Covid-19 test maker Novir and wastewater treatment technology company Rapid Radicals Technology LLC, both based in Milwaukee, were among nine winners of the 2021 Wisconsin Innovation Awards announced Tuesday evening.
Novir won in the biotechnology category. The company, which was founded in spring 2020 by former GE Healthcare executive Alexander Kempe, delivers Covid-19 testing and vaccinations. Its TRACK software enables electronic test results and generates "proof of test" receipts to be used for insurance purposes, event admission or travel.
Rapid Radicals won the People's Choice Award. Founded in 2016 by CEO Paige Peters, the company is piloting an advanced wastewater treatment system designed to eliminate sewer overflows and basement backups during storms to mitigate environmental and public health risks. Its technology will treat wastewater in 30 minutes instead of the eight hours it typically takes municipal treatment plants.
The winners were selected by 27 expert judges from a pool of 28 finalists narrowed from an initial group of 331 nominees. The other winners were:
- Business to business: Understory, a Madison insurance solutions company focused on climate change-related risks;
- Business to consumer: Nelsonville's Ruby Coffee Roasters, which offers tailored coffee subscriptions;
- Government: Curate, a Madison-based civic intelligence platform recently acquired by FiscalNote Inc.;
- HealthIT: EnsoData, a Madison health software company that uses artificial intelligence;
- Manufacturing: Nelson and Pade Inc., an aquaponic systems maker in Montello;
- Nonprofit: Black Oxygen, a podcast that highlights stories about Black people in Wisconsin in partnership with Madison 365;
- Software: SMARTCare Software Inc., an Eau Claire company that makes an electronic medical record platform for home health care providers.
The Wisconsin Innovation Awards program was started in 2014 by Matt Younkle, co-founder of Milwaukee software startup Pythonic AI, and Joe Boucher of the Madison law firm Neider & Boucher S.C. It's led by a steering committee of business, community and entrepreneurial leaders.
“The Wisconsin Innovation Awards seek to celebrate and inspire innovation, and highlight the creative spirit from the state’s leading public, private and nonprofit sectors,” Younkle said in a statement.
Last year's Wisconsin Innovation Awards winners were Shorewood battery startup COnovate Inc., which was previously SafeLi LLC; Madison's Pinpoint Software Inc., which was recently bought by Applied Data Corp.; Madison fluorescence imaging technology firm OnLume Surgical; and the Madison Reading Project.
