Octane

OCTANe is fueling "innovation development" in Orange County and Southern California. By connecting people, capital and technology, OCTANe accelerates entrepreneurs and company development for Orange County's information technology and biomedical industries. Our stakeholder group includes some of the most promising start-ups, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, large companies, and the university sector, all working together to get more companies started, funded, and accelerated in OC and surrounding regions.

CREATE: OCTANe helps entrepreneurs "get out of the gates." From business plan development to capital introductions to business contacts, we help start start-ups.

GROW: For companies of all sizes - from start-ups to Fortune 500 powerhouses - we can accelerate your growth mode. OCTANe is the only organization in Orange County that brings together large companies, entrepreneurs, VCs, strategic advisors, and the university sector. We can give you the visibility and the contacts you need to take your company or organization to the next level.

SUPPORT: We want more companies started, more companies funded, more jobs created, and more square feet leased in Orange County. It's not going to happen without stellar resources. We've spent the past three years building the OCTANe "arsenal" of people and companies who are committed to our same goal. From legal eagles to marketing gurus, there's someone here to help.

STAFF: No, we're not a staffing agency...but we've got something just as good in the OCTANe TalentEngine. We're connecting people and jobs in the Orange County IT and Biomedical industries. This online tool combined with "offline" networking and introductions is keeping our technical talent here, and it's attracting more.

FUND: We know the hot start-ups in Orange County. We know the venture capitalists and investors around the nation who want a look. We connect them. We've helped dozens of companies receive millions in funding...and did we mention we even kick-started a venture fund in OC?

LaunchPad: Provide business and technical support, contacts, and access to capital for entrepreneurs and start-ups.

Programs: Bring together entrepreneurs, large companies, venture capitalists, the university sector, and strategic advisors around a high growth innovation topic for education and networking.

OCTANe Foundation for Innovation: Advance science and technology in OC through educational programs, mentoring, and skills development.

OCTANe Next: Community effort for 29 and under age bracket; mix of networking, jobs, company creation and education

TalentEngine: Connect talented people with high-quality jobs in OC through a robust portal with job opportunities, resumes, and private networking introductions.

Okapi Fund: This OCTANe kick-started fund closed in June 2006 with $30 million of private money to invest in local seed and early stage companies.