Quest Accelerator: Hawaii Demo Day
In partnership with Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC), The Quest Accelerator: Hawaii brings startups, investors, and partners together to cultivate a center of gravity for collaboration and strengthen the innovation base in Hawaii.
Our cohort of eight early-stage ventures will showcase their technology at our culminating event, Demo Day. Discover our cohort's cutting-edge technologies, featuring:
Cloudstone Innovations, Inc: Advanced space surveillance systems
HI-Spectral, LLC: Innovative hyperspectral imaging
MorphOptic: Revolutionary telescope mirror innovations
Nalu Scientific, LLC: Next-generation system-on-a-chip technology
Pendulum Systems, Inc: AI-driven supply chain management solutions
Sea Dragon Energy, Inc: Eco-friendly jet fuel derived from carbon dioxide and hydrogen extracted from seawater
SkyFi: A real-time Earth observation and data analytics marketplace
Waiea Water Distributors LLC: Groundbreaking air-to-water generation systems.
Agenda
09:30 - 10:00 AM Check-in and Networking
10:00 - 10:15 AM Founder Panel
10:15 - 10:55 AM Cohort Presentations
10:55- 11:45 PM Technology Demonstrations
11:45- 12:05 PM Investor Panel
12:05 - 12:45 PM Cohort Presentations
12:45 - 2:00 PM Networking / Pau Hana
Distinguished Speakers
Richard Wells has over 20 years of experience in investing and advising managers of high growth technology companies. He joined Insight Partners in 2005 and focuses on investments in application software, infrastructure management, devops, cybersecurity and defense technology. He’s sponsored 40 investments, realized 16 acquisitions, and 2 IPOs, and played a pivotal role in supporting Shift5, a cutting-edge cybersecurity firm, with strategic investments, fostering its growth and innovation in the industry. Richard serves on the boards of Semper Fi & America’s Fund and the Honor Foundation, while championing efforts to bridge diversity gaps in venture capital. His keen eye for transformative technologies and commitment to nurturing emerging companies underscores his influential presence in the investment landscape.
Ed Barnabas, a distinguished leader and chief technologist at Booz Allen's Honolulu headquarters, spearheads innovative solutions for U.S. government clients across Hawaii, Japan, Korea, Guam, Alaska, and Australia, focusing on critical areas like decision/data superiority and electronic warfare. With over two decades of experience, Ed champions regional innovation agendas, specializing in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital transformation, while actively contributing to STEM advocacy and serving on various technology boards in Hawaii. Holding an M.B.A. in information systems and certifications in project management and artificial intelligence strategy, Ed's expertise and commitment drive advancements in technology integration and mission solutions.
Keno Knieriem cofounded Honokea as a way to inspire social impact at an attraction level utilizing the popularity of action sports, sustainability and wellness. Keno grew up in Hawai‘i, graduated from Punahou School and attended the US Naval Academy where he majored in naval architecture and hydrofoil engineering. He served in the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander, where he managed multi-million dollar maintenance projects on nuclear submarines and served as a salvage diver & engineer. In 2014, Keno led the conceptual planning, site acquisition, and design of the world’s largest surf village, NLAND, in Austin, Texas. In 2015, Keno founded Treehouse Co-Working Spaces, a coffee truck- Solar Shack, and a craft cocktail lounge- Boardroom, in 2020. Keno was named Pacific Business News’ Entrepreneur of the year for small business 2022 in Hawai‘i, one of four recipients in the state. Keno and his wife recently welcomed twin girls, Coral and Sky.
Josh Lospinoso is the co-founder/CEO of Shift5. Josh is an entrepreneur with deep expertise in cybersecurity, data science, and system software engineering. Prior to Shift5, he co-founded RedOwl Analytics, an insider threat detection platform acquired by Raytheon/Forcepoint in 2017. Additionally, he served 10 years as a cyber officer leading teams to build dozens of elite hacking tools for the National Security Agency’s Tailored Access Operations, Army Cyber Command, and the Cyber National Mission Force. Josh is also the author of C++ Crash Course (No Starch Press, 2019), dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles spanning multiple disciplines, and multiple patents. Josh earned a BS in Economics and Operations Research from the United States Military Academy and a PhD in Statistics from the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. Other than defending operational technology (OT) from cyberattack, Josh’s secret superpower is that he can read his own mind.