Leo Zlimen, 25, is CEO of Ladris, a fast-growing startup based in Nevada City that provides AI-based software for emergency management.

Vidhu Shekhar is government strategy leader at Microsoft. He is directing the mega-company’s mission to help state and local authorities improve their effectiveness through generative AI. 

Think about a global company where each department has its own unique jargon, and employees speak different languages. To thrive, this company would need a way to keep valuable information from getting lost in translation.

For many entrepreneurs, the past few years have served as something of a litmus test. From lockdowns and layoffs to a tumultuous economy, business owners have had to take a hard look at themselves and ask: How badly do I want to do this? 

UC Davis researchers have created the first ever comprehensive pangenome for North American grapes, a blueprint that will allow breeders to select rootstock by its genetic propensity for specific desired traits — say, drought tolerance or heat resistance. 

811 is the national toll-free, call-before-you-dig number. Homeowners, excavators and contractors must call 811 before excavating to have underground utility lines marked to prevent accidental damage. But the system is flawed and inefficient, according to 811spotter co-founder and CEO Marc Krichman.

Microplastics can be found everywhere, from Antarctica to Mt. Everest to breast milk. A Western Regional Winner in 2022, Soar Optics develops technology to identify these microscopic particles in water.

California’s insurance crisis is damaging the housing market and more. Will legislators fix it before the next big blaze?