech startups that have their management team and business plan in place.

LaunchPad SBDC offers four key elements.

The first is a strengthened capital funding strategy to improve the company investor presentation and ensure the company has all the components necessary for its next round of investment capital.

They also receive actionable feedback from subject matter experts in everything from bringing a product to market to creating a robust foundational process.

One of the most valuable offerings from Octane’s LaunchPad SBDC is our predictive analytics, which provides detailed quantitative analytics into a company’s future success.

Finally, Alumni receive access and exposure to a network of seasoned and vetted advisors & professionals.

We started LaunchPad in 2010 and since that time it has earned itself ranking as one of the top performing accelerators in the country. Within 12 months of going through the LaunchPad SBDC accelerator, startups secured an average investment of $1.8 million in 2022. LaunchPad companies enter their institutional fundraising with an advantage to other companies given the high degree of data dependency and credibility

LaunchPad has with investors.

Bill Carpou, Octane CEO