Press Release

ZEISS Wins #GameChangers Award

31 March 2023

Dublin, California | 31 March 2023 | ZEISS Group

ZEISS, the global leader in optics and optoelectronics, has been awarded the prestigious #GameChangers Award from the Innovation Tri-Valley (ITV) Leadership Group. The award ceremony was held in Pleasanton, CA, on March 29, 2023, and recognized ZEISS for its outstanding contributions and innovations in the field of optics and optoelectronic technologies.

ZEISS has been a pioneer in the field of optics and optoelectronics for over 175 years. Since 1991 ZEISS has a presence in California and opened its new ZEISS Innovation Center (ZICC) in 2021. The Center serves as its new R&D, production, sales, and customer services site in the San Francisco Bay Area. It’s the US headquarters for the ZEISS Medical Technology segment and home to Research Microscopy Solutions and Process Control Solutions as well as Shared Service functions. 800 employees are working in the high tech complex that also houses customer experience and demonstration centers showcasing recent ZEISS innovations. Several hundreds of patents are being handed in from research done at ZICC. More than 5.000 publications have been published that are bases on research conducted in California. 200 employees are working in R&D.

The Tri-Valley #GameChangers Awards recognize outstanding organizations in the Tri-Valley region of California for their contributions to innovation and entrepreneurship. ZEISS received the award for the second time – in 2017, Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc. was awarded. The focus of this year’s award ceremony was introduced as “Where are past #GameChangers Award Winners today?" and gave an update on ZEISS' significant investment since 2017. 

“We are honored to receive the  #GameChangers Award," said Florian Mezger, Head of Shared Services and Head of HR at ZEISS in North America. "This recognition is a testament to our commitment to innovation and our dedication to invest in this region. This is an award for all Zeissians. They push the limits of imagination every day and make these innovations possible. We are looking forward to everything that is about to come – with the Tri-Valley Leadership Group as a strong community.”


The company's innovative products have enabled groundbreaking scientific discoveries, medical advancements, and technological breakthroughs. ZEISS is committed to advancing the field of optics and optoelectronics through research and development, and by providing cutting-edge solutions to its customers.

“Extraordinary solutions continuously emerge from our region, then drive impact on a global scale. This is the moment our community comes together to amplify and honor the disruptive, innovative spirit that is part of our Tri-Valley DNA,” says Rick Shumway, ITV Board Chair and President and CEO of Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley about the #GameChangers Awards.

The #GameChangers Award is the latest recognition for ZEISS, which has received numerous awards for its innovative products and sustainable practices.

Further Information

Florian Mezger, Head of Shared Services and Head of HR at ZEISS, David Haubert, Alameda County Supervisor, and Jay Vijayan, CEO and founder of Tekion, a 2022 #GameChanger - from left to right.

PRESS CONTACT Melanie Kiefer Head of Communications North America

About ZEISS

ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the fields of optics and optoelectronics. In the previous fiscal year, the ZEISS Group generated annual revenue totaling 8.8 billion euros in its four segments Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology and Consumer Markets (status: 30 September 2022).

For its customers, ZEISS develops, produces and distributes highly innovative solutions for industrial metrology and quality assurance, microscopy solutions for the life sciences and materials research, and medical technology solutions for diagnostics and treatment in ophthalmology and microsurgery. The name ZEISS is also synonymous with the world's leading lithography optics, which are used by the chip industry to manufacture semiconductor components. There is global demand for trendsetting ZEISS brand products such as eyeglass lenses, camera lenses and binoculars.

With a portfolio aligned with future growth areas like digitalization, healthcare and Smart Production and a strong brand, ZEISS is shaping the future of technology and constantly advancing the world of optics and related fields with its solutions. The company's significant, sustainable investments in research and development lay the foundation for the success and continued expansion of ZEISS' technology and market leadership. ZEISS invests 13 percent of its revenue in research and development – this high level of expenditure has a long tradition at ZEISS and is also an investment in the future.

With over 38,000 employees, ZEISS is active globally in almost 50 countries with around 30 production sites, 60 sales and service companies and 27 research and development facilities (status: 30 September 2022). Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. The Carl Zeiss Foundation, one of the largest foundations in Germany committed to the promotion of science, is the sole owner of the holding company, Carl Zeiss AG.

Further information at www.zeiss.com

About Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group

Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group (ITV) is a collective of leaders and influencers committed to connecting the businesses, educational institutions, research labs, and civic leaders in the Tri-Valley region. ITV showcases the region as a technology and innovation powerhouse, outpacing the Bay Area mega-region in both job creation and economic growth.
With more than 730 tech companies and a GDP of $42B, the region is home to some of the world’s most exciting innovation brands.

Press Photos

  • Florian Mezger, David Haubert and Jay Vijayan

    File size: 2 MB