Arizona is home to some of the most cutting-edge and innovative companies in the country. From med-tech and real estate, to engineering, education and manufacturing – Arizona continues to produce and attract some of the most talented leaders in the country. The Arizona Business Innovation Awards, presented by Az Business magazine and sponsored by Keyser, honored the 30 most innovative companies in Arizona Thursday night at Mountain Shadows.
READ ALSO: Phoenix ranked among the 100 most innovative cities in the world
The 30 most innovative companies in Arizona were selected by a panel of experts from a field of more than 100 companies under consideration.
The 30 most innovative companies in Arizona for 2021
Arizona Bioindustry Association (AZBio)
How it innovates: AZBio’s small staff and team of volunteers support a growing innovation ecosystem of more than 1,400 innovative life science and healthcare firms that together represent an economic impact of $23.16 billion in 2016.
Arizona Federal Credit Union
How it innovates: Arizona Federal Credit Union’s acquisition of Pinnacle Bank in 2019, as opposed to acquiring another credit union, is innovative as it is the first time an Arizona credit union acquired a community bank.
CFM
How it innovates: CFM is driving the future of banking by connecting cash recyclers and dispensers to teller platforms, enabling Universal Associates, super-safe redundancy programs, robust analytics and self-service solutions.
Calero-MDSL
How it innovates: Calero-MDSL automates the technology-spend lifecycle, providing full transparency and complete control — from procurement to payment to optimization — making it easier for businesses to manage resources, save money and streamline daily operations.
Casago
How it innovates: Founder Steve Schwab’s position as managing partner in Streamline Vacation Rental Software has allowed him to create many industry-first technologies and innovations that help the industry to be better when it comes to customer service.
Design Pickle
How it innovates: Design Pickle was the first flat-rate graphic design service to hit the market in 2015. It is the fastest growing graphic design company in the U.S., ranked No. 345 on the 2019 Inc. 5000 list.
Emerge
How it innovates: Dubbed the “Kayak for trucking,” Emerge allows shippers to communicate and source from their current vendors and digital brokerages through a first-of-its-kind freight procurement tool: Emerge’s Digital Freight Marketplace.
Footprint
How it innovates: Footprint provides sustainable solutions that eliminate single-use and short-term use plastics. The company has 244 issued and pending claims to the U.S. Patent Office, including nine issued patents covering 125 distinct inventions.
Freeport-McMoRan
How it innovates: Freeport-McMoRan was instrumental in the development of the Copper Mark, an assurance framework developed to demonstrate the copper industry’s responsible production practices and contributions to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
HOPCo (Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company)
How it innovates: HOPCo is a pioneer in the implementation of value-based healthcare, a model that rewards healthcare providers for keeping people healthy, providing appropriate care for those who need it, and producing better outcomes for patients.
Hexagon Mining
How it innovates: Hexagon was recognized for Excellence in Safety at the Mining Technology Excellence Awards. The awards celebrate innovation and excellence within the mining sector and spotlight companies that are driving change and achieving remarkable feats.
In-Position Technologies
How it innovates: In-Position Technologies is a value-added robotic automation company that partners with both suppliers and customers to deliver automation solutions. IP Tech is the largest distributor of Automated Mobile Robots in the Western United States.
Kitchell Corporation
How it innovates: Kitchell’s creativity shines when it comes to virtual construction. The company’s ViCon develops complex illustrations that enable the preconstruction team to accurately price materials and processes and identify issues related to constructability.
Neighborhood Ventures
How it innovates: Neighborhood Ventures is the first company in Arizona to take advantage of crowdfunding legislation passed in 2015 that allows non-accredited investors to participate in crowdfunded real estate opportunities with as little as $1,000.
Outlier
How it innovates: inDispense is Outlier’s remote pharmacy kiosk designed to provide patients access to prescription medications in the doctor’s office, at work, in the airport and at retail by connecting them with pharmacists via video conferencing and dispensing medication.
Paradox
How it innovates: Paradox’s flagship product is AI assistant Olivia, which was created to flip the 80% administrative-20% people rule by freeing up HR professionals from the administrative burden to allow more time spent where it really matters— with talent.
RJ Russo
How it innovates: Since its inception, RJ Russo has continued to pioneer an approach that addresses the chronic shortcomings within the manufacturing of factory-built buildings that negatively impact consumers and our world as a whole.
Rosendin
How it innovates: In recent years, Rosendin has moved from adopting the newest technologies and programs to creating them, with a growing development and innovation team that helps create custom-made solutions to best suit the electrical contracting business.
SRP
How it innovates: Innovation is part of the Salt River Project’s DNA. In 1917, as the first federal reclamation project turned over to a local entity, SRP became the innovative model of what reclamation could accomplish in developing lands and infrastructure.
STORE Capital
How it innovates: STORE Capital’s innovative Master Funding Solutions are tailored to every customer’s unique business needs. STORE works to thoroughly understand all businesses from the inside out, so it can tailor a Master Funding Solution to meet every customer’s growth needs.
SmartRent
How it innovates: SmartRent’s innovative solution allows renters who were previously neglected by the smart home automation revolution to be able to enjoy the remote management of their home and benefit from smart devices that offer convenience, energy and savings.
Solugenix
How it innovates: When you map your driving route, place an order at a drive-thru or check the value of your mutual fund, there’s a good chance Solugenix had a hand in developing the technology that functions behind the scenes.
StrongMind
How it innovates: StrongMind has been exploring innovative ways to engage parents in their students’ education and has developed Loud Mouth, an innovative engagement platform that provides parents with relevant and actionable information about their student’s education.
Team Select Home Care
How it innovates: Team Select Home Care’s Family Certified Home Health Aide program allows parents or family members to become a Certified Home Health Aide, providing them the ability to offer skilled personal care services for their loved ones.
The Touchpoint Solution
How it innovates: TouchPoint Solution is behind the innovative wearable device, TouchPoints — twin neuroscientific devices that use patent-pending BLAST (bilateral alternating stimulation tactile) technology to reduce stress by up to 70% in as little as 30 seconds.
TriWest Healthcare Alliance
How it innovates: TriWest Healthcare Alliance was formed as the only company of its kind, with one sole purpose that continues today: Serving the health care needs of the military and veteran communities.
Verdigris Holdings
How it innovates: Verdigris is building a bank to help solve the challenge facing more than 63 million Americans who are unbanked or underbanked. The Verdigris account provides customers with their own federally insured digital bank account, managed through a secure app.
Veyo
How it innovates: Veyo was the first non-emergency medical transportation broker to bring the innovative technology found in consumer rideshare (GPS tracking, driver apps, etc.) and a healthcare-trained rideshare model to the healthcare space.
Waymo
How it innovates: Since it was founded in 2009 and tasked with bringing self-driving cars to the public, Waymo forged a path forward for this technology and spurred an entire industry. Now, the Waymo Driver powers a number of innovative business applications.
Xcellerate Biomedical Technologies
How it innovates: Xcellerate is a growth and operations team that takes brilliant researchers or formulators, builds a corporate structure and go-to-market strategy, and puts the right team in place to make the product, service or idea become profitable.
In addition to honoring the 30 most innovative companies in Arizona for 2021, the judges also selected six spotlight award winners for exceptional achievement. The winners of the six spotlight awards, which were presented by Jonathan Keyser, founder of Keyser, are:
Community Impact: Neighborhood Ventures
Disruptor: Waymo
Product: Footprint
Leadership: AzBio
Breakthrough: Rosendin Electric
Game Changer: Emerge
