QADA

Qad Inc.

A maker of cloud software that helps manufacturers run their factories, QAD builds the "adaptive ERP" systems that companies in industries like automotive, food and beverage, and life sciences use to plan production and manage their supply chains. It began in 1979 when Pamela and Karl Lopker, frustrated by the lack of software for their own sandal-making business, wrote their own program from their home in Santa Barbara. Fun fact: the name doesn't stand for anything — it comes from Queen Anne Drive, the street near the founders' original offices.