As we navigate these uncertain times together, we want to encourage you to focus the positive aspects of lives and communities.  Octane does more than just events and now more than ever, we feel that it’s important to come together as a community. Though not as visible as LaunchPad or our series of yearly events and programs, Octane has a Foundation dedicated to creating innovation and growth in Southern California and is committed to increasing that impact for communities that are often overlooked or underrepresented. As a results-driven organization, we are proud of the impact we have made and are committed to increasing that impact in the communities that are often overlooked. We wanted to take this time to re-introduce you to Octane Foundation for Innovation (OFI) and its mission.

Since the inception of OFI in 2004, Octane has been committed to driving innovation and growth by connecting Southern California tech and medtech startups and small-to-midsize businesses with capital, resources and expertise to accelerate their development and growth in diverse economic communities.

Octane Foundation for Innovation has four main goals and five initiatives.

Goals:

• Formation & Growth of Tech and MedTech Companies- Through Octane’s Non-Profit Accelerator and LaunchPad Accelerator, Octane is committed to helping companies grow and scale in Southern California to create jobs throughout the region.
• Creation & Retention of High Paying Jobs– Octane is committed to long-term job creation and has pledged to create 22,000+ jobs by 2025 and 55,000+ jobs by 2030.
• Promotion of Economic Inclusion & Opportunity for Underrepresented Populations– Octane has launched its new initiative, Women Leaders of Octane, and is dedicated to ensuring greater inclusion and access for underrepresented groups.
• Infusion of Capital in the Regional Economy– As companies form and grow in Southern California, Octane is committed to infusing capital into the local economy through outreach and awareness.

In the coming weeks, Octane will highlight each of the five initiatives below.

• Women Leaders of Octane – Focusing on four core outcomes to increase the number of women-operated companies, get women-operated companies funded, support career development and access to board seats.
• Octane STEM Fellows– This program, sponsored by Broadcom Foundation, supports university students from underrepresented groups, with a STEM background and inclination towards entrepreneurship.
• LaunchPad Accelerator– This program is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the US Small Business Administration (SBA). LaunchPad works with tech and medtech companies to amplify their capital funding strategy.
• Non-Profit Accelerator– Our Non-Profit Accelerator program leverages Octane’s award-winning Accelerator program, LaunchPad, and has tailored the process to support the specific needs of non-profits. This is supported through a grant with the Edwards Lifesciences Foundation.
• Employee Outreach & Volunteer Opportunities– Octane prides itself on providing employees the opportunity to spend two dedicated days a year volunteering. In addition, we have partnered with OC United Way to introduce the Salesforce NonProfit Cloud to employees.

If you are interested in learning more or want to get involved in our philanthropic efforts, please visit us here.