Volunteers, educators, students, innovators, entrepreneurs and more will be recognized at the 2015 Charlottesville Business Innovation Council awards gala May 21.
Nominations are being accepted through Feb. 28 for nine different categories, seven of which are brand new this year.
“We wanted to make sure the new awards are indicative of the different types of technology we are seeing,” said Tracey Greene, executive director of CBIC. “We are also involving a lot more students.”
This is the 17th annual CBIC Awards Gala and Fundraiser honoring Central Virginia’s most innovative tech-centric businesses and individuals.
Awards include entrepreneur of the year, business of the year, innovator of the year, startup of the year, top job creator of the year, educator of the year, student entrepreneur of the year, volunteer of the year and a social good award.
Greene said CBIC wants to acknowledge and measure those making positive contributions to the innovation ecosystem in the area.
“They add to the vitality of the community,” said Greene.
Two awards that remain the same are the Red Apple award, which is now Teacher of the Year, and the Leadership Award, which is now Volunteer of the Year.
“We want to recognize even more companies working in the entrepreneurial, startup space and tech centric businesses,” said Greene.
Greene said the Social Good Award is particularly interesting as it looks for companies that support a philanthropic effort such as literacy or health and medical needs.
“The new thing about that award is that the people who attend the Awards Gala will vote for the winner that evening,” said Greene.
Finalists of the other awards will be made public in March and the winners will be announced at the Gala.
A panel of judges will choose the award winners, except for CBIC Volunteer of the Year, which will be chosen by CBIC’s board of directors.
This year the gala also moves to a larger event space.
“We have moved to a larger venue since we sold out so far in advance last year,” said Greene. “It will be hosted at The Boars Head Inn to create a celebratory but casual atmosphere.”
Visit the CBIC website at http://cvilleinnovation.org/events/awards to learn more about the new awards offered and to nominate a company or person for a particular award.
