Four Hayward companies selected as finalists for East Bay innovation awards

HAYWARD, Calif., July 7, 2022— The East Bay Economic Development Alliance (East Bay EDA) selected four cutting-edge Hayward companies as finalists for 2022 East Bay Innovation Awards.  These awards celebrate and showcase outstanding organizations in the region that most contribute and embrace innovation in manufacturing, services, product design, and information.  

A panel of subject matter experts scored over 200 nominations and selected two finalists across multiple competitive award categories including:  Advanced Manufacturing, Arts & Culture, Built Environment, Clean Tech, Community Impact, Education, Engineering & Design, Food, Life Sciences, and Technology. Among these, four Hayward companies were selected as finalists:

1. DuPont EKC Technology (Advanced Manufacturing): This global advanced material manufacturer designs and produces specialized chemistries that are critical in the production of semiconductors.  DuPont EKC’s advances are helping semiconductor producers scale up production to meet the global chip shortage that is impacting the cost of electronics and consumer goods, including cars and mobile phones.  
2. Eikon Therapeutics (Life Sciences): This startup is employing new technology at the interface of biology, engineering and chemistry to discover novel treatments for life-threatening diseases.  Eikon’s discovery platform is built on groundbreaking innovations from its Nobel Prize-winning founders, culminating in the creation of microscopes that enable real time, molecular-resolution measurements of protein movement in living cells. In January 2022, the company raised $518 million in venture capital funding to commercialize its technology. 
3. Applied Silver (Technology):  This company developed “SilvaClean” - a patented smart technology platform that utilizes the antimicrobial properties of silver ions.  The technology infuses textiles with silver ions during the laundry rinse cycle, where they bond to fabric to residually kill pathogens, mold and mildew, reducing odors and static. 
4. Cal State East Bay Green Biome Institute (Education):  Focused on conservation and faculty/student research involving genomic profiling and seed/tissue banking of California’s endangered plant species, this institute is the first conservation and genomic profiling institute in the California State University or University of California systems.  This institute’s mission is to collect and sequence the DNA of all California plants on the verge of extinction, with the goal of saving them or at least creating a record of their existence.

“Hayward companies continue to push the envelope of what is possible. They are developing technologies and products that are improving our daily lives and the world around us,” said Paul Nguyen, Economic Development Manager.  “The East Bay EDA’s Innovation Awards highlight the revolutionary work happening in The Heart of the Bay and serves as beacon for other entrepreneurs seeking a home near like minds.”

The winners for the 2022 Innovation Awards will be announced at a ceremony on Aug. 3 at the Fox Theater in Oakland.   For more information on the event, visit: https://iawards.eastbayeda.org.