Governor’s Celebration of Innovation Awards

The Arizona Technology Council and Arizona Commerce Authority honors technology leaders and innovators from across the state with the 17th annual Governor’s Celebration of Innovation Awards.

For 2020, the awards program and tech showcase will be virtual due to the pandemic.

AGENDA

TICKETS

VISIT HERE to purchase early-bird tickets for the November 4 virtual event. Early-bird ticket prices end on Friday, October 2.

Early-bird tickets: Members: $50 | Non-Members: $75
After October 2: Members: $75 | Non-Members: $100

WINNERS AND FINALISTS FOR THE 2020 GCOI AWARDS ANNOUNCED

Honoring the leaders and visionaries making critical contributions to technology, bioscience and education throughout the state of Arizona, the Arizona Technology Council and the Arizona Commerce Authority have announced winners of the Future Innovators of the Year and Teacher of the Year awards, as well as individual and company award finalists for the 2020 Governor’s Celebration of Innovation Awards. The winners will be honored during GCOI, which will take place during a live virtual event on Wednesday, November 4 from 4 to 7:30 p.m.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
Vote for the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award winner by Friday, October 16.

BARBARA BARRETT
Secretary of the
United States Air Force

BRUCE WRIGHT
UA Tech Parks Founder and
Principal of B Wright Consulting

DON SLAGER
Chief Executive Officer
Republic Services Inc.

FLETCHER McCUSKER
Chief Executive Officer
UA Venture Capital

Sponsorship Opportunities:

GCOI sponsorship packages range in price from $2,500 – $25,000.
Contact events@aztechcouncil.org for more information.

About the Virtual Tech Showcase:

Arizona is emerging as one of the fastest-growing tech hubs in the nation. Arizona may be a young state, but it is the grit and personality of the local technology companies and vendors that set it apart. There is no better place on earth to launch and scale innovative ideas that tackle the toughest tech challenges. Featuring award finalists, sponsors and partners, the Tech Showcase will include over 50 companies virtually showcasing their innovations, culture and future here in Arizona. Invite your staff and colleagues to experience and enjoy Arizona’s exciting the tech community.

PRESENTING SPONSORS

PARTNER SPONSORS

Pacific Office Automation | Wallace, Plese + Dreher | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona | brightguest | KEO Marketing | TGen | R3EWaste | Castelazo Content | PADT | Expedient | Iron Mountain

AWARD SPONSORS

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD SPONSOR

TechFocus Podcast with FreeFall 5G

Alex Rodriguez and Sergio Cardona of FreeFall 5G

In this episode of TechFocus, hear how two leading Arizona early-stage companies, FreeFall Aerospace and Electronic Design & Development Corp, are disrupting the global 5G marketplace. Their new “FreeStar5G Antenna System” promises to accelerate 5G connectivity under newly formed venture FreeFall 5G, Inc.

Moderated by Linda Drake from Michael Beach Coaching & Consulting, this episode features FreeFall 5G’s CEO Alex Rodriguez and CTO Sergio Cardona.

Listen to this interview here:

High-tech, intellectual property, out of the box thinking right here in Arizona!

FreeFall 5G is a new company designed to help customers reach the promise of 5G by utilizing the talent, expertise, and IP that spans ED2 Corporation and FreeFall Aerospace with financial backing from DVI Equity Investments and UA Venture Capital.

“More devices are coming online and mobile networks are running out of capacity. Soon there can be a problem with connectivity because of a lack of being able to pass data to each other with speed and in a way that makes sense. That’s where the promise of the 5th generation comes to place. FreeFall 5G is helping to create the infrastructure to help make that promise real.” – Alex Rodriguez, CEO of FreeFall 5G

The FreeStar5G is a distributed antenna system offering 360-degree coverage in a single unit with 3D MIMO that is about the size of a laptop. This is a very small size in comparison to anything that is used right now. The FreeStar5G has reduced the complexity and power consumption versus the planar array solutions. The Ultra-fast beam pointing is ideal for mobile 5G services or fixed dense environments. It’s a new cost-effective disruptive product and robust way to achieve the 5G promise.

“Two companies with tremendous ability and skillsets with one in aerospace and one in defense are bringing ruggedness, high-performance technology, to the commercial market proving value to the equation. We are taking our product, the FreeStar5G antenna, together to the market by combining our expertise to create the maximum value for that. Coming together to focus on one product to make a difference in the industry.” Sergio Cardona, CTO of FreeFall 5G

About FreeFall 5G:

FreeFall 5G, Inc, a 5G disruptive technology development company that provides intelligent antenna systems for the global 5G market. Its flagship product, the FreeStar5G, provides high data rate communications at virtually any frequency at a fraction of the size and cost of existing state-of-the-art solutions. FreeFall Aerospace and ED2 Corporation formed a third company, FreeFall 5G, in Spring 2020 to accelerate 5G deployment. Both organizations are bringing experienced and dedicated personnel to the FreeFall 5G team, backed up by world-class experts in antenna design and modeling, electrical engineering, and RF systems expertise. To learn more about FreeFall 5G, visit www.freefall5g.com.

About TechFocus Podcast:

In partnership with Michael Beach Consulting, TechFocus Member Spotlight Podcast highlights Arizona’s growing prominence as a world-class tech hub. Each podcast episode features innovative entrepreneurs, transformative leaders, and tech titans who are reshaping the state’s evolving tech ecosystem in existing and emerging sectors. Moderated by Linda Drake, a seasoned Leadership Coach and Business Consultant with Michael Beach Consulting.

Broadcasted monthly, the goal of TechFocus is to have real leaders having real conversations about what’s happening in the technology sector in Arizona. Each episode is recorded, edited, produced, and released as a podcast publication, accessible by streaming or download and shared on social media.

Hear additional TechFocus episodes here.