Akimeka LLC was one of seven companies recognized by House Speaker Calvin Say during the opening session of the 2006 Hawai’i State Legislature. In his speech on January 18, 2006 to his colleagues and the public, Speaker Say spoke of a $100M research and development fund to stimulate economic development in the bio-technology and information technology areas. He spoke of the “unsung heroes of this new success” and recognized eight individuals – Dustin Shindo of Hoku Scientific, John Cates of Cates International, Hank Wuh of Cellular Bioengineering, Vaughn Vasconcellos of Akimeka, Richard Diverse of Plain Sight Systems, Anton Krucky of Tissue Genesis, and Myron Thompson/Robin Danner of Hawaiian Homeland Technology. Speaker Say remarked that these eight individuals represented the “pioneers of Hawaii’s new innovation economy.”