CBJ The Fire Awards 2022 | American City Business Journals | 16 October 2022 | TBA, TBA

The Fire Awards are Inno’s premier recognition program, honoring the companies and organizations setting the local innovation economy ablaze.

In 2022, Chicago Inno will recognize companies and/or organizations who have been fantastic innovators in their local communities. After reviewing inbound nominations, the Inno team and Business Journal staff will select the honorees, grouped into categories. Later, one winner per category will be selected by local judges, and crowned the “Blazer Winner.”

Some things we look for in selecting the Fire Award honorees are new funding rounds, adding headcount, social and community impact, product launches, company pivots, company growth, and amazing stories of innovators reshaping the ecosystem. Fire honorees can include later-stage tech pillars, growth-stage startups, accelerators, venture firms, meetup groups, non-profits, etc. Self-nominations are accepted.

While, Inno accepts nominations there are no qualifying metrics or statistics decide which companies are honored or not. This is by design allowing us to assemble an eclectic, diverse list that represents the true breadth of an ecosystem and the companies/org. that have defined the ‘Year in Local Tech/Startups.’ 

Who can win?
· Individuals
· Founders
· Entrepreneurs
· Community/Service leaders
· Corporate Innovators and Company Leaders
· Educators and Mentors
· Startup companies (bootstrapped to companies who’ve closed several rounds of funding…Growth-stage startups)
· Tech-enabled businesses and Innovative companies (including public companies who have innovation divisions and tech pillars)
· Supporters
· Investors, Investment groups and venture firms
· Co-working Spaces/Accelerators/Incubators
· Meetup groups
· Community organizations and non-profits
· Universities/Colleges – Think innovation programs