East Bay Innovation Awards
The 13th annual East Bay Innovation Awards were held at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts on Thursday, March 26, 2026. Thank you to our guests, awardees, and presenting sponsor, PG&E, for making it an incredible night. We look forward to showcasing these outstanding companies and organizations from Alameda and Contra Costa counties throughout the year. Learn more about the awardees below.
2026 Award Ceremony
The 2026 East Bay Innovation Awards were held at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts in Oakland on March 26, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Conveniently located on the edge of Lake Merritt near Oakland’s Downtown and Chinatown districts, this historic building hosted countless performances, concerts, and recitals in its original 90-year run.
Thank you to our award ceremony host, Emmy Award-winning journalist, NBC Bay Area news anchor, and reporter Gia Vang. As Co-Founder of the Very Asian Foundation, Gia has led efforts to combat racism and create change for AANHPI communities.
Joy Ofodu was back this year as Host and Announcer. The multi-talented Voice Actor and CEO of Enjoyment Endeavor has drawn millions of views to her original digital comedy content. She recently wrote, directed, and starred in an original film called Heart of Sunshine.
The East Bay is a world-class leader when it comes to innovation and entrepreneurship. Often referred to as the “Academy Awards of the East Bay,” the East Bay Innovation Awards is the premier program of its kind that celebrates and honors the extraordinary companies and organizations that contribute to the East Bay’s legacy of innovation. For over a decade, the annual awards ceremony has showcased outstanding organizations that embrace innovation in their manufacturing, products, services, design, and information.
The Awardees
San Francisco Business Times: 2026 East Bay Innovation Awards honors 41 innovators from the region.
Become a Sponsor
Explore sponsorship opportunities for East Bay EDA’s 2026 event season.
Awardee Benefits
Learn more about awardee benefits that include East Bay EDA membership and regional recognition.
2026 Awardees
The 2026 East Bay Innovation Awardees were identified and selected with the input of business, community, economic development, and municipal leaders from East Bay cities and counties. A departure from the competitive nominations process to select awardees in prior years, this approach resulted in the largest and most diverse field of companies and organizations receiving these awards since the event’s inception in 2013.
Meet the Innovators
Record number of companies and organizations honored at the 2026 East Bay Innovation Awards
Oakland, California, April 2, 2026 – More than 500 business, civic, and community leaders descended upon the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts on Thursday, March 26, 2026, to celebrate forty-one (41) businesses and organizations doing groundbreaking and innovative work in their respective fields across the entire East Bay region. Held for the first time inside this historic venue’s recently renovated Calvin J. Simmons Theater, attendees were treated to an event that showcased entities from more than twenty East Bay cities and communities spanning across Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Presented by PG&E, the event drew a notable list of elected officials, representatives from foreign consulates and trade offices, and other business and community members. The evening honored companies and organizations doing work in one of eight (8) categories: Arts & Culture, Built Environment, Catalyst, Community Impact, Education, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, and Technology. Awardees...
Legacy Award
BART is the 2026 East Bay Innovation Legacy Awardee
Oakland, California – The East Bay Economic Development Alliance (East Bay EDA) is pleased to announce the selection of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) as the Legacy Awardee for the 2026 East Bay Innovation Awards. The East Bay Innovation Awards is the premier program of its kind that celebrates and honors the extraordinary companies and organizations that contribute to the East Bay’s legacy of innovation. For more than a decade, this annual awards ceremony has showcased outstanding companies and organizations from Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. As a part of this event, East Bay EDA recognizes a “Legacy Awardee” to acknowledge a company or organization that has had an enduring and meaningful impact on the people who live and work here in our region. Since its first trains rolled out in 1972, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has been far more than a commuter rail system. For the East Bay—an area defined by its vibrant cities, economic dynamism, and diverse...
2026 Sponsors
Thank you to our presenting sponsor, PG&E. The East Bay Innovation Awards showcase the remarkable organizations and people that contribute to the East Bay’s innovation ecosystem. Sponsorship provides high-level exposure and visibility to companies and organizations at the event and through our multichannel communications and media partnerships. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities.
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Past Finalists
Past East Bay Innovation Award finalists include Tesla, Impossible Foods, Prime Roots, and 10x Genomics to name a few. Our Legacy Award is given out to entities and organizations that have been part of the fabric of the East Bay community. Past winners include Cal State East Bay, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, and the Port of Oakland. Browse the list of our cutting-edge companies and organizations over the years:
10X Genomics
4D Molecular Therapeutics
A.B.O. Comix
Abbott Diabetes Care
AC Transit
Activate Berkeley
Adept Technology
Aduro Biotech
AEye
AEye, Inc.
Alameda County Community Food Bank
Alphabet Energy
Ambi Robotics
Applied Silver
Applied Spectra
Ardelyx
Argent Materials
ARRIS Composites
ARTogether
AsparaGlue
aspera
ATUM
AXIS Dance Company
Back To The Roots
Bakar Labs
Bayer
Bayer Healthcare
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Berkeley Skydeck
Beyond Lucid Technologies
Bionova Scientific
Biotech Partners
Bishop-Wisecarver
Black Cultural Zone
Bloom Energy
Blossom Foods
Blue Bottle Coffee
Boehringer Ingelheim
Bolt Threads
Media & News
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