Ivy and Tech Mogul Justin Kan Host Second Annual Ivy Innovator Technology Awards

    SAN FRANCISCO, CA, October 03, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- On Wednesday, September 30th, IVY, the world's fastest growing collaborative community, hosted its second annual IVY Innovator Technology Awards presented by Cadillac, at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. Among the six finalists, Jessica Richman, Co-Founder and CEO of uBiome, was honored with the IVY Innovator Award for her contributions to the technology industry, by Justin Kan, Partner at Y-Combinator, and Co-Founder of Twitch.tv and Justin.tv, alongside IVY Founders and Co-CEOs Beri Meric and Philipp Triebel. The IVY Innovator Awards & Event Series is a program designed to showcase and inspire the next generation of leading minds, and represents the joint commitment of Cadillac and IVY, in supporting those who embody the best of the innovative American spirit.

"Jessica's work in technology truly epitomizes the ethos of the IVY Innovator Awards," said Beri Meric, Founder and Co-CEO of IVY. "We were deeply inspired by the ingenuity of uBiome as well as Jessica's deep commitment to improving the lives of millions of people across the globe. Together, with our partner Cadillac, we are honored and thrilled to present Jessica with this award, and excited to continue supporting the next generation of leaders in technology."

"Cadillac is proud to support IVY and the Innovator Awards," said Eneuri Acosta, Lifestyle Communications Manager of Cadillac. "The program shines a light on exceptional leaders that are reshaping their industries and creating better tools for the world at large, particularly in the technology sector. Cadillac looks forward to watching them continue to make their mark for years to come."

Jessica was selected from hundreds of applicants nationwide as a leading visionary in the technology industry for her role in launching the biotech startup, uBiome. The service uses cutting-edge DNA sequencing technology to allow consumers to better understand their bodies and overall health. Jessica attended Stanford University, where she studied economics and computer science, and Oxford University, where she studied as a Clarendon Scholar. Studies that she has completed surrounding microbiology, have been published in The New York Times and featured in MIT Technology Review, Scientific American, NPR, Fox News, ABC News, and she has spoken at TED Talks, Partnering for Cures, Oxford, and many other conferences and venues.

"I am so honored to have been chosen for the IVY Innovator Award in Technology," said Technoloy Innovator Winner, Jessica Richman. "uBiome's mission to understand the human microbiome will improve health outcomes for all -- and we're so glad for this recognition for our work."

This year's technology finalists were comprised of a diverse group of industry leaders, who included:
• Amar Bakshi - Creator of Shared Studios and developer of Portals, an immersive audio-visual technology that allows people to connect across the globe in real-time, with full-body visuals

• Dr. Arshya Vahabzadeh - A Harvard Medical School based physician and Vice President at Brain Power, where he and his team build digital neuro technologies to combat brain conditions

• Shradha Agarwal - CEO and Co-Founder of ContextMedia, a platform for healthcare professionals to better engage with and educate patients

• Timothy Hwang - CEO and Founder of FiscalNote, a service that analyzes data to predict legislative outcomes from federal and state lawmakers

• Moawia Eldeeb - Co-Founder and CEO of SmartSpot, the world's first Smart Mirror for gyms that recognizes exercises, provides guidance and monitors heart rates

The special night concluded with Justin Kan providing the audience with insight on his experience as an innovator in the tech industry. After describing his personal story of inspiration and the growth of his first web startup, which he began while in college with just a simple idea, he noted that anything is possible in the tech industry, and young entrepreneurs, "have no excuse not to follow their dreams."

For more information on the IVY Innovator Awards, please visit: IVY.com/awards. In addition to Cadillac, the IVY Innovator program has been made possible with support from Shinola, WIRED Media, Veev and Los Angeles Confidential.

About IVY
IVY is a dynamic community dedicated to uniting passionate individuals to create world-changing collaborations. Founded in February 2013, IVY's mission to fuel inspiration and create lifelong bonds has united the next generation of leading entrepreneurs, artists, thinkers and innovative professionals across the country. IVY members enjoy unique members-only experiences designed to spark transformative alliances, while amplifying their impact across IVY's digital platform, and through its Innovator Program. Currently, IVY members are based in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Boston, Chicago and Miami, with upcoming launches in London, Hong Kong, and Dubai. For more information, please visit: IVY.com.

About Cadillac
Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. Today Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio featuring distinctive design and technology. More information on Cadillac appears at http://www.cadillac.com. Cadillac's media website with information, images and video can be found at media.cadillac.com.

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