DISRUPTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD FINALISTS
HAWKE MEDIA
By making high-quality, data-driven marketing accessible to everyone, regardless of company size or budget, Hawke Media continues to disrupt the marketing industry.
Central to the agency’s success is its AI-enabled platform, HawkeAI, which provides actionable insights from over half a billion dollars in ad spend across more than 8,000 brands. The platform empowers businesses by optimizing performance in real-time, helping them make data-driven decisions at scale. HawkeAI’s accessibility allows even small businesses to harness cutting-edge technology that would otherwise be out of reach.
Through democratized marking strategies, Hawke Media offers scalable solutions that adapt to each business’s unique needs. The agency’s emphasis on innovation and flexibility continues to disrupt traditional marketing models, and its measurable success continues to expand through strategic investments and impactful partnerships with industry leaders like Shopify, Google, TikTok, Meta, and Hubspot.
IDEAL LIVING
Since its inception in 1999, Ideal Living has been dedicated to transforming the wellness landscape by providing socially and environmentally responsible products grounded in rigorous scientific validation. With the creation AirDoctor and AquaTru, the company has innovated air and water purification.
AquaTru is independently verified to remove 83 contaminants and has contributed to reducing plastic waste by keeping more than two billion single-use plastic water bottles out of landfills. It offers a reliable and cost-effective solution for the health-conscious and environmentally aware customer. Similarly, AirDoctor addresses a pressing need in air quality. AirDoctor’s HEPA air purifiers are engineered to capture particles 100 times smaller than the HEPA standard, ensuring that users breathe the purest air possible. This innovation reflects the company’s dedication to providing scientifically-backed, effective solutions for a healthier, more sustainable future.
MISO ROBOTICS
Miso Robotics is focused on transforming the restaurant industry and improving the lives of food workers. The company’s signature product is an AI-powered kitchen robot named Flippy, which automates the dangerous operation of a restaurant’s fry station and cooks a variety of fried items. Flippy is powered by a sophisticated AI platform driven by the company’s proprietary and patented technologies.
Some of the world’s top fast-food brands have been turning to Miso’s Flippy to solve labor and food cost problems in their kitchens. Flippy has cooked over two million baskets of fries, onion rings, chicken nuggets and more for brands like Jack in the Box, White Castle, and Caliburger, driving profitability while keeping the workforce safer. Miso’s products solve some of the biggest challenges facing the restaurant industry today, such as labor shortage, high turnover and wage challenges.
PS
PS is a private airport terminal for commercial flights, which offers a member’s club feel, luxury hospitality, chef-prepared meals, private security screening, intricately designed spaces and a tarmac driving service. Since PS launched in 2017, jurisdictions responsible for owning and operating airports across the United States have been reaching out to the company to establish terminals to serve people who request privacy.
With airports often under-built for today’s populations, PS acts as a relief valve where business travelers, at-risk travelers and public figures self-select to bypass the airport chaos, and in turn increase resources and reduce traffic at the public terminals. Unlike airport terminals, PS is entirely privately funded. The company is also reducing the carbon footprint caused by private air travel. With PS, public figures are able to fly commercially, while greatly reducing the burning of fossil fuels while maintaining privacy, anonymity and comfort.
ACCELERATOR AWARD FINALISTS
ACE FENCE COMPANY
Ace Fence Company Ace Fence Company is a leader in the Southern California fencing business providing guardrail, chain link fence, gates, ornamental fences and security fence products for public works, residential and commercial projects. Company jobs are comprised of 85% public works, 10% commercial and industrial work and 5% residential work.
Ace Fence covers the areas from Santa Barbara down to the Mexican border. Its firm is certified as a DBE, SBE, MBE and WBE and is an LA Certified Fabricating Shop. Ace has been listed in the Top 100 Women Owned Companies as well as the Top 100 Minority Owned Businesses in Los Angeles County since 1990. Among many, one of Ace’s most notable projects is the construction of the historic electrified fence for the 105 Century Freeway, extending from the 605 Freeway to Los Angeles International Aiport.
ALPHA STRUCTURAL
Alpha Structural’s owner and chief executive officer, David Tourje incorporated the company in 1992 with a small crew working on hillside homes doing seismic retrofits and foundation repairs for Angeleno homeowners. The company is now comprised of many crews and a hardworking staff that has over 850 years of combined technical experience. They serve as a leading source of structural engineering and construction and the only company in the Los Angeles area licensed to engineer and build any type of repair project.
With data tracking technology, Alpha’s system has allowed employees to track statistics to remain profitable, stay efficient, save cost and keep customers well informed with constant communication. Furthermore, with Los Angeles County’s mandatory ordinance on soft-story and non-ductile retrofitting (Ordinance 183893), Alpha Structural has been at the forefront of innovation, ensuring the implementation of this ordinance proceeds as smoothly as possible.
INNOVATOR AWARD FINALISTS
EV SAFE CHARGE INC.
EV Safe Charge is a leading provider of flexible electric vehicle (EV) charging technology, providing safe, reliable and robust residential and commercial electric vehicle charging solutions to support the demands of the rapidly growing EV market. The company provides nationwide end-to- end sales, installation, guidance and support.
EV Safe Charge’s newest technology, ZiGGY, is a mobile EV charging robot that features interactive, digital advertising screens. ZiGGY is a breakthrough in EV charging, allowing facilities, shopping and entertainment centers, hotels, fleet operators, airports and property owners to over- come the limitations of stationary EV chargers. The charging robot provides on-demand charging without the need for costly electrical infrastructure, with the ability to be charged at a single location yet cover an entire floor of a parking lot, or even charge offsite if no infrastructure is available.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE BEEF JERKY
People’s Choice Beef Jerky has been hand-crafting a premium beef jerky product for nearly 100 years across four generations. Its commitment to growth and longevity is rooted in its team’s dedication in making a quality product while also continuing to adapt and evolve.
With the evolution of consumer needs, the company launched an e-commerce side of the business and transition to a D2C business model, thus reaching a larger audience without the constraints of physical retail space and offering consumers the opportunity to discover and enjoy artisanal and specialty options like People’s Choice. The company has also expanded its product lines by mirroring the rich tapestry of cultures and communities that make Los Angeles uniquely diverse. By creating flavors through their Test Kitchen line, the company has been able to experiment with new recipes and flavor profiles, drawing inspiration from the diverse tastes of its customers.
SUFFOLK
Suffolk is a national construction enterprise that builds, innovates and invests. The company is an end-to-end business that provides value throughout an entire project lifecycle by leveraging its core construction management services with vertical service lines that include real estate capital investment, design, self-perform construction services, technology start-up investment and research innovation.
Over the past four years, revenue has nearly doubled from $115 million to $205 million, and Suffolk’s employees have overseen the construction of local premier projects like the AC + Moxy Hotels, 6th Street Place and the Evermont. The company has also designed a predictive algorithm to mitigate risk and address the dangers of the construction industry. Its employees log more than 12,000 safety observations per month, which are then combined with data indicators to fuel the predictive algorithm used to provide insight into risks, flagging potential incidents before they occur.
TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS
As one of the few women-only founded technology organizations, Technology Management Concepts is a Microsoft partner with a team spread across North America with an established premier practice. Since its founding in 1987, the company has partnered with thousands of organizations to rethink business processes and technology, allowing its employees to achieve more while improving customer experience in an ever-changing global economy. The company provides a single, comprehensive end-to-end solution to support each customer’s business and diverse needs.
Over the past five years, TMC’s revenue has grown more than 20% annually. With more than 1,750 software implementations, the company offers business guidance and implementation services for Microsoft solutions, including ERP, CRM, Cloud, Productivity Tools, AI Tools, and Integration Services.
SUSTAINABILITY AWARD FINALISTS
GREENWEALTH ENERGY
GreenWealth Energy offers an innovative EV charging owner-operator model for cities and multifamily property owners, driving consistent year-over-year revenue growth. The company designs, implements and manages scalable EV charging infrastructure in partnership with enterprises and public agencies.
Operating statewide, GreenWealth Energy has disrupted the EV charging industry through a unique combination of diversity, expertise, and strategic innovation. The team, composed of 80% women and 95% people of color, collectively brings over 60 years of experience across real estate, electrification, utilities and construction. As the first woman and minority-led EV charging company certified in California, the company leverages billions in EV charging subsidies by integrating project development, equity goals and strategic finance. This approach advances infrastructure and champions equity, setting a new standard in the industry while contributing to cleaner air and a more sustainable future.
TREEPUBLIC
Treepublic was founded in 2008 with a mission to provide clean, reliable energy solutions to the people of The Greater Los Angeles and Orange County. What began as a garage-based operation has since grown into one of California’s leading solar, EV charging and battery storage service providers. The company has completed projects for Fortune 500 companies, schools and homes, always prioritizing sustainability and long-term customer relationships. With nearly 50MW of solar and 20MWh of storage installed, Treepublic specializes in residential and commercial installations, with a focus on education, high-quality materials and expert craftsmanship.
Since completing its first solar patio project, the company has successfully delivered installations across a wide range of sites, from large office complexes to small cabins and ranch homes. Beyond completing projects of all sizes and complexities, the Treepublic team educates clients about the energy future, emphasizing the importance of energy efficiency.
START-UP TO SCALE-UP AWARD FINALISTS
GAMEFAM
Gamefam built the largest and most successful owned and operated gaming and experience network in Roblox, reaching 30 billion lifetime visits and averaging 12 million daily visits across its vast live-operated game portfolio. Additionally, the company is responsible for the first branded activation in Fortnite history. This success led to 18 straight quarters of growth and recognition as the #40 (#1 in the media category) company on the 2024 Inc. 5000, with a three-year growth rate of 6,390%.
Since 2023, when Gamefam was named one of Fast Company’s ‘Most Innovative Companies,’ it has grown from a game developer to a full-scale metaverse media company. Pairing expert brand strategists with world-class developers, in the last year Gamefam built successful metaverse campaigns for several of the biggest global brands and most iconic properties, including Samsung, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Mattel, Paramount, the NFL, Sega, Netflix, Disney, Crunchyroll and many others.
MAD RABBIT
Leading tattoo skin care brand in Mad Rabbit was founded in 2019 by Oliver Zak and Selom Agbitor while they were students at Miami University. Offering a comprehensive, clean skincare solution, the company provides a complete range of products, from preventative care and new tattoo aftercare to daily essentials, designed to support the long-term health and vibrancy of tattooed skin.
Before Mad Rabbit, the tattoo care market was virtually nonexistent. The company launched its first pro-channel product, Mad Glide, which prevents a sensation during the tattooing process called snagging, improving the experience for the customer. Another company innovation is the Tattoo Repair Patch, which is clinically proven to provide soothing and reparative benefits and pain relief during the tattoo healing process. The three-dimensional matrix of hydrogel helps reduce inflammation, soothe irritated skin, repair damage and protect the skin from external stressors throughout the healing process.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AWARD FINALISTS
CHARLES COMMUNCATION GROUP
Charles Communication Group (CCG) is a dynamic creative agency specializing in strategic communications and outreach. Established three years ago, CCG has grown tremendously by taking on projects focused on social justice, including issues like reparations, police injustice, criminal justice reform and civil rights. The agency develops integrated communication plans that are multisensory tai- lored to engage diverse audiences across multiple platforms, combining visual creativity with both traditional and digital media strategies to ensure seamless, impactful campaigns that resonate with audiences.
CCG reimagines how messages are crafted and delivered, transforming complex and often hard-to-digest topics into consumable, impactful narratives. This approach focuses on the customer’s decision-making process‚ with an understanding of what motivates audience support and action. By blending striking visuals, powerful storytelling and a cross-channel delivery system, CCG has disrupted traditional methods of communication.
MERIDITH BAER HOME
Meridith Baer Home is a premier home staging company, with over 25 years designing and staging interiors and telling each property’s story through alluring, artful decor. Baer founded the industry of home staging after furnishing an empty listing with her own belongings. Now, the company offers full-service interior design and luxury leasing for residential and commercial projects, crafting bespoke interiors that reflect the individual style and preferences of each client.
Meridith Baer Home has been featured on CBS, NBC, ABC and Bravo. The company’s HGTV series Staged to Perfection followed Baer and a team of designers staging multimillion-dollar homes, bringing the company to international attention. As a pioneer of an industry that previously did not exist, Baer and her team furnished $12 billion worth of real estate, more than 1,800 properties totaling over 7.6 million square feet.
