Five local pioneers in the medical space were honored Sept. 10 at the Business Journal’s 11th annual Innovator of the Year Awards, including the founder of a company that can store data on a molecule and a digital marketing expert improving patient experiences.
Keynote speaker Raymond Cohen, co-founder and former chief executive of Axonics Inc., told a crowd of more than 300 gathered at the Irvine Marriott that innovation starts with curiosity.
“I believe that Orange County is the center of the innovation universe here in America, particularly in the medical technology area,” said Cohen, a 2024 Innovator of the Year recipient who sold Axonics to Boston Scientific Corp. last year for $3.7 billion.
Cohen noted that innovators introduce new ideas, products or methods that significantly improve on an existing solution or create an entirely new market. And they surround themselves with motivated, skilled individuals.
“Every single winner has got a team of individuals that they have hand-selected,” Cohen said. “These are their colleagues that are supporting the efforts of that organization. No one can do it by themselves.”
Award winner Brett Wall, executive vice president and president of neurosciences portfolio at Medtronic, said he was honored to be recognized among other great local healthcare institutions.
“We have great entrepreneurs here. Entrepreneurs develop other entrepreneurs. They develop great technology. It’s an honor. It’s a privilege,” he said.
Over the past decade, the Business Journal has honored more than 50 local innovators at the annual event.
The Winners
These five recipients were selected from a group of 75 nominees:
• Dana Biechele-Speziale, Atomics, founder of an Irvine company that develops molecular storage for invisible asset tracking
• Thomas Burns, Glaukos Corp., CEO of a medtech firm that creates novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma
• Brett Wall, Medtronic, oversees a team of 18,000 employees that help alleviate pain and restore health for 79 million patients around the world
• Kathy Azeez-Narain, Hoag Health System, leads Hoag’s digital strategy, implementing tools that enhance the patient experience
• Eason Abbott and Dustin Armer, Renata Medical, co-founders of Newport Beach startup that develops and manufactures medical devices for congenital heart defects (CHD) in infants and young children
Articles on these winners will be in the Sept. 22 issue of the Business Journal.
What’s Next
The Business Journal’s next event will be the 31st annual Women in Business Awards on Oct. 15 at the Irvine Marriott.
