This year’s Top Tech Awards picked a winning platform for its annual awards ceremony. The event, sponsored by Cox Business, was presented entirely in Virbela, after the original event was postponed due to Covid-19.
The awards are a community endeavor with San Diego technology executives nominated as honorees by their peers and clients. Nominations recognize outstanding work, including Cox Business Exemplary and Lifetime Achievement Honorees.
Honorees
The Cox Business Exemplary Honoree for 2020 is Jake Fields, Cofounder and CTO of PlatformScience.com, a trucking fleet management application suite. Fields expressed his appreciation for the Top Tech Awards committee via video integrated with the virtual ceremony.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Rich Coppa, Vice President of Infrastructure at The Arc of San Diego. Coppa acknowledged the rich professional experiences at The Arc that underpin his recognition. The human services agency is one of San Diego County’s largest, and Coppa has worked there for 25 years.
Virtual Participation
Event attendees were able to participate in the awards like never before. With each announcement, the live chat window filled with a stream of congratulations and emojis. The chat allowed nominees to see the real-time individual support of audience members in a way that a live event can’t recreate.
“The focus of Top Tech, the largest annual tech event in the region, has always been on honoring our IT leaders who go above and beyond to enable all that we do. We’re continuing with that tradition through a new virtual experience during this global pandemic,” said Sam Attisha, Senior Vice President and Region Manager at Cox.
Among other features, attendees were able to create and customize 3D avatars and network with other attendees like they would in a real auditorium.
Since Virbela relies on spatialized voice to offer realistic voice volumes up close or from afar, conversations felt natural. When the ceremony began, the audience shifted to mute, and video screens with customizable features showcased video.
And with such a successful event in the books, it’s not too early for next year’s nominees to start thinking about how they, too, can continue to innovate alongside partners like Virbela, Cox Business, and other local technology leaders.
If you’re interested in hosting your own virtual event, reach out to sales@virbela.com.
