CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Chicago Innovation Awards, the foremost recognition of new products and services brought to market in the Chicago region, announced today its open call for nominations for the 2015 Chicago Innovation Awards season.
“Chicago is becoming widely known as a center of innovation among organizations of all sizes, from the high-tech startups that abound here to the region’s major corporations, and its vibrant non-profit sector,” said Tom Kuczmarski, co-founder with journalist Dan Miller of the Chicago Innovation Awards. “The stories we hear in each and every application inspire us to acknowledge the many ways that businesses of all kinds in the region shape the future of their industries, strengthening the economy and adding to the culture and wellbeing of the Chicago region.”
Past winners of the Chicago Innovation Award have gone on to tremendous success: Since the first awards were given 14 years ago, 100 percent of winning companies remain in business, and 30 have been acquired with cumulative exit totals in excess of $28 billion.
The 14th annual Chicago Innovation Awards will select 100 finalists from all nominations, naming 13 winners at the Chicago Innovation Awards ceremony at the Harris Theater on October 27th. In addition, the awards will recognize 10 Up-and-Comer Award winners to celebrate start-up successes.
Past winners span large and small companies, cutting across all industries, for-profit, non-profit and government sectors.
The Chicago Innovation Awards recognizes winners in the following ways:
- Celebration in front of 1,500 attendees at the Chicago Innovation Awards ceremony
- Ringing of the NASDAQ Bell in New York City to gain recognition on a global stage
- Meetings with Governor Rauner, Mayor Emanuel and Cook County President Preckwinkle
- Featured in a CTA digital advertising campaign
- Coverage in local, regional and national business news publications
The Top 100 Finalists will also receive a scholarship to “The Practical Innovator,” a day-long executive education course focused on innovation at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and inclusion in a full-page ad in the Chicago Tribune. They also will be profiled on the Chicago Innovation Awards website for the People’s Choice Award, which received over 30,000 votes in 2014.
To be eligible, the product or service nominated must be introduced within the past 3 years and have risen from the greater Chicago region, including the northern half of Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and northwest Indiana.
There is no fee for nominations and self-nominations are welcome.
The application deadline is July 31. To submit a nomination, visit http://www.chicagoinnovationawards.com/nominate/.
About The Chicago Innovation Awards
The Chicago Innovation Awards, established in 2002, have grown from a single awards ceremony to a year-long series of events and activities designed to celebrate innovation in the Chicago region, educate people and organizations about the principles of innovation and entrepreneurship, and connect the corners of the economy by building relationships that strengthen companies, stimulate growth and create jobs. The Chicago Innovation Awards recognizes and promotes companies striving to make an impact across public, private and nonprofit sectors, supporting creative innovation and ideas that drive all industries and serving as a catalyst for business growth. The organization’s expansion has included formation of the Chicago Innovation Foundation, which promotes innovation education and provides scholarships to college students each year. For more information, visit www.chicagoinnovationawards.com. To follow Chicago Innovation Awards on social media, visit its Twitter (@Chi_Innovation) and Facebook sites.
