Innovators Par - Wou

Parallels

What: Parallels, a small privately held software company based in Renton Washington, focuses on developing workstation and server virtualization technologies .

When: Parallels' team members' focus on virtualization technologies dates back to 1999, and their involvement in software development, testing, and deployment dates back to 1995.

How: Its Parallels Desktop for Mac enables Apple users to run other operating systems such as Windows or Linux without rebooting Mac OS X.

Other contributions: In addition to its Desktop for Mac, Parallels also offers server software and workstation software that enables users to compartmentalize or compress information.

Insurance Technologies

What: Insurance Technologies provides insurance software solutions for its clients, and stays committed to improving ForeSight, a proprietary technology, without charging its clients additional license charges, while providing flexibility to customize the system as needed.

When: Insurance Technologies created ForeSight in 1995.

How: ForeSight, illustration insurance software , provides its users with the ability to manage activities from one platform.

Other contributions: ForeSight insurance software serves as the base from which Insurance Technologies provides software solutions to its clients in the insurance industry.

Dr. Victor Wouk

What: Dr. Victor Wouk invented the hybrid electric/gasoline engine.

When: In 1971, Dr. Wouk received a grant from the EPA to develop the engine, and in 1974, he succeeded in inventing the new engine.

How: The engine cuts down emissions released into the atmosphere and uses gasoline at half the rate of other engines.

Other Contributions: Dr. Wouk’s invention led to the development of Toyota’s Prius, the first hybrid car to be mass produced. Dr. Woulk also served as a Technical Advisor to the U.S. National Committee of the International Electrotechnical Commission.