The vast array of talent, ideas, and success stories revealed during last week’s East Bay Innovation Awards at the Fox Theater in Oakland was nothing short of spectacular. A signature event for the East Bay Economic Development Alliance, it offered the region the chance to appreciate its unique contribution to Bay Area innovation, ranging from organic foods to genome editing to battery materials. 

Similar to previous years, a micro-documentary was shown highlighting award winners in nine different categories, including Clean Tech, Engineering and Design, and Life Sciences. The below video is guaranteed to be the most inspiring five minutes of your day!

And for those who would like another dose of inspiration, here are a few standout quotes:

There’s just a tremendous drive and acceptance for big ideas and taking that big risky next step.”

—     Rachel Haurwitz, Ph.D., President, and Chief Executive Officer Caribou Bio Sciences

“There certainly is a good understanding at the government level of what it takes to be a successful  business and a successful manufacturer. You find that the East Bay is unlike any other place in the Bay Area.”

—     Kevin Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, Emerald Packaging

“What the East Bay is really good at, and positioned very well for, is taking the latest and greatest innovation technologies and figuring out how to bring them to commercial success.”

—     Jim Castelez, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Motiv Power Systems

“The East Bay has ‘so many cultures’ it creates a ‘primordial stew of art, experience, and ideas.  It’s just a magical place to be.’”

—     Corey Rennell, Chief Executive Officer, CORE Foods

“We’re part of that trend with a lot more hardware technologies. We’re doing the science and engineering at the same time. The East Bay is unique in that it’s not one-dimensional. You can have the space to do that.”

—     Gene Berdichevsky, Chief Executive Officer, Sila Nanotechnologies