Nomination Deadline

August 31, 2012 (Applications can be completed online or sent via e-mail, mail or fax, but they must be received by August 31, 2012).

Eligibility

Any company or individual in the 16-county Fort Wayne region is eligible to enter the competition. The counties include Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Elkhart, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley as well as Defiance, Paulding, Van Wert and Williams counties in Ohio. The company can be a subsidiary of a larger corporation, but the innovation must have been developed in the 16-county region. Businesses and individuals can fill out the applications themselves or be nomiated by others.

Timeline

Category winners will be selected and notified in August. Each winner will appear before the panel of judges in September, making a brief presentation about the company and innovation as well as answering questions. The judges will select the Innovator of the Year, which will be announced at the November 3 luncheon. The winners will also be featured in a special Innovation Awards publication that will be distributed at the event and inserted into Business Weekly's November 4 issue.

Categories

• Emerging Company: Firms with three or less employees, including those in the business plan stage.
• Health Care: Hospitals, physician practices, medical device manufacturers and other health care firms.
• Manufacturing & Distribution: Manufacturers and distributors from any industry.
• Real Estate, Construction & Design: Firms serving the local commercial and residential real estate markets.
• Retail: Any retail business
• Professional Services: Any professional services firm.
• Technology: Hardware, software, technology support and other technology-related firms.

What is an innovation?

For the purpose of these awards, "innovation" is being broadly defined. It could be an entirely new business concept. It could be a business concept new to this region, but one that exists elsewhere. It could be a new business process that reduces costs or brings in new customers. The innovation could come from a start-up based in a garage or an outpost of a Fortune 500 company that is located in the 16-county region. The keys is that it is innovative. Entries will be judged on whether the innovation has proved itself as a commercial success or has a clear path towards becoming a commercial success.

Questions

If you have questions about the Innovation Awards, contact Lynn Sroufe at lsroufe@kpcnews.net or by calling (260) 426-2640 x304.