Winning a Mira Award attracts new customers and increases sales, boosts recruiting efforts, opens doors with investors, analysts and media, and has a positive impact on brand awareness. Use the links below to find out how winning helped past honorees grow their businesses, and learn about past winners.
THE 2023 ENTRY PROCESS WILL OPEN DECEMBER 13, 2022
What can you do to prepare? Start working on your achievement story. Whether it’s a new product or service, a unique project or a dramatic company growth story, how are you going to share what you have achieved with the judges? What analytics will you provide to back up the significance of your accomplishments? Our staff is also available to consult with you to help determine the best category for you to enter and to provide best practices for a quality application. Contact Joshua Hall at joshua@techpoint.org.
The 2022 Mira Awards categories are summarized and provided in detail with the full description and judging criteria for each category in the 2022 Entry Kit.
The application form for the Mira Awards is straightforward with one main required essay and blanks for supporting information and data. In order to prepare the best application, review the Categories & Criteria Guide inside the 2022 Entry Kit.
Our 2021 Mira Awards gala playlist on YouTube includes 35 videos of acceptance speeches, winner interviews and the full awards broadcast.
A Limited number of sponsorships are available. View the Sponsor Prospectus or contact our Relationship Management team at RM@techpoint.org to learn more about sponsoring the Mira Awards.
Stay tuned for details on next year’s tickets!
Tickets to the Mira Awards always sell out. Make your plans now and become a sponsor or purchase individual tickets early. Follow TechPoint in Eventbrite to get notified when tickets go on sale.
The Rising Entrepreneur Award recognizes exceptional startup founders of any age and experience who have looked outside the box, started something new, and have great potential for future success. This award celebrates the courage and industriousness of rising tech leaders as well as their impact on the community.
Serial entrepreneur Yaw Aning’s latest venture is Malomo, a shipment tracking platform for high-growth merchants. It has tracked millions of shipments since Yaw co-founded the company in late 2018, and grew 500% in 2020. The company’s 2.7M seed investment was the largest raised by a black founder last year.
The Trailblazer Award recognizes visionaries whose contributions have had lasting and significant impact on the state and its technology ecosystem. Trailblazers are among the tech community’s most inspiring and influential players. They are innovative risk-takers whose achievements and bold leadership are catalysts for growth and success.
Justin Christian, CEO and Founder of BCforward
Justin Christian co-founded IT consulting firm BCforward in 1998, which he has since grown into the state’s largest Information Technology solutions and staffing corporation and one of the top ten largest black-owned companies in the country. Employing more than 6,500 people in 47 states in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, Europe and India, BCforward and its subsidiaries are major players in IT consulting and workforce fulfillment for the Fortune 1000 and governments worldwide.
The Bridge Builder Award recognizes visionary leaders who are helping underserved student populations in Indiana gain access to experiential learning opportunities that inspire the pursuit of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers.
Carlotta Berry, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, is a highly regarded, internationally known engineering and robotics expert who is a vocal and relentless STEM education advocate, especially for underrepresented students like she was entering college in the late 1980s.
The Investor of the Year award spotlights angel investors or investment firms who bring capital plus outstanding connections, advice and attention to Indiana tech companies. This award category recognizes all types of investors who bet on Indiana tech companies and serve as critical mentors and connectors.
With 15 separate investments and follow-on fundings, IU Ventures at Indiana University was one of the most active funding sources in the state during the pandemic. IU Ventures dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion is a great example for others, as more than 50% of the companies IU Ventures has invested in since 2018 have had women or minority founders, CEOs, or other C-suite members.
The Community Impact Award celebrates mission-driven people or organizations that have helped to push our tech community forward–the impact makers of the year. Whether it’s through a corporation, an agency, a social enterprise, or through grit and determination as an individual, these inspiring champions have made a difference for all of us.
Anushree Bag, Executive Director of Risk and Compliance, Indiana Office of TechnologyAnushree Bag founded Government Women in Technology (GWIT), an affinity group addressing the underrepresentation of women that is the first-of-its-kind, not only in the State of Indiana, but in any U.S. state government. Today, GWIT is thriving with members across 24 Indiana state agencies and with potential to expand nationally.
The Tech Education Award recognizes educators, organizations, mentors and others who inspire and open doors for learners of all ages through the creative, innovative application and/or support of technology. These leaders respond to the diverse needs of students and have an undeniably positive impact on student achievement and the future workforce.
The ITS team at Ivy Tech Community College spent most of 2020 building and implementing what one Salesforce official has called, “the most innovative and comprehensive student system in all of higher education nationally.” The new constituent relationship management platform is a complex and multi-dimensional system that is essentially an engine driving every aspect of student, staff and faculty engagement, delivering highly personalized and positive experiences.
The Rising Tech City Award honors a city, town, region or community within the state of Indiana and celebrates the projects and the people behind them who have championed the location’s advancement with particular emphasis on tech friendliness. The emphasis is on developing compelling places where diverse, tech-skilled people want to live.
During the nation’s moment of economic crisis, Bloomington’s development partners were fearlessly investing in tech community building and driving new economic activity. Instead of shrinking away from new projects, Bloomington’s tech partners rededicated themselves to South Central Indiana’s established initiatives, launched critically important new ones, and worked to support the businesses that make it such an exciting time for tech in Bloomington.
Tech Product of the Year recognizes ground-breaking and disruptive new tech products that highlight the innovation coming from Indiana. These commercially available, technology-based products (hardware or software) have demonstrated that they have lasting ability and the potential to become a technology staples.
As the world was racing to find hand sanitizer during the pandemic, 3Oe Scientific introduced a cloud-enabled smart device called IGGY, which sanitizes hands in seven seconds using aqueous ozone, a process that was developed at Delta Faucet Company by one of 3Oe’s co-founders. It’s the first major improvement in hand hygiene in decades and represents a leap forward in reducing the spread of viruses like COVID-19 because it’s so easy to use and is 99.9% effective.
The Service Partner of the Year award celebrates exceptional work by professional services firms or internal teams who created the year’s best solutions, which are defined as the development of tech products or other professional services for a tech company. Services may be related to IT/cyber, design/branding, marketing/PR, legal/accounting, consulting, data science or other.
Located in Jasper, Ind., PIER Group is a woman-owned consulting firm that provides tech solutions for the research and education industry. The solutions PIER Group provided to their university clients in response to the pandemic included the design and deployment of regional and local hot spots—which they stood up in a matter of weeks—to enable remote learning.
The Innovation of the Year award honors scientific achievements, R&D efforts and other trailblazing discoveries. The emphasis is on market disrupting new technologies, which may include completed products, that have the potential to change a market, an industry, an economy or even the world.
NearWave ImagerWhat began as a class project for two PhD students at the University of Notre Dame, is now a potential game-changer in the fight against breast cancer. NearWave is a non-invasive handheld imaging device that not only saves up to $14 billion annually, but could save tens of thousands of lives. NearWave is used for early detection and determining the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatment, delivering results in days rather than months.
The Exceptional Employer Award celebrates tech companies that are doing an exceptional job of hiring and developing talent, cultivating workspaces and workplace culture, and deliberately increasing diversity. These companies recognize their role in workforce development and place value on recruiting, training and continuing education.
Certified B Corporation GadellNet Consulting Services is a managed service provider for small- to medium-sized businesses that has appeared on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America list for the past nine years. The company built an internal Leadership Academy, providing $3,000 a year for each employee to spend on training, and they have a full-time training and development leader dedicated to facilitating upskilling opportunities.
The Large Enterprise of the Year award recognizes tech and tech-enabled companies that put a premium on talent development, diversity and inclusion; continuously demonstrate exceptional innovation that solidifies their market leadership positions; and help to bolster Indiana’s reputation and reality as a home for technological excellence.
Enabled by numerous advanced technologies, Lilly brought the full force of its scientific, medical and technical expertise to attack COVID-19, while keeping its employees safe and continuing to supply medicines for the 40 million people around the world who rely on them. Lilly was the first pharmaceutical company in the country to offer on-site drive-through testing, which they launched in just three weeks. The speed by which Lilly conceptualized, developed and delivered solutions to the global crisis matched the urgency of the moment and, once again, proved the company’s value to the city, state, country and to the world.
The Startup of the Year award recognizes new companies with in-market tech products or services that have shown the greatest development over the last year based on growth and impact. These trailblazing ventures demonstrate the creative, strategic and innovative entrepreneurial spirit of Indiana’s technology community.
In 2020, Malomo’s shipment tracking platform helped ecommerce merchants and their customers track more than seven million orders around the world, alerting them of delivery issues as they happen. The startup has transformed shipping from a cost center into a profitable marketing channel by driving millions of dollars in repeat revenue for retailers. Malomo also doubled its headcount and grew its revenue by 500% last year.
The Scale-up of the Year award celebrates high-growth, innovation-driven businesses that provide technology products or services (or highly tech-enabled businesses). These emerging companies have built up traction beyond the startup stage, and they could be Indiana’s next big success stories.
Socio re-engineered its in-person events management platform in less than three months, stood up a Professional Services team and continued hiring to keep up with an explosion in demand for virtual events during the pandemic. Socio has since found a recipe for continued success with its approach to hybrid events. The company is profitable and preparing to double in size and revenue again this year, al
This award recognizes tech employers who responded to the pandemic in remarkable ways to serve societal or customer needs, to seize opportunities created by market demand shifts, or to survive amidst very difficult challenges.
The global pandemic was an existential threat to OneCause and the entire fundraising event industry, plummeting from hundreds of in-person events a week to zero. However, the nonprofit fundraising platform and solutions provider made smart, creative moves that earned the company 1,400 new customers, many of which used OneCause’s new Virtual Event Center, and they helped those nonprofits raise half a billion dollars last year.
This award recognizes tech employers who responded to the pandemic in remarkable ways to serve societal or customer needs, to seize opportunities created by market demand shifts, or to survive amidst very difficult challenges.
The global pandemic was an existential threat to OneCause and the entire fundraising event industry, plummeting from hundreds of in-person events a week to zero. However, the nonprofit fundraising platform and solutions provider made smart, creative moves that earned the company 1,400 new customers, many of which used OneCause’s new Virtual Event Center, and they helped those nonprofits raise half a billion dollars last year.
The Rising Entrepreneur Award recognizes exceptional startup founders of any age and experience who have looked outside the box, started something new, and have great potential for future success. This award celebrates the courage and industriousness of rising tech leaders as well as their impact on the community.
Our platform analyzes and activates your customers’ voices to reveal transformational opportunities in healthcare.
The Investor of the Year award spotlights angel investors or investment firms who bring capital plus outstanding connections, advice and attention to Indiana tech companies. This award category recognizes all types of investors who bet on Indiana tech companies and serve as critical mentors and connectors.
We believe communities and regions across Indiana can achieve more when they make entrepreneurism part of their DNA
The Bridge Builder Award recognizes visionary leaders who are helping underserved student populations in Indiana gain access to experiential learning opportunities that inspire the pursuit of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers.
The STEM ConnectionVera Vander Kooy founded the STEM Connection in 2014, with the mission of encouraging diversity, inclusion and equity in STEM. In its first year, the program served about 100 participants. In the past five years, 17,500 participants have taken part in offerings ranging from day camps, field trips, professional development opportunities, family events, STEM Future Leaders and community engagements.
The Community Impact Award celebrates mission-driven people or organizations that have helped to push our tech community forward–the impact makers of the year. Whether it’s through a corporation, an agency, a social enterprise, or through grit and determination as an individual, these inspiring champions have made a difference for all of us.
In partnership with The Last Mile program, Indiana is the first state outside of California to teach software coding skills to incarcerated persons. The small pilot blossomed in 2019 into a multi-facility program in Indiana that’s already having an impact. Providing offenders who are serving their time with transferable skills has a huge impact on reducing recidivism and creates a powerful career pathway to high demand job opportunities.
The Tech Education Award recognizes educators, organizations, mentors and others who inspire and open doors for learners of all ages through the creative, innovative application and/or support of technology. These leaders respond to the diverse needs of students and have an undeniably positive impact on student achievement and the future workforce.
NextechNon-profit focused on delivering education to the K-12 space
The Rising Tech City Award honors a city, town, region or community within the state of Indiana and celebrates the projects and the people behind them who have championed the location’s advancement with particular emphasis on tech friendliness. The emphasis is on developing compelling places where diverse, tech-skilled people want to live.
What was once a shuttered military base, is now considered the model for mixed use redevelopment throughout the U.S. Fort Ben Tech Campus has emerged as a unique and picturesque home to a network of nearly 30 tech companies. Located in the City of Lawrence, the campus made great strides in 2019, attracting new companies, talent and investment, with several projects breaking ground this summer.
Tech Product of the Year recognizes ground-breaking and disruptive new tech products that highlight the innovation coming from Indiana. These commercially available, technology-based products (hardware or software) have demonstrated that they have lasting ability and the potential to become a technology staples.
hc1The bioinformatics leader in precision testing and prescribing.
The Service Partner of the Year award celebrates exceptional work by professional services firms or internal teams who created the year’s best solutions, which are defined as the development of tech products or other professional services for a tech company. Services may be related to IT/cyber, design/branding, marketing/PR, legal/accounting, consulting, data science or other.
A modern consulting firm focused on data, tech, and digital transformation. Working to help clients, coworkers, and communities thrive.
The Innovation of the Year award honors scientific achievements, R&D efforts and other trailblazing discoveries. The emphasis is on market disrupting new technologies, which may include completed products, that have the potential to change a market, an industry, an economy or even the world.
Anvl helps companies ensure their employees make it home at the end of the day.
The Exceptional Employer Award celebrates tech companies that are doing an exceptional job of hiring and developing talent, cultivating workspaces and workplace culture, and deliberately increasing diversity. These companies recognize their role in workforce development and place value on recruiting, training and continuing education.
UKG is a leading global provider of human capital management and workforce management solutions based in Lowell, Mass. and Weston, Fla.
The Large Enterprise of the Year award recognizes tech and tech-enabled companies that put a premium on talent development, diversity and inclusion; continuously demonstrate exceptional innovation that solidifies their market leadership positions; and help to bolster Indiana’s reputation and reality as a home for technological excellence.
We are more than 6,000 professionals for whom flight – and the business of flying – are equal parts art and science.
The Startup of the Year award recognizes new companies with in-market tech products or services that have shown the greatest development over the last year based on growth and impact. These trailblazing ventures demonstrate the creative, strategic and innovative entrepreneurial spirit of Indiana’s technology community.
Evidence-based developer hiring platform.
The Scale-up of the Year award celebrates high-growth, innovation-driven businesses that provide technology products or services (or highly tech-enabled businesses). These emerging companies have built up traction beyond the startup stage, and they could be Indiana’s next big success stories.
A modern consulting firm focused on data, tech, and digital transformation. Working to help clients, coworkers, and communities thrive.
The Scale-up of the Year award celebrates high-growth, innovation-driven businesses that provide technology products or services (or highly tech-enabled businesses). These emerging companies have built up traction beyond the startup stage, and they could be Indiana’s next big success stories.
Software Management Built for the Cloud
This award recognizes educators who inspire students to learn and whose creative, innovative application of technology in the classroom or other learning environments has had a positive impact on student achievement.
This award category recognizes all types of investors who bet on Indiana tech companies and serve as critical mentors and connectors beyond the financial instrument.
The TechPoint Foundation for Youth Bridge Builder Award recognizes visionary leaders who are helping Indiana’s underserved, K-12 student populations gain access to experiential learning opportunities that increase STEM knowledge and inspire STEM career exploration.
The Trailblazer Award recognizes visionaries whose contributions have had lasting and significant impact on the state and its technology ecosystem. Trailblazers are among the state’s most inspiring and influential players. They are innovative risk-takers whose achievements and bold leadership are catalysts for tech growth and success.
This award recognizes a young person who is both an entrepreneur and a contributor to the tech community. The emphasis for this award is on the impact made and demonstrated outstanding, continuous achievement.
This award category celebrates and thanks people who have championed the advancement of Indiana’s tech community.
This award category recognizes a city, town, region or community within the state of Indiana and celebrates the projects and the people behind them who have championed the location’s advancement with particular emphasis on tech friendliness.
City of Fishers is a Government entity.
This award category recognizes innovative new commercially available, technology-based products (hardware or software).
SIMBA Chain is a completely new category of product that solves an increasingly important global security problem while literally reducing something incredibly complex down to just four simplified steps.
This award category recognizes the year’s best solution, which is defined as including delivery to a client of technology product(s) and professional services to solve a particular problem or take advantage of a specific opportunity.
Raytheon is a U.S.-based defense and industrial contractor.
This award category recognizes scientific achievements, the results of R&D efforts and other trailblazing, market disrupting new technologies, which may include completed products.
Innovative Neurological Devices LLC, the maker of the Cervella CES system, is a medical device company located in Carmel, Indiana.
This category recognizes tech companies that are doing an exceptional job of hiring and developing talent, cultivating workspaces and workplace culture, and deliberately increasing diversity. Special attention is paid to employers that recognize their role in the workforce development pipeline and place value on recruiting, training and ongoing professional development.
Housed in the Center of Excellence, GEICO IT in Indy ensures GEICO is on the bleeding edge of the newest technologies.
This award category recognizes exceptional innovation and market position that is helping Indiana to become a recognized technology leader.
CumminsCummins Inc. designs, manufactures, sells and services diesel and alternative fuel engines from 2.8 to 95 liters, diesel and alternative-fueled electrical generator sets from 2.5 to 3,500 kW, as well as related components and technology.
The New Tech Startup of the Year category recognizes startups with great potential that demonstrate the creative, strategic and innovative entrepreneurial spirit of Indiana’s technology industry.
Encamp is an environmental software company that helps companies save time, minimize risk, and protect human and environmental health.
This award category recognizes high-growth, innovation-driven companies that provide technology products or services (or are a highly tech-enabled business), are gaining traction and could be Indiana’s next big success stories.
Software and services platform helping brands on Amazon source, launch, and dominate.
A highly innovative and ground-breaking commercially available tech product that burst onto the scene and took it by storm in the last year.
Heliponix™ provides consumers an innovative yet sustainable way to produce food on their property with the minimal amount of land and water.
This game-changing solution combines technology with professional services to solve a specific problem, disrupt the market or anticipate demand.
Codelicious provides computer science curriculum for elementary and middle school educators
Research and development created a brand new way of doing things that revolutionizes, advances, or creates new tech industries and fields.
PivotCX helps employers make their hiring process faster, more personal, more accurate and more efficient.
The strategic Indiana innovator who has dramatically impacted the value, development and success of their company.
The Information Services Agency is the provider of IT service, strategy and solutions for City of Indianapolis & Marion County government.
This company gets two thumbs up from its employees. With a collaborative, productive, and creative environment, who wouldn’t want to work here?
Springbuk is a health data analytics solution that equips employers with insights and expertise needed to sharpen benefits strategy.
The new company that’s kicking butt and taking names this year. They’ll be the one to watch in the future.
With our streamlined mobile app and web platform, FreightRover is the intersection between transportation and technology.
These innovative, growing businesses are thinking big and they want to be Indiana’s next big breakout tech companies.
SpringbukSpringbuk is a health data analytics solution that equips employers with insights and expertise needed to sharpen benefits strategy.
These innovative, growing businesses are thinking big and they want to be Indiana’s next big breakout tech companies.
SupplyKickPotential. Delivered. Moving brands forward on Amazon since 2013.
This booming company may be thinking nationally, but they haven’t forgotten their Hoosier roots. They’re helping to put Indiana on the map in the technology world.
Salesforce, the Customer Success Platform and world’s #1 CRM, empowers companies to connect with their customers in a whole new way.
For an angel investor or investment firm principal who brings money plus exceptional connections, advice and attention to Indiana companies.
We are a venture studio that conceives, launches, and scales next-generation enterprise cloud and SaaS companies.
For a person or organization who, though maybe not in tech themselves, has gone above and beyond to support the advancement of Indiana’s tech community.
Kristen Cooper, CEO & Founder, The Startup Ladies
For an individual doing an exceptional job of inspiring, educating and preparing the future members of Indiana’s tech sector.
Informatics Diversity-Enhanced Workforce (iDEW), IU School of Informatics and Computing at IUPUI
For an individual under 30 with achievements beyond their years and potential for significant future success.
Ellie Symes, CEO, The Bee Corp
This bold visionary, hand-picked by the board of directors, takes significant risks in order to create lasting impacts on the tech community in Indiana.
John Wechsler, Founder, Launch Fishers and Indiana IoT Lab
student populations in Indiana gain access to experiential learning opportunities that inspire the pursuit of STEM careers. TechPoint Foundation for Youth is committed to inspiring the state’s underserved K-12 students to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The Foundation believes that youth should be equipped to address Indiana’s growing demand for a skilled workforce.
Jeffrey C. Musgrove Jr., Digital Development Lead at Eli Lilly and Company
Mobile device recovery services for businesses, schools, and their partners who supply and manage mobile assets in their environment.
Whether focused on learning, collaborating, celebrating or hacking, events bring our community together face-to-face, keep us connected and drive positive networks.
UKG is a leading global provider of human capital management and workforce management solutions based in Lowell, Mass. and Weston, Fla.
Tech firms know how to put their best foot forward and it shows in their workplaces. These are the coolest, most striking and unusual tech spaces in our community.
DeveloperTown helps leaders validate, design, and build new products.
Research and development created a brand new way of doing things that revolutionizes, advances, or creates new tech industries and fields.
Arrhythmotech is the world leader in non-invasive detection and analytics of ‘fight-or-flight’ nervous system activity.
A highly innovative and ground-breaking commercially available tech product that burst onto the scene and took it by storm in the last year.
Traffic Cloud™ – The Customer Acquisition platform. Simply put, DemandJump doubles marketing performance for our customers, across channels.
This game-changing solution combines technology with professional services to solve a specific problem, disrupt the market or anticipate demand.
A social media research firm that uses real-time information from social media to provide meaningful business intelligence.
The strategic Indiana innovator who has dramatically impacted the value, development and success of their company.
The company was founded in 2015 in Indianapolis, IN. We currently have 7 locations throughout Indianapolis, Kansas City and Columbus, OH.
This company gets two thumbs up from it’s employees. With a collaborative, productive, and creative environment, who wouldn’t want to work here?
Passionately providing easy vision solutions while serving and celebrating our diverse communities.
The new company that’s kicking butt and taking names this year. They’ll be the one to watch in the future.
The company was founded in 2015 in Indianapolis, IN. We currently have 7 locations throughout Indianapolis, Kansas City and Columbus, OH.
These innovative, growing businesses are thinking big and they want to be Indiana’s next big breakout tech companies.
DoubleMapDoubleMap provides transit software that enhances the rider experience and improves operational efficiency.
These innovative, growing businesses are thinking big and they want to be Indiana’s next big breakout tech companies.
ClearObjectDigital transformation company highly specialized in IoT Engineering Managed Services, Analytics and Connected Product Development.
This booming company may be thinking nationally, but they haven’t forgotten their Hoosier roots. They’re helping to put Indiana on the map in the technology world.
A highly innovative and ground-breaking commercially available tech product that burst onto the scene and took it by storm in the last year.
At DATTUS, we are building and delivering solutions that will change the future of industrial facilities.
DemandJump
Traffic Cloud™ – The Customer Acquisition platform. Simply put, DemandJump doubles marketing performance for our customers, across channels.
A Mira Award winner for providing cutting edge and industry leading solutions to local and state governments across the US.
Traffic Cloud™ – The Customer Acquisition platform. Simply put, DemandJump doubles marketing performance for our customers, across channels.
pi lab
An elite team to bring their collective product visions to life, pi lab goes beyond making consumer electronics for simple entertainment.
Search & analyze real-time social media content coming from any location in the world. Helping 100s of organizations today.
Modern online bank. Timeless banking principles.
Global leader in Consulting, Technology, Business Process Services | NYSE:WIT | 190,000+ employees | Serving clients across 6 continents
Contact Joshua Hall, Senior Writer and Event Marketing Manager, at joshua@techpoint.org.
