Octane CEO, Bill Carpou, sat down for a discussion with Benjamin Glenn, Founder of A Matter of Innovation at LSI’s Emerging Medtech Summit to discuss the increasing potential of the Southern California innovation ecosystem and Octane’s role in leading this leap forward.

Seated in front of the conference grounds at the Waldorf Astoria in Monarch Beach, Dana Point, Carpou and Glenn considered how Octane’s community initiatives like STEAM Fellows are connecting recent graduates from the region’s top universities with tech companies. Through this initiative and partnerships with local universities, Octane has the potential to influence a curriculum designed to prepare students for high-paying jobs in the area.

By jumpstarting the connections between talent and jobs, Octane will feed and grow the ecosystem, a process continued through Octane’s LaunchPad SBDC Accelerator – a Top 3 SBDC in the nation. Under new leadership, LaunchPad has increased its output and impact, a substantial step forward in Octane’s mission to create high-paying jobs.

Carpou and Glenn also discussed Octane’s latest initiative, healthsocal.ai. This initiative’s goal is to create more healthcare-based AI companies in Southern California with technologies applied to create a healthier local population while also providing equitable healthcare across all residents of Southern California.

As Octane grows its impact from Orange County to San Diego, Los Angeles, and the Inland Empire, these ecosystem clusters will grow together, resulting in a regional powerhouse of innovation. Carpou notes that though Octane has been successful in its mission of promoting innovation, community, and creating jobs over its 20-year history, the goal of developing a regional innovation ecosystem is not possible without the help of other organizations, accelerators, and supporters.

To support Octane on this mission to increase from 55,000 to 80,000+ jobs created by 2030, please learn more about the Octane Impact Fund.

Watch the entire interview below.