With the spring weather here, it won’t be long until we will all feel the heat of summer.
What better time to name our 2024 KY Inno Fire winners?
That was our thinking, as for the first time we will be naming our Inno Fire honorees later this summer. In years past we've held these awards closer to the end of the year.
Nominations are open until Monday, April 29, so be sure to send them in TODAY (after you are finished reading this).
Just like in 2023, winners will be chosen from five categories, which are as follows:
- The Ecosystem-Builders: The people working behind the scenes that are moving ecosystems forward and growing momentum for entrepreneurs. Previous winners have included Larry Horn from Amplify Louisville, Monique Quarterman from KY Innovation, and Buddy Steen from the Western Kentucky University Innovation Campus.
- The Investors: The people and firms that are funding companies in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Previous winners have included Brook Smith of Wabi Capital and RSLP Ventures, Phoebe Wood and KeyHorse Capital.
- The CEOs: The leaders who are making a name for Kentucky and Southern Indiana on a larger scale. Previous winners have included Stevens Bonhomme of Feedcoyote, Alli Truttmann of Wicked Technologies and Jeremy Jacobs of Eyeconic.tv.
- On the Rise: The startups that have experienced a combination of client, revenue and funding growth. Previous winners have included Better Blend (which also was our 2024 KY Inno Madness winner), GoodMaps and Xena Intelligence.
- The Disruptors: The companies that are leading the charge in new and evolving industries and/or technologies. Previous winners have included HempWood, Melanated Healthcare and New Frontier.
As we have done for our Startups to Watch awards, we are looking for names of startups who have really started to heat up both their respective companies and the ecosystem as a whole — from all over Kentucky and Southern Indiana. You can find a complete review of last year's winners here.
Honorees will be featured in a print edition of Louisville Business First later in the summer.
