IQ Awards honor innovation

Innovation has been a hallmark of the Boulder Valley for decades. From the launch of numerous federal labs in Boulder beginning in the 1950s to IBM Corp.’s arrival in 1965, to TechStars bursting on the scene in 2006, Boulder and surrounding areas have witnessed an increasing wave of entrepreneurship and innovation.

IBM spawned numerous spinoffs, which themselves spawned spinoffs. Celestial Seasonings launched in 1969, helping brew a new natural and organic sector.

Today, a vast and diverse ecosystem – including the University of Colorado Boulder – fosters innovation in many industries, including software, hardware, application development, natural and organic foods, the outdoor industry, aerospace, bioscience – you name it. It’s that culture of innovation that prompted us years ago to launch the IQ Awards, honoring the Innovation Quotient among Boulder Valley companies.

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For most of its history, IQ has focused on awards for specific innovations, such as products and services developed locally, focusing on true innovations that also have sound market potential. The innovations must have come from locally based companies, or from local divisions of national companies.

This year’s IQ Awards will continue to honor those innovative products and services, but with some notable additions, including awards for an Innovator of the Year, Innovative Company of the Year and Incubator/Accelerator of the Year. Here’s a summary of the awards categories:

Innovator(s) of the Year – Honors an individual entrepreneur or researcher. An entrepreneur will be considered for fostering a culture of innovation within their company, while a researcher or team will be considered for a major discovery or innovation.

Innovative Company of the Year – Recognizes a Boulder Valley company for promoting a culture of innovation in the region.

Incubator/Accelerator of the Year – Honors a Boulder Valley incubator or accelerator that has had a major impact promoting innovation in the Boulder Valley.

IQ Awards for Innovative Products or Services – IQ honors products and services that have demonstrated a high degree of innovation, with strong market potential. Up to seven honorees will be named for innovative products or services, broken down into categories.

IQ submissions will be judged by an independent panel, with finalists named in all categories. For the IQ Awards for Innovative Products and Services, finalists will perform mini “pitch-slam” sessions for a panel of local experts on innovation and entrepreneurship.

Judges will seek out innovations that stand out from the crowd, that are very creative and perhaps even unique. Entries will be accepted both from startups and established companies, but the idea must demonstrate that it can lead to a successful business.

Nominations for IQ will be accepted through Sept. 4 and can be submitted online at www.bizwest.com. The IQ Awards program will take place at 5:30 p.m., Oct. 6 at the Boulder Theater.

Christopher Wood can be reached at 303-630-1942 or 970-232-3133 or via email at cwood@bizwestmedia.com.