Reference Medicine Founder and CEO Inga Rose Named Finalist for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® 2026 Pacific Southwest Award
Apr 28, 2026
Phoenix, AZ - Inga Rose, CEO and Founder of Reference Medicine, a Phoenix-based oncology specimen procurement partner serving biopharma and diagnostic product developers, has been named a finalist in the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® 2026 Pacific Southwest award program.
An independent panel of judges selected 44 finalists from 40 companies based on their entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, company growth and lasting impact in building long-term value. This year’s Pacific Southwest finalists represent Southern California (San Diego and Orange County), Arizona, and Nevada across all industries.
“I’m honestly just so thrilled and grateful to be named a finalist,” said Rose. “It’s pretty amazing to be in the mix with such a talented, passionate group of founders and leaders. This journey hasn’t been a solo effort for a second—it’s all about the incredible team around me, the people who’ve supported us, and the mission we all share to make biospecimen procurement hassle free.”
"The finalists this year embody bold entrepreneurship, making a lasting difference in their industries and communities throughout the Pacific Southwest," said Edward Koijane, EY Partner and Pacific Southwest – Las Vegas and Orange County Program Co-Director. "Selected by an independent panel, their companies are key drivers of job growth, innovation, and regional business strength. We are delighted to celebrate their achievements."
The program – now its 41st year - celebrates the bold leaders who disrupt markets through the world’s most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and uplifting communities. Honorees include original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or who raised outside capital to grow their company, transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory, and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to strengthen it for the future.
About Entrepreneur Of The Year®
Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year® has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in the US, and it has since expanded to nearly 80 countries and territories globally. The US program consists of 17 regional programs whose panels of independent judges select the regional award winners every June. Those winners compete for national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum® in November where national finalists and award winners are announced. The national overall winner represents the US at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year® competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.
About Reference Medicine
Reference Medicine is an oncology specimen procurement partner that provides laboratories, startups, academic researchers, and others with the specimens needed to fuel oncology diagnostic innovation. Built by scientists, for scientists, Reference Medicine focuses on delivering a “hassle-free” experience by offering price transparency, online inventory browsing, speedy delivery times, and rapid customer service response rates. We’re focused on elevating the status quo in specimen procurement – we innovate, so you can innovate. Learn more at www.referencemedicine.com.
Media Contact:
Jen Ringler
jringler@readhealthy.net
973-647-5004
