This award celebrates exceptional innovations in the life sciences sector, honoring teams that have made groundbreaking advancements in research, development and application to ultimately benefit patients. It recognizes those who push the boundaries of what is possible in the life sciences field, driving Indiana’s leadership in health, biotechnology, medical devices and pharmaceutical innovation.
The Life Sciences Innovation Team of the Year is open to Innovative Life Sciences teams based in Indiana. This could include research, product development, innovation or other teams within higher ed institutions and industry, including large companies and startups.
Recognizes companies that are developing talent through skills-based hiring of STEM roles; advancing diversity, equity and inclusion; cultivating workplace culture; and making a positive impact in the community.
This award recognizes and celebrates a university that has demonstrated exceptional innovation in the fields of research and development, technology, and program creation. This award aims to highlight institutions that have made significant contributions to advancing technology, fostering creativity, and implementing groundbreaking programs that impact students, faculty, and the broader community.
Who should enter: Universities or other higher-ed institutions based in Indiana
This award recognizes outstanding and high-achieving licensed computer science teachers who teach full CS courses at any public, charter, parochial or other school in the state of Indiana.
*This award includes a $1000 cash grant and the winner is chosen by Nextech.
Who should enter: Computer science teachers who teach at any school in the state of Indiana
This Award recognizes exceptional startup founders and/or operators of any age and experience who have looked outside the box, started something new, and generated momentum.
Who should enter? Founders, Co-founders, Founding Engineers or Product Developers, Others Critical to the Startup Process and More
Growing companies takes much more than the latest technologies, and to drive digital innovation forward takes tech talent across all levels. That is why the Tech 25 Awards represent a wide range of roles within businesses, such as software developers, financial analysts, marketing directors, and product managers, for example, covering four broad categories:
Tech Innovation Strategy & Community
Tech Product/R&D
Tech Sales & Marketing, and
Tech Professional Services
The Tech 25 Emerging Leader Award recognizes one of the Tech 25 awardees who stands out and recognizes this high–achieving individual as a reward for their many contributions to their own businesses as well as their service in our community.
Who should enter: Non-executive level employees at tech companies or in tech roles.
This award recognizes organizations and their programs or platforms that inspire and open doors for STEM talent, create economic opportunities and have a positive impact on talent pipeline development and the future workforce.
Who should enter? Employers, universities, schools, training academies, non-profits and more
This award recognizes visionary leaders helping underserved students in Indiana access experiential learning that inspires the pursuit of STEM careers.
*This award is chosen by the TechPoint Foundation for Youth board of directors.
This award recognizes the relentless spirit of those who have turned adversity into opportunities, inspiring others with stories of their journey to success and leadership within Indiana’s tech and digital innovation communities.
Who should enter? Career changers, immigrants, people who may not have access to opportunities because of social or economic status or disability. Those who have endured and overcome significant challenges and hardships. Examples: Overcoming the circumstances of poverty, discrimination, health challenges, traumatic childhood experiences, and other barriers.
This Award recognizes inspiring and influential visionaries whose contributions have had lasting and significant impact on the state and its technology ecosystem. Trailblazers are innovative risk-takers whose achievements and bold leadership are catalysts for growth and success.
Winner to be selected by TechPoint Executive Committee.
This award recognizes outstanding innovators in the agbiosciences that have driven innovation in a way that contribute to economic growth while solving some o the world’s biggest challenges.
The Agbioscience Innovator Award is open to start-up innovators as well as innovators within larger, more established corporations within the agbioscience community.
*AgriNovus will select judges for this award category from their board members.
This award recognizes the remarkable contributions of mission-driven organizations that have helped to pull our tech community forward—the impact makers of the year. These inspiring champions are creating a brighter, more equitable future for everyone.
Who should enter? Nonprofits, Social Enterprises, Government and Academic Initiatives and More
This award recognizes outstanding innovation achieved through the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies, particularly those that push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of advanced manufacturing.
*Conexus Indiana will select judges for this award category from their Board members. Submissions for this award can be made HERE.
This Award recognizes technology-related Indiana companies and/or their investors that have secured the most investment capital in a single round or effected a merger or acquisition transaction or public listing with the highest enterprise value.
Winner to be selected by the TechPoint Executive Committee.
This award recognizes teams from any industry that have demonstrated outstanding vision and innovation for driving digital adoption, and leveraging technology to revolutionize and elevate their operations and/or overall industry standards. This award is focused on internal transformation projects, not customer-facing ones.
Who should enter? Company/Client Partnerships; Corporate Teams from Life Sciences, Advanced Manufacturing, Logistics, Agribiosciences, Energy, Academia and More
This award recognizes professional services firms or internal corporate teams that are pioneering transformative technology solutions or providing other professional innovation services that demonstrate excellence, creativity, and impact for clients or the industry at large.
Who should enter? Professional Services Firms, Consultants, Custom Software Developers, Design Studios; and Internal Corporate Technology and Innovation Teams Within Corporations; and More
This award recognizes high-potential, high-growth companies that are five years old or younger and have shown the greatest development/progress and market traction, including significant year-over-year growth and a solid management team.
Who should enter? Technology-driven startups formed within the past 5 years: all industries. Can include Hardware, IoT, Biotech, Medtech, CleanTech and Sustainability, AI and Machine Learning, Blockchain, Cryptocurrency Startups; and more
This award recognizes high-growth, innovation-driven companies older than five years that have attained a pinnacle of achievement within the tech industry. These path-cutting pioneers are showcases of extraordinary leadership and performance.
Who should enter? Established Technology Companies and Scale-up Companies
There will be two awards for this category, one for companies with less than 500 employees and one for companies with 500 or more employees.
This award recognizes tech R&D and product development efforts and other trailblazing discoveries that are on path to ground-breaking products that have significant impact potential to transform a product category or an entire industry. This award is focused on customer facing products, not internal innovation or transformation projects.
Who should enter? Tech Companies, Startups, Individual Innovators, Government Agencies, Research Institutions and More
Recognizes organizations and their programs or platforms that inspire and open doors for STEM talent, create economic opportunities and have a positive impact on talent pipeline development and the future workforce. Learn more about each organization here.
WINNER: Brian Belch
Recognizes outstanding and high-achieving licensed computer science teachers who teach full CS courses at any public, charter, parochial or other school in the state of Indiana.
Winner to be selected by NexTech.
Recognizes visionary leaders helping underserved students in Indiana access experiential learning that inspires the pursuit of STEM careers. Winner to be selected by TechPoint Foundation for Youth.
Learn more about each nominee here.
Recognizes teams that achieved a significant milestone in cutting-edge technology development, tech discovery or R&D; product development, design or engineering; or other innovation advancements. Learn more about each team here.
Recognizes exceptional student startup founders and/or operators of any age and experience who have started a company or launched a product or service and generated revenue. Learn more about each student here.
Recognizes exceptional startup founders and/or operators of any age and experience who have looked outside the box, started something new, and generated momentum. Learn more about each entrepreneur here.
WINNER: the City of South Bend’s Department of Innovation and Technology
Recognizes companies that are developing talent through skills-based hiring of STEM roles; advancing diversity, equity and inclusion; cultivating workplace culture; and making a positive impact in the community.
Winner to be selected by an independent judging panel.
WINNER: Kate Maxwell
Recognizes inspiring and influential visionaries whose contributions have had lasting and significant impact on the state and its technology ecosystem. Trailblazers are innovative risk-takers whose achievements and bold leadership are catalysts for growth and success.
Winner to be selected by TechPoint Executive Committee.
Recognizes the relentless spirit of those who have turned adversity into opportunities, inspiring others with stories of their journey to success and leadership within Indiana’s tech and digital innovation communities. Learn more about each nominee here.
Recognizes teams from any industry that have demonstrated outstanding vision and innovation for driving digital adoption, and leveraging technology to revolutionize and elevate their operations and/or overall industry standards. Learn more about each team here.
Recognizes tech R&D efforts and other trailblazing discoveries that are on path to ground-breaking products that have significant impact potential to transform a product category or an entire industry. Learn more about each company here.
Evaluation Criteria:
Recognizes outstanding innovations in the development and application of hardware technology, particularly those that push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of advanced manufacturing.
Conexus Indiana through its Select Committee determines finalists and winner for this award from the 2023 Indiana Manufacturing Readiness Grant recipients.
Read more about the nominees here.
WINNER: Anu
Recognizes the winner of HungerTech, a month-long technology challenge that tasks innovators with ideating and implementing tech solutions that connect people experiencing food insecurity to adequate and sustainable food sources.
This award includes a $25,000 cash grant and the winner is selected through HungerTech Challenge Select Committee.
WINNER: Sortera
Recognizes technology-related Indiana companies and/or their investors that have secured the most investment capital in a single round or effected a merger or acquisition transaction or public listing with the highest enterprise value.
Winner to be selected by the TechPoint Executive Committee.
Recognizes the remarkable contributions of mission-driven organizations that have helped to pull our tech community forward—the impact makers of the year. These inspiring champions are creating a brighter, more equitable future for everyone. Learn more about each organization here.
Recognizes professional services firms or internal corporate teams that are pioneering transformative technology solutions or providing other professional innovation services that demonstrate excellence, creativity, and impact for clients or the industry at large. Learn more about each company here.
Recognizes high-potential, high-growth companies that are five years old or younger and have shown the greatest development/progress and market traction, including significant year-over-year growth and a solid management team. Learn more about each startup here.
Recognizes high-growth, innovation-driven companies older than five years that have attained a pinnacle of achievement within the tech industry. These pathfinding pioneers are showcases of extraordinary leadership and performance. Learn more about each company here.