NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- At a time when the term "innovation" is often confined to gadgets and features, DDB Technology, LLC is shifting the conversation. The New York–based firm, named Private Equity Company of the Year – United States by the Innovation & Excellence Awards in 2023 and again this year, is leading a new wave of innovation—one that begins at the business model level.
Founded by Denise Drace-Brownell, JD, MPH, DDB Technology stands apart in its belief that innovation is not just about developing new technologies, but about restructuring how value is created, captured, and scaled. This philosophy underpins the company's work across its three core focus areas: technology, med-tech, and intellectual property commercialization.
"What I discovered over the course of my career is that we rarely think of business models themselves as vehicles for innovation," said Drace-Brownell. "That's a blind spot—because in today's world, the real competitive edge is often not in what you build, but in how you bring it to market, fund it, and sustain it. That's where we shine."
Drace-Brownell's multidisciplinary background—in law, marketing, science, and private equity—has shaped DDB Technology's distinctive approach. The company is best known for helping founders retain equity by unlocking the latent commercial value in their innovation, before they seek external funding. In doing so, DDB helps avoid premature dilution and gives innovators greater strategic control over their ventures.
Pioneering Steps by DDB Technology
The company pioneers advanced lens optics and specialised eyewear to improve visual performance amid rising digital screen use. These innovations address growing public health challenges like Digital Eye Strain and BV Disorder, conditions that significantly impact productivity and wellbeing. The company's engineering advances extend into AR/VR, industrial equipment, and digital interface design. In the climate sector, DDB Technology offers AI-powered environmental risk management solutions for well-capitalised B2B clients. Specifically, helping them identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks, and convert climate challenges into competitive advantages - including supply chain differentiation and innovation leadership. In intellectual property, the firm empowers organisations to unlock hidden value in their intangible assets through its patented IP Pro platform; this enables clients to assess, prioritise, and capitalise on innovation to maximise revenue, financing, and long-term market share.
This cross-domain innovation is supported by a flexible, equity-minded operating model. DDB Technology builds strategic partnerships while maintaining a lean in-house structure based out of Rockefeller Center, where even the office design reflects the company's ethos. Creative use of multi-functional spaces—including rooftop gardens for meetings—mirrors the company's core belief in unlocking untapped value from overlooked assets.
This approach caught the attention of the judging panel at the 2023 and 2025 Innovation & Excellence Awards, who commended the firm's "unrivalled expertise in markets and capital" and its ability to "help business leaders uncover the real value of their organizations."
Drace-Brownell sees this award not as a capstone, but as a call to deepen the company's mission: "Our clients come to us with powerful ideas, many of which have been overlooked or underleveraged. We help them turn those ideas into fully formed strategies—combining technical innovation with market positioning and structural ownership advantages."
In a competitive landscape where innovation is often reduced to buzzwords or app updates, DDB Technology is restoring depth and purpose to the term. The firm believes that the most transformative innovations are those that empower individuals and organizations to think differently about the systems they operate in—whether that's reimagining the optics industry, designing climate-resilient business models, or helping founders retain what they've built.
For companies and creators looking for a partner in real innovation—not just execution—DDB Technology is redefining what's possible.
About DDB Technology
Founded in 2000, DDB Technology, LLC is a New York–based alternative private equity and innovation strategy firm focused on unlocking untapped value in overlooked markets. Specializing in technology, med-tech, and intellectual property strategy, the firm helps clients rethink how innovation is structured, funded, and delivered to the world. www.ddbtechnology.com
SOURCE DDB Technology
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