Celebrating the bold leaders shaping the future through the world’s most groundbreaking companies
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#AI—DDN, the global leader in AI and data intelligence solutions, today announced that Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) has named Co-Founders Alex Bouzari, CEO, and Paul Bloch, President, the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2025 Greater Los Angeles Award winners. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the preeminent competitive awards program for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. For 40 years, EY US has celebrated ambitious entrepreneurs who are transforming industries, impacting communities, and creating long-term value.
Bouzari and Bloch were selected by an independent panel of judges composed of past winners, leading CEOs, and industry luminaries. Candidates were evaluated on criteria including long-term value creation, entrepreneurial spirit, purpose-driven commitment, and demonstrable impact and growth.
“For us, this recognition is not just about individual achievement — it’s a celebration of the company and community we’ve built together over nearly three decades,” said Bouzari. “DDN started with a simple belief — that if you harness data the right way, it can change the world. Today, that belief drives everything we do, from advancing AI to enabling medical breakthroughs and powering the fastest supercomputers on the planet. This award belongs to our extraordinary team, our customers and partners, and especially to Paul — my friend, co-founder, and fellow entrepreneur.”
“This award is deeply meaningful because it reflects the power of enduring partnership and shared purpose,” said Bloch. “From day one, Alex and I set out to solve some of the world’s most complex data challenges — not for the sake of technology alone, but to enable real-world impact. Today, our solutions drive breakthroughs in AI, science, healthcare, and industry. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built together, and honored to share this recognition with Alex, our extraordinary DDN team, and the innovative customers who push us to keep evolving.”
From their beginnings as Caltech classmates, Bouzari and Bloch founded DDN with a vision to unlock the full potential of data at scale. That vision has since evolved into a global AI and data intelligence powerhouse, supporting innovation across industries including healthcare, life sciences, climate science, energy, and autonomous systems.
As Greater Los Angeles award winners, Bouzari and Bloch are now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 National Awards, to be announced at the Strategic Growth Forum® in November. The overall national winner will then advance to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award in June 2026.
Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates diverse types of leadership — from original founders and transformational CEOs to multigenerational leaders redefining legacy businesses. The program has honored innovators such as Reed Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn, Sheila Mikhail of AskBio, Eric Yuan of Zoom, and Howard Schultz of Starbucks Coffee Company.
For more information, visit www.ddn.com.
About DDN
DDN is the world’s leading AI and data intelligence company, empowering organizations to maximize the value of their data with end-to-end HPC and AI-focused solutions. Its customers range from the largest global enterprises and AI hyperscalers to cutting-edge research centers, all leveraging DDN’s proven data intelligence platform for scalable, secure, and high-performance AI deployments that drive 10x returns.
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Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, Cresa, LLC, Marsh USA, and SAP. In Greater Los Angeles, sponsors also include ADP, Cooley, Los Angeles Business Journal, Vaco, and Big Picture.
About Entrepreneur Of The Year
Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries leading dynamic businesses in the US and nearly 60 countries around the world. The US program includes 17 regional programs whose winners advance to national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum® in November. The overall national winner represents the US at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ competition. Learn more at ey.com/us/eoy.
About EY
EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society, and the planet, while building trust in capital markets.
Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.
EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited. For more information, please visit ey.com.
Contacts
DDN Media Contact:
Amanda Lee
VP, Marketing – Analyst and Media Relations
amlee@ddn.com
