Creating 55,000+ high-paying jobs in Southern California by 2030.
Octane is future-focused.
Octane is a convening organization of the Southern California technology and medical technology business ecosystem. We connect people, resources and capital. We will help create 55,000+ high-paying technology jobs in Southern California by 2030 through our accelerator LaunchPad SBDC as well as our platform Octane Capital & Growth. In addition, Octane hosts dozens of programs throughout the year and has direct access to capital and partners. We believe that action focused locally has impact globally.
Octane Foundation for Innovation*
The Octane Foundation for Innovation (OFI) was launched as a complement to Octane’s mission of creating 55,000+ high-paying jobs by 2030. The Foundation is targeted to advance equity, diversity, and inclusiveness across all industry sectors alongside Octane’s ambitious mission of growing & strengthening the Southern California innovation ecosystem by creating jobs, scaling startups, and developing businesses. Octane and OFI work with partners to enhance the economic vitality of the region, contribute to a sustainable ecosystem and augment the live/work experience in Orange County.
Octane Foundation for Innovation’s work is achieved through our initiatives, Women Leaders of Octane, Non-Profit Accelerator, and STEAM Fellows. These initiatives cover the spectrum of opportunities for young students, underserved communities, and women.
Since 2010, LaunchPad has helped companies receive $11.1B in funding. Those companies have created 36,940 jobs.
Our Team
Our Team is based in sunny Southern California, with our offices in Newport Beach, CA.
Bill Carpou
Chief Executive Officer
Janelle Brunette
Chief Operating Officer
Teresa Madden
Senior Director, Partner Relations
Rita Battocchio
Head of Events
Cara Parchment
Senior Signature Event Manager, Aesthetics, Ophthalmology, Cardiovascular Tech Forum
Mollie Tribe
Signature Event Manager, Neuro Tech Forum, Medical Innovation Forum
Mike Hill
Managing Director, Octane Capital Markets
Carol DiStanislao
Managing Director, Octane Capital & Growth
Jonno Wells
Director, Venture and Corporate Venture
Greg Zikos, JD, LLM, MBA
Director, LaunchPad SBDC Accelerator
Andree Jacques
Director, Operations
Linda DiMario
Director, Community Engagement, Octane Foundation for Innovation
Larry Holt
Senior Advisor, Economic Development
Jenny De Anda Fast
Office Manager
Ryan Nishimoto
Marketing & Partnership Manager
Jennifer Nguyen
Creative Strategist
Megan Phan
Digital Marketing & Graphic Design Assistant
Shaun Sanders
Senior Director, LaunchPad SBDC
Paul Symczak
Senior Advisor, Octane
Tapasya Bali
Senior Advisor, Octane
Laura Beken
Senior Advisor, Octane
Marc Bellotti
Senior Advisor, Octane
Dan Behrendt
Senior Advisor, Octane
Nathan Billman
Senior Advisor, Octane
David Friedman
Senior Advisor, Octane
Jim Gustafson
Senior Advisor, Octane
Volker Huther
Senior Advisor, Octane
Thomas Lee
Senior Advisor, Octane
Tom Mattoon
Senior Advisor, Octane
Kenneth Stanigar
Senior Advisor, Octane
Lori Torres
Senior Advisor, Octane
Bill Waldo
Senior Advisor, Octane
Ahmed Zobi
Senior Advisor, Octane
Earl Slee
Chair, Octane Mavericks Peer Group
Jeffry Weinhuff
Managing Partner, Visionary Venture Fund
Garrett Hamontree
Principal, Visionary Venture Fund
Scott Kitcher
General Partner, Elevation Ventures
Neal Rickner
Managing Partner, Elevation Ventures
Alex Shoer
Venture Partner, Elevation Ventures
Senior Advisor, Octane
Rachel Payne
Venture Partner, Elevation Ventures
Events
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WLO Thought Leader: Jas Kaur (The Value of Cross Sector Career-Building)
Please join Women Leaders of Octane for our virtual meeting on Wednesday, June 17th, from 12:00 – 1:00 pm PST with Jas Kaur. In addition to our thought leader, our […]
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Ophthalmology Tech Forum 2026
VEA Newport Beach 900 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach, CA, United StatesAt Ophthalmology Tech Forum, industry, key opinion leaders, and top ophthalmologists discuss the future of the industry. The event is held annually in Orange County, the center for Ophthalmology in […]