Two Hayward Companies Win 2017 East Bay Innovation Awards
The East Bay Economic Development Alliance (EDA) awarded two Hayward companies, Alphabet Energy and Microvi Biotechnologies, a 2017 East Bay Innovation Award on March 9th at the Fox Theatre in Oakland.
The Innovation Awards celebrate cutting-edge companies that make the East Bay one of the premier regions for innovation and entrepreneurship in the nation. An independent panel of judges evaluated over 100 nominations across eight categories.
Alphabet Energy took home the award for Engineering and Design. Alphabet Energy leveraged nanotechnology research from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Michigan State University and over 60 patents to develop thermoelectric technologies that capture waste heat from exhaust and transform it into electricity. Customers in energy-intensive industries ranging from oil and gas, mining, manufacturing, and transportation to defense use the company’s Power Generator Combuster to generate reliable remote power while also reducing fuel consumption, operating costs and carbon emissions.
“We can’t afford as a society to not look at energy recovery. It’s the single most common form of readily accessible energy,” said Mothusi Pahl, Senior Vice Present of Business Development. “It’s right here in front of us.”
Microvi Biotechnologies won the award for the Clean Tech category. Microvi’s MicroNiche Engineering Platform, and a patented technology for nitrate removal called Denitrovi, uses natural microorganisms to purify water without the sludge or other waste by-products of conventional processes. The company’s first commercial water treatment plant was commissioned by the Australian government to provide clean water in remote Aboriginal communities. In January, Microvi installed a system for a private water company in Pasadena that brings clean water to over 30,000 households.
“We are proud to be recognized as an innovator in clean technology. The East Bay area is home to many important innovators and we thank the EDA for recognizing Microvi’s revolutionary technologies,” said Ameen Razavi, Director of Innovation Research. “I may be biased, but Hayward is the best City in the East Bay.”
Hayward’s MDC Vacuum Products, a 42-year-old company that produces custom ultra-high vacuum equipment and tools for the semiconductor, medical, research and defense industries, was also honored as Finalist in the Advanced Manufacturing category. Lam Research, makers of high-capacity semiconductor chips and a major customer of MDC Vacuum Products located in Fremont, won the award.
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