GrandPad and Aquacycl recognized as two of three finalists at ACA’s 10thAnnual Awards Ceremony
IRVINE, Calif. – May 3, 2019– Tech Coast Angels (TCA) today announced that two of its portfolio companies were among the three finalists for the esteemed Luis Villalobos Awards at the Angel Capital Association (ACA) Summit on April 25, 2019. The award, named after Tech Coast Angels’ founder Luis Villalobos, recognizes the very best companies of those backed by the over 200 angel groups that comprise ACA.
Dr. Richard Sudek, chairman emeritus and a long-time member of TCA, presented the Luis Villalobos award to the winner, Joylux, a FemTech company based in Seattle, Washington and nominated by Alliance of Angels, also based in Seattle.
“It is not every year that Tech Coast Angels’ companies are recognized by the ACA for Luis’ legacy as a luminary of angel investing,” said Dr. Sudek. “To have two companies as finalists is a privilege, and I think Luis would be so proud of all of the finalists – and intrigued by how innovative and disruptive these startups are. He worked tirelessly on finding ways for the angel investment community to work together to fund the most innovative ideas.”
The TCA portfolio companies selected as finalists from a field of 50 nominations by over 30 angel networks were:
Aquacycl: a modular, high-strength, decentralized, industrial wastewater treatment technology that reduces sludge, recovers energy, and enables onsite water reuse.
“Aquacycl is truly honored and humbled to be selected as a finalist for the 2019 Luis Villalobos award,” said Orianna Bretschger, CEO of Aquacycl.” The support that Aquacycl has received from the Angel investing community has been transformative in a multitude of ways. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to share more about Aquacycl with the greater ACA community and to meet so many amazing entrepreneurs, innovators, mentors and thought leaders.”
GrandPad: a tablet designed for linking aging adults with their families and caregivers, providing a simple yet secure connection without the frustration.
“GrandPad was thrilled to be among three finalists being honored for ingenuity and creativity,” says Scott Lien, co-founder and CEO of GrandPad. “The Luis Villalobos Award is a testament to innovation and growth, and we were honored to be recognized.”