Nominations are open for the 2022 Fire Awards, Wisconsin Inno's premier annual recognition program.
The Fire Awards looks to honor individuals, companies and organizations across Wisconsin that are setting the technology ecosystem ablaze. Submit nominations here before Oct. 28. Self-nominations are accepted.
We'll be highlighting winners across five categories:
- Growth-stage companies: Later-stage startups or established tech-enabled businesses that have had significant growth in 2022 in terms of revenue, funding, headcount, office footprint, etc.;
- Corporate innovation: Major companies that are tech-enabled or have innovation divisions and have made significant advancements in digital transformation or technology in the past year;
- Ecosystem supporters: This could include mentors, meetup groups, innovation or tech-related nonprofits, education institutions or programs, co-working spaces, accelerators and incubators, investment groups or venture firms, etc.;
- Emerging technology: Companies, individuals or groups involved with technologies like crypto, blockchain, web3, augmented reality/virtual reality, decentralized finance, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, robotics, genomics, non fungible tokens (NFTs), etc.;
- Inno Picks: Any individual, organization or company that doesn’t fit into the above categories but has had a standout year in some way. This could relate to social impact; diversity, equity and inclusion; or other accomplishments worth celebrating.
After reviewing the nominations, the Wisconsin Inno editorial team will select 15 finalists, including three from each category. Then, a panel of independent judges will select one winner per category as the winner or "Inno Blazer." In late 2022, the finalists will be announced in an article on Wisconsin Inno's website and the winners will be featured in a print story in the Milwaukee Business Journal and online.
This is Wisconsin Inno's fifth-annual Fire Awards; the program previously was known as "50 on Fire." We've shifted to a model that honors fewer recipients each year in order to dedicate more editorial resources to highlighting each winner. See the past winners below.
