Chicago, IL: The top 75 finalists for the prestigious 2012 Chicago Innovation Awards were released today from a selection of almost 400 nominations received this year. The finalists reflect a cross section of the Chicago and surrounding regions’ best innovators of products and services from the public or private sectors. On Monday, October 22 ten innovators will receive the 2012 Chicago Innovation Awards in front of over 1,500 business and civic leaders at Chicago’s Harris Theater.
The Awards, celebrating its 11th year, is the only organization in the country dedicated to honoring the most innovative new products or services brought to market or to public service from a specific region. Some of last year’s winners included Red Frog Events, Narrative Science and ITW’s Global Capless Refueling System. Over the past 10 years 100 innovators have been recognized and all are still in business.
“The most important message of the Chicago Innovation Awards is one of confidence and courage,” said Thomas D. Kuczmarski, co-founder with Chicago journalist Dan Miller of the awards. “The economy is challenging but each nominee believes the simple truth that a powerful new product or service will find a rewarding market and has the courage to pursue their vision.”
The Top 75 finalists receive a scholarship to attend a day-long executive education program on September 18th titled “The Practical Innovator”, taught at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. It is a full-day executive education course teaching practical skills of innovation.
This year 13 judges, reflecting a cross section of Chicago’s business community, will be involved in a comprehensive judging system to select the final ten winners of the Chicago Innovation Awards as well as ten “Up & Comer” awards for smaller companies and organizations still in the start-up phases of their innovations. In addition, each of the 75 finalists is automatically in the running for the annual “People’s Choice Award,” selected through online balloting at www.chicagoinnovationawards.com.
Following are the 2012 Chicago Innovation Award finalists:
Name of Organization Innovation Location
1871 1871 Chicago
Agentis Energy The Agentis Platform Chicago
Al Incube, Inc. FasPark Chicago
Akoo International Akoo Rosemont
Allscripts Allscripts Wand Chicago
AuraSense AuraSense Skokie
Baum Development The Green Exchange Chicago
Belly Belly Chicago
BrightTag BrightTag ONE Chicago
Britannica Digital Learning Britannica Pathways: Science Chicago
BriteSeed SafeSnips Chicago
Buzz Referrals Referral Marketing Platform Chicago
Catamaran Enhanced Coordination of Benefits Lisle
Champion Medical Technologies RecallConnect Lake Zurich
Clean Energy Trust Clean Tech Commercialization Chicago
Code Academy Code Academy Chicago
Coyote Logistics Private Fleet Chicago
Crate and Barrel 3D Room Designer Northbrook
Cummins Allison JetScan iFXTM i100 Scanner Mt. Prospect
Demibooks Demibooks Composer Chicago
Diamond MMA Compression Jock Northbrook
Echo Global Logistics FlexTMS Chicago
Edit Huddle Fix It Chicago
Elevance Renewable Sciences Elevance Integrated Biorefinery Woodridge
Elkay Perfect Drain Oak Brook
EverybodySafe EverybodySafe Libertyville
Feeding America School Pantry Program Chicago
Food Genius Food Genius Chicago
Girl Scouts My Girl Scout Sash is an App Chicago
GiveForward Crowdfunding for Medical Expenses Chicago
Greater Than Greater Than Chicago
Ifbyphone Ifbyphone Interact Chicago
iLights SpellBrite Chicago
Jones Lang LaSalle IntelliCommand Chicago
Kip Solutions Kip Solutions Chicago
Kriisa Research K-Chip Semiconductor Device Decatur
ktMINE Royalty Rate Resource Guide Chicago
Littlefuse TMOV25S /TMOV34S Varistor Chicago
Medline Biomask Mundelein
Medline Iris Mundelein
MentorMob MentorMob Chicago
Midtronics GRX-5100 Willowbrook
Mobcart Mobcart Chicago
Mojolicious MojoBistro Downers Grove
Moneythink Financial Education Mentoring Chicago
Motorola Solutions MOTOTRBO SL Series Schaumburg
Mu Sigma Mu Sigma Chicago
NanoInk Protein Nanoarray Assays Skokie
NCSA Athletic Recruiting Recruiting Management System 3.0 Chicago
Neighbor Capital Neighbor Carts Chicago
New Futuro New Futuro Chicago
Northwestern Global Health Foundation LYNX p24 Test Evanston
NuMat Technologies NuMat Technologies Evanston
OptionsCity Software Freeway Chicago
PolyBrite International Borealis A19 LED Light Bulb Naperville
Radio Flyer Build-A-Wagon Chicago
RECSOLU RECSOLU Campus Chicago
Redbox UI 2.0 Oakbrook Terrace
Retrofit Retrofit Weight Loss Skokie
Serta iComfort Sleep System Hoffman Estates
Shure Axient Wireless Mgmt Network Niles
SMS Assist Real Time Vendor Management Chicago
Spend Radar Spend Radar Data Manager Chicago
Sprout Social Sprout Social Chicago
SwipeSense SwipeSense Evanston
TargetData TargetData Chicago
The Jellyvision Lab ALEXTM Chicago
The University of Chicago Library The Joe and Rika Mansueto Library Chicago
ULTA-LIT Technologies LED Keeper Glenview
VHT ImageWorks Rosemont
VivaKi ASq Chicago
Wellspring Worldwide Sophia Knowledge Supply Chain Chicago
YCharts YCharts PRO Chicago
Zealous Good Zealous Good Matching Platform Chicago
ZigMail ZigMail Chicago
For more information contact:
Chicago Innovation Awards
Luke Tanen
Executive Director
312-988-1516
