Indiana tech innovators and talent development leaders hail from Bloomington, Carmel, Evansville, Gary, Indianapolis, Muncie, South Bend and West Lafayette   

INDIANAPOLIS (February 27, 2025) —  TechPoint, the industry-led growth initiative for Indiana’s digital innovation economy, today honored 20 Indiana tech sector innovators and tech talent development leaders at the 2025 Mira Awards gala, commonly known as “The Oscars of Indiana Tech.” 

More than 1,500 members of the Indiana tech sector gathered at The Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel for the annual gala, now in its 26th year. The Mira Awards are designed to elevate the most innovative companies in Indiana’s tech ecosystem. Winners were selected by a rigorous judging process who reviewed 221 submissions.  

“Indiana’s tech ecosystem is growing deeper and more innovative every year,” said TechPoint President and CEO Ting Gootee. “It’s always a difficult decision, choosing among the state’s wide array of promising leaders and innovators, and this year was no exception. It’s inspiriting to be in the room with this group.” 

Mira award winners announced this evening are below. 

Exceptional Employer of the Year: SEP (Carmel) 

Established in 1988, the 100 percent employee-owned SEP credits its success to a focus on the diversity, daily collaboration and talent of its teams, and company leaders’ commitment to evolve. The full-time, in-person workplace, routinely attracts and retains local talent with opportunity to work remotely for companies across the world and has a 95.6 employee retention rate. Team members are empowered to tell clients kind truths, even if it means sacrificing business. Twenty-five percent and 37.5 percent of SEP’s C-Suite and directors, respectively, is made up of women. The SEP Foundation has awarded five STEM scholarships within the community, opening doors to high school graduates from underrepresented groups across the state and works closely with organizations dedicated to developing Indiana tech talent from underserved groups. 

Digital Transformation of the Year: NextGear Capital (Carmel) 

NextGear Capital (NGC) is the largest independent inventory finance company in North America, providing flexible lines of credit for dealers to purchase inventory from more than 1,000 live and online auctions throughout the United States. The company’s 14,000+ active dealers conduct about 140,000 audits per year via third party staff of more than 350 auditors. This one size fits all approach has been a consistent pain point for dealers as collateral audits are time-consuming and often disrupt operations. Launched in 2024, NextGear’s “Digital Audit Transformation” eliminates the need for third party auditors with its suite of in-house solutions that enriches risk management and offers a best-in-class client experience. Additionally, an industry-first Dealer Self-Audit experience efficiently manages risk with minimal effort needed from clients and the internal team. 

Talent Impact: STARTedUP Foundation (Indianapolis) 

Since 2017, STARTedUP has worked with more than 10,000 students in 59 Indiana counties and has created the largest high school pitch competition in the country. It encourages creativity and critical thinking and provides students with hands-on experiences that build essential skills for the future workforce. In addition, the foundation has trained and supported more than 210 educators. Through partnerships and alliances with private sector companies, STARTedUP is working to expand STEM education in rural and underserved areas, ensuring students have access to quality resources and mentorship, bridging the gap between education and real-world applications. It has collected $15 million for scholarships from 12 university partners and trade schools. More than $650,000 has been awarded to high school students to further their entrepreneurial endeavors. Ninety percent of STARTedUP students choose to remain in Indiana after graduation. 

Higher Education Innovation Award: MathTrack Institute (Indianapolis) 

The only institution to develop an apprenticeship-based bachelor’s degree pathway in Mathematics, MathTrack Institute addresses a critical shortage of qualified mathematics teachers by reimagining how educators are trained, licensed, and professionally developed.  MathTrack successfully lobbied state legislators to include teachers on the NEXTLevel Jobs list, enabling access to work-based learning funds through workforce boards. With partnerships and approvals in multiple states, and licensure reciprocity in 40+ states, MathTrack has developed a far-reaching network that allows it to support teacher licensure and development on a national scale, has advanced the teacher preparation field and fostered a new model of higher education responsive to workforce needs, teacher development, and student outcomes. 

Community Impact Award: IronWorkz (Gary)   

Founded in December 2022, by Faith N. Spencer, Alex Termini, and Emmani Ellis, IronWorkz was created to address long-term equity issues in the Gary area by providing a grassroots-focused, entrepreneurial hub for individuals to create and innovate. Through various programs and initiatives, IronWorkz connects residents with local organizations and resources that can help them develop their ideas and start their own businesses, which stimulates economic growth and promotes self-sufficiency and personal development. The name of the company is an homage to the city’s steel industry, which attracted families from southern states who were looking for opportunities to improve their lives. 

Startup of the Year: rScan (South Bend) 

rScan was established to address inefficiencies and sustainability challenges associated with product returns in the retail industry. The company’s platform empowers users to efficiently establish resale operations. Seamlessly integrating with major retail and e-commerce platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart, rScan’s technology optimizes inventory management, pricing and logistics. This automation simplifies the resale market, creating opportunities for economic growth while contributing to environmental sustainability. rScan, which expects to earn annual revenue of more than $2 million, plans to expand its headquarters in South Bend and create 152 new jobs over the next four years. By promoting the resale of returned products, rScan diverts substantial volumes from landfills, directly contributing to environmental conservation. Strategic partnerships with industry leaders have validated rScan’s technology and demonstrate its potential for scalability and market influence.  

Rising Entrepreneur of the Year: Jorge Saenz (Indianapolis) 

Jorge Saenz launched AeroCore Technologies from his garage, based on his vision for improving jet engine performance and to contribute to national security and environmental sustainability. Currently employing about 100 people, the Lebanon-based company is poised for significant growth and impact. Saenz invented nucleated foam technology, which has helped position AeroCore at the forefront of enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of jet engines for the U.S. military and commercial airlines. In addition to its work in the aerospace sector, AeroCore also provides innovative solutions to the oil and gas industry, specifically in refineries. Saenz, who graduated from West Lafayette High School and Purdue University, also works to develop tech talent and raise awareness of Indiana as an innovation hub. 

Conexus Indiana Manufacturing Innovation Award: Arcamed (Indianapolis) 

Arcamed (est. 2012) is a contract manufacturer of surgical case and tray systems, primarily serving orthopedic Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). In 2018, the company expanded its production capabilities to include precision machined instruments and orthopedic implants, providing surgeons and physicians with what they need to improve a patient’s quality of life. As part of their ongoing innovation strategy, the firm deployed five Universal Robots cobots with integrated machine vision and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, revolutionizing their computer numerical control (CNC) machine tending and press brake production operations. The cobot-based system was implemented by two of Arcamed’s young engineers and paired with custom-designed infeed, outfeed, and part picking processes. The new automation has enabled Arcamed’s production team to flexibly manufacture high-mix, low-volume products, and seamlessly handle parts of varying sizes from as small as a jewelry box to as large as a shoebox.   

AgriNovus Indiana Agbioscience Innovation Award: ReproHealth Technologies (Indianapolis) 

This new award recognizes outstanding startups and innovators within larger agbioscience corporations that are solving some of the world’s biggest challenges while also contributing to economic growth. 

ReproHealth Technologies enables farmers to be more sustainable and efficient. Its founding team has more than 25 years of experience across human and veterinary reproductive medicine, embryology and biomedical engineering and has multiple innovations in reproductive care and technology.  Founder and CEO Dr. Jim Donahue, who began his career as a human fertility doctor, used his unique perspective to provide an innovative solution to a gap in the agbioscience market that has brought new opportunities to the industry. Market response validates the opportunity and need for the company’s technology. 

BioCrossroads Life Sciences Innovation Team Award: GeniPhys (Indianapolis) 

This new award recognizes groundbreaking advancements in life sciences, honoring teams that drive innovation to benefit patients and elevate Indiana’s leadership in health and biotechnology.  

GeniPhys stands out for its pioneering work in regenerative medicine, developing advanced extracellular matrix-based biomaterials that promote natural tissue repair and healing. The company’s innovative solutions address critical challenges in tissue engineering and wound care, offering transformative potential for patient outcomes. As the first-ever recipient of this award, GeniPhys exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and impact that this recognition celebrates. Its work highlights the immense value of Indiana-based life sciences teams in shaping the future of healthcare and advancing the state’s position as a global hub for innovation. 

Resilience Award: Nida Ansari (Indianapolis) 

Ansari was born in the Middle East and moved to the Washington D.C. area as a child seven months before the September 11 attacks. In the aftermath, her father faced discrimination at work, she was told not to speak up in school and a next-door neighbor’s home was raided for having affiliations with the local mosque. Despite Ansari’s academic proficiency, she found little guidance in her high school and was the only Pakistani for most of her time in college. Visa delays kept her in Pakistan for eight weeks during her freshman year, forcing her to withdraw from college for a semester but she graduated on time as a Chemistry major. She faced challenges with her Visa status but continued to successfully pursue advanced degrees. She became a US citizen after 19 years of struggle. After finding corporate success, she launched Karmic Partners to help early-stage entrepreneurs grow their businesses. She serves as an angel investor, is the Chief Innovation Officer at 16 Tech and has helped develop Indiana’s hardtech ecosystem. She works with multiple community groups and established the Networking with Purpose initiative, which has served nearly 80,000 meals to food insecure Hoosiers, Syrians, Turks, and Yemenis.  

Emerging Tech Leader of the Year: Kevin Celisca of Integrate School (Bloomington) 

A first-generation Haitian American, Celisca’s journey to democratize education required him to overcome adversity, personally and professionally. Zip Code discrimination motivated him to level the playing field for all students, regardless of their geographic circumstances. He co-founded Integrate School, a platform that saves teachers across the U.S. hours of administrative work, improves the quality of instruction and provides transparency to parents and administrators. Celisca’simpact goes beyond his product. He is a leader who cares deeply about his team, educators, and the students they serve. He has built a culture at Integrate School that values diversity, collaboration, and constant improvement. His ability to combine empathy with business acumen has enabled him to secure investments, drive growth and build a sustainable, socially impactful company.  

Innovation Service Partner of the Year: Reveal Risk (Carmel) 

The U.S. cybersecurity market is projected to grow to $166.73 billion by 2032, but only a small fraction of amount is directed toward helping businesses teach their workforces what they need to know and do to protect themselves, their families, and their companies from cyber threats. Reveal Risk, launched in 2018, reimagined what advising, transforming and powering a cybersecurity program should be and could become. The company’s Human Risk Management (HRM) / Cyber Workforce Awareness service, which essentially enables clients to stay a step ahead of cyber criminals, has attracted national attention for its potential to address this ever-growing challenge.   

Tech Innovation of the Year: Anu (Evansville) 

Working with Eko Solutions in 2024, Anu overcame key technical limitations in its indoor farming and controlled environment agriculture industries. Historically, indoor farming systems have struggled with low yield densities, power inefficiencies, and labor-intensive operations, making them less viable for high-demand, remote, or urban areas. Anu’s Rotary Aeroponics® system addresses these limitations by offering unprecedented power efficiency, scalability, and ease of use. The system significantly reduces energy consumption while increasing yield density and reducing labor needs through AI-driven automation. The collaboration allows for highly customizable, modular, climate-controlled farms that can be deployed in various verticals, including universities for research and experiential learning, hospitals for food-as-medicine programs, military bases for tactical self-sufficiency, and more. Anu uses AI-driven image data collection to optimize plant growth, reduce water and nutrient usage, to deliver tailored growth environments for each plant. This fusion of AI and agriculture ensures consistency, high quality, and scalability, allowing the technology to be applicable in food security initiatives, high-demand urban settings, and remote locations that face supply chain vulnerabilities. 

Tech Company of the Year with fewer than 500 employees: Accutech Systems (Muncie) 

Accutech started in 1987 as a provider of trust accounting software for community banks. The company has experienced explosive success in areas previously dominated by large fintech companies and now provides comprehensive software platforms to trust and wealth management institutions and to financial planners.  The company also developed a trust platform named Cheetah, which revolutionized the trust industry. It was the first platform of its kind to be cloud native and browser-based, saving clients time and money and delivering enhanced security and has evolved into a comprehensive suite of wealth management solutions focused on efficiency and speed serving hundreds of banking and wealth management clients with hundreds-of-thousands of customers managing hundreds-of-billions of dollars. Unger has declined to relocate the company from Muncie.  Accutech was named to the 2022, 2023 and 2024 Inc. 5000s list of fastest growing privately owned companies.  

Tech Company of the Year with more than 500 employees: Republic Airways (Indianapolis) 

Republic Airways is most commonly known for its fleet of 200+ Embraer aircraft, which fly millions of passengers annually, but its innovative technology solutions set it apart from its peers. The company develops powerful, cross-functional teams that develop and integrate cutting-edge technology into every aspect of company operations. Recent examples of in-house developments include its cloud-native CrewPay system, which simplifies the daily complexities of crewmember pay and expands the reach of the company’s operational tech portfolio, as well as the multi-year YXBlue project that revolutionized the company’s entire suite of Flight, Maintenance (MX) Control, and Ops/Crew Management applications, the very heart of its operation. The Flight and aircraft MX control components were launched in 2024. The Ops/Crew module in on pace to be delivered in 2025. Republic’s investment in technology has led to measurable improvements in its operations, including a more precise flight planning capability. Through it, Republic has reduced the amount of fuel which needs to be loaded per flight, providing tangible results in alignment with its sustainability and community efforts. The company operated 235,000+ flights in 2024 with an on-time performance exceeding 85 percent. 

Four of the Mira awards were announced before the gala:  

  • TechPoint Trailblazer Award: Eli Lilly and Company Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President, Timothy E. Coleman. See news release here. 
  • TechPoint Foundation for Youth’s Bridge Builder Award: Chelsey Thompson, Principal of William Penn STEM Middle School. See news release here.