SAN DIEGO, June 20, 2023 – Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced that Shahab Elmi, CEO and Founder of Cymbiotika was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Pacific Southwest Award winner. The Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards program is one of the preeminent competitive awards for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. Elmi was selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous award winners, leading CEOs, investors and other regional business leaders. The candidates were evaluated based on their demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, among other core contributions and attributes.
"I am honored and humbled to be named an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 Pacific Southwest Award winner," said Shahab Elmi. "This award further validates our mission and serves as a reminder of the positive impact we are making. I am grateful for this recognition and excited about the opportunities that lie ahead as we continue to innovate and drive positive change."
For nearly four decades, EY US has honored entrepreneurs whose ambition, courage and ingenuity have driven their companies’ success, transformed their industries and made a positive impact on their communities. Entrepreneur Of The Year Award winners become lifetime members of a global, multi-industry community of entrepreneurs, with exclusive, ongoing access to the experience, insight and wisdom of program alumni and other ecosystem members in over 60 countries — all supported by vast EY resources. Since 1986, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized more than 11,000 US executives.
As a Pacific Southwest award winner, Elmi is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 National Awards. The National Award winners including the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will be announced in November at the Strategic Growth Forum®, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award in June 2024.
The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has honored the inspirational leadership of entrepreneurs such as:
- Andreas Bechtolsheim and Jayshree Ullal of Arista Networks
- Daymond John of FUBU
- Hamdi Ulukaya of Chobani, Inc.
- Holly Thaggard and Amanda Baldwin of Supergoop!
- Howard Schultz of Starbucks Coffee Company
- James Park of Fitbit
- Jodi Berg of Vitamix
- Joe DeSimone of Carbon, Inc.
- Kendra Scott of Kendra Scott LLC
- Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn Corporation
- Joe Kudla of Vuori
