NCET Biz Tips: Celebrating Northern Nevada’s technology and business community

What do Planet of the Apricot Ale, shred sheds, cataracts, deep cycle batteries, VR/AR/NFT and a church turned bank turned co-working facility have in common? They’re all products or services offered by the organizations and people that won the 2022 NCET and EDAWN Awards.

One of the many things I love about working at NCET is getting to meet the incredible people and companies who drive our vibrant and diverse business and technology community. One of the ways I discover them is through these annual awards.

The NCET Tech Awards – now in its 15th year – celebrate the Northern Nevada individuals and companies who have greatly enhanced the growth and prestige of our technology community, while the EDAWN Awards recognize the people and resources that have played an integral part in contributing to the growth of our entrepreneurial community.

Now, getting back to shred sheds, cataracts and Planet of the Apricot Ale, here are just a few of this year’s award-winning companies, organizations, and people:

• NCET Technology Company of The Year: Dragonfly Energy is a leader in lithium-ion deep cycle batteries, making renewable energy accessible and affordable. Their revolutionary, non-toxic deep cycle lithium-ion batteries are displacing lead acid batteries in vehicles, vessels, and material handling. Dragonfly has come a long way since winning NCET’s Governor’s Cup College Business Plan Competition in 2014. (www.dragonflyenergy.com)
   
• NCET Manufacturing Company of The Year:  A “Shred Shed” is BeaverFit’s patented, integrated, multi-use storage shed, custom-fabricated to anchor a BeaverFit functional training rig and store the equipment necessary to create a world class, multi-modality training center. (www.beaverfitusa.com)
   
• NCET Brewer of The Year: Planet of the Apricot Ale is produced by Huntsman Brewing where “divine nectar is forged from fiery cauldrons by mystical masters.” Their Apricot Ale is just one of twenty beers brewed onsite at the former – and historic – Silver Peak Brewery. (www.huntsmanbrewing.com)
   
• NCET Medical Services Company of The Year: Nevada Eye Consultants (NEC) specialize in the most highly advanced surgical treatments for vision needs. In addition to general ophthalmic care, NEC services include cataract surgery with advanced technology intraocular lenses, iLASIK laser vision correction surgery, and Visian® ICL™ surgery. (www.nevadaeye.com)
   
• NCET Rising Star of the Year - Creative Services:  Kylie Souza, Creative Director at the Commence Studio, deliver strategic and emotionally resonant creative that successfully achieves brand goals. Her advocacy for equitable representation, sustainability, and inclusion guides those she works with to a higher standard of responsibility. (www.commence.studio)

• NCET Tech Advocate of the Year- Creative Services: Wesley McQuillen, Principal at ALTER Strategies focuses on marketing strategies for age-restricted and highly regulated products - often using cutting-edge tech such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Non-Fungible Tokens. (www.alterstrategies.co)

• EDAWN Startup Champion:  Grace Chou, Director of Innevation Center, University of Nevada, Reno, has been a champion for growing Nevada’s startup ecosystem, and dedicates her time to mentoring startups and connecting entrepreneurs to people and resources in our community. (www.unr.edu/research-innovation/contact/grace-chou)

• EDAWN Ecosystem Catalyst:  The Virgil is Reno’s newest all-in-one co-working hub, event space and wedding venue that can be found on Wells Avenue in the historic building formerly home to the Little Flower Church as well as a U.S. Bank branch. (www.thevirgil.co)
   
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NCET and EDAWN will honor each of these people, companies, and organizations along with all the other winners at the NCET Tech Showcase and Awards Gala at 5 pm on Thursday, April 7 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. You can learn more about more than thirty winners and you can purchase tickets for the online Awards Gala at www.NCETawards.com.

Dave Archer is president/CEO of Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (NCET) which produces educational and networking events to help people explore business and technology. More info at www.NCET.org.