Hawaii Business Magazine March 2026 - Hawaii Business Magazine

Hawaii Entrepreneur Awards 2026

25 years of honoring outstanding local startups and innovation.

HB20: Gabriel Yanagihara, ‘Iolani School

On a mission to make every teacher, parent, and student in Hawai‘i AI-ready, Gabriel Yangihara believes the fastest path to breakthrough is being willing to fail first.

HB20: Erin Uehara, Choco Le‘a

A chocolate entrepreneur, author, and decade-long Salvation Army volunteer, Erin Uehara turned her business into a relief vehicle after the Maui wildfires.

HB20: Summer Shelverton, Cades Schutte

Summer Shelverton graduated third in her law school class while raising a newborn, and now leads trusts and estates at Hawai‘i's largest law firm.

HB20: Kaloa Robinson, Stanford Carr Development

At 35, Kaloa Robinson is already the lead manager of a $4 billion, 20-year project, one of the largest public infrastructure efforts in Hawai‘i's history.

HB20: Danicole Ramos, UH William S. Richardson School of Law Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic

A single moment with an elderly Filipino client changed everything, setting Danicole Ramos on a path to help over 125 community members pursue citizenship.

Meli James Is Rewriting the Rules for Hawai‘i's Entrepreneurs

As co-founder of Mana Up and president of the Hawai‘i Venture Capital Association, Meli James has spent a decade proving that building a world-class company doesn't mean leaving the Islands behind.

HB20: Su Lazo, City and County of Honolulu

Trading a Big Four accounting career for community impact, Su Lazo now builds career pathways that keep local youth rooted in Hawai‘i.

HB20: Richard Matsui, KWH Analytics

Nearly 20 years into a career spanning McKinsey, the Biden Administration, and multiple companies built and sold, Richard Matsui is just getting started at home.

HB20: Daniel Moats, AHL Architecture

Starting as a drafter with no traditional advantages, Daniel Moats worked his way up to shaping Honolulu's skyline one landmark project at a time.

HB20: Trung Lam, Hawai‘i Technology Development Corporation

A former bakery owner turned tech economy builder, Trung Lam is positioning Hawai‘i's ocean and space industries as its next competitive advantage.

HB20: Ryan Kuniyuki, Bank of Hawai‘i

Bringing 15 years of global banking experience home, Ryan Kuniyuki leads with a values-driven approach that puts people before transactions.

HB20: Jamila Jarmon, Hawaiian Electric

From policy work to startup COO to EV strategy at Hawaiian Electric, Jamila Jarmon thrives in roles that didn't exist until she filled them.

HB20: Zack Hernandez, AEP Hawaii

After recruiting on Wall Street and in Seattle, Zack Hernandez came home to build the tech talent pipeline Hawai‘i has always needed.

HB20: Victoria Hanes, Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center

Leading a team of nearly 500 serving 40,000 patients, Victoria Hanes champions a bold shift from reactive treatment to prevention-first primary care.

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Hawai‘i's Young People Are Asking.

With soaring costs, limited opportunities, and a rapidly aging population, more young people in Hawai‘i are weighing an uncomfortable question. For many, the answer is increasingly clear.

Aloha Stadium's $4 Billion Gamble

Demolition has officially begun at the old Aloha Stadium, kicking off the state's most ambitious public-private project ever. But with tariff threats, transparency concerns, and a 20-year timeline, the real question isn't whether it will get built, it's who pays if it doesn't go according to plan.