The Tampa Bay Inno Awards on Sept. 28 saw 175 people networking, enjoying the heavy (not light) hors d'oeuvres and accepting awards.
Twenty-one local companies were awarded for their innovative and entrepreneurial accomplishments. Whether that was patenting a new drug, building an AI chatbot or autonomous underwater exploration craft.
The award show also recognized transplants (the event saw chuckles after the hosts joked "transplants" obviously don't mean organs), top community supporters, adtech, software, cybersecurity, healthtech, partnerships and the best deals of the year.
The top deals, from cybersecurity company Deepwatch and healthtech Healthmap Solutions, total more than $280 million in venture capital funding brought to the area.
View the gallery above for scenes from the event.
