NC Tech Awards Submissions

Recognizes technology companies for innovation, excellence and growth.

Nominees/Applicants must be a technology company that is headquartered in NC or has a significant presence in the state.

• Software:  A software tech company that has demonstrated strong performance and/or achieved a milestone of notable success over the past year (e.g. increased revenue, employee growth, product launch or recognition) 

• Internet of Things (IoT):  A tech company that has developed an Internet of Things product/device including use of sensors and wearable solutions that add increased efficiency or enhanced value to clients or customers.

• New Media/Digital Marketing:  A tech company whose product/service improves digital engagement with their customer base or has a significant impact on interactive forms of communication (e.g. automated marketing, website optimization, social media sentiment, community building, and interactive feedback). 

• Industry Driven:  A tech company that has provided a product/service to a specific industry (e.g. accounting, healthcare, real estate, retail or legal) and has made a notable impact to the betterment of that industry.

• Innovative Product:  A tech company that has developed or adapted a disruptive solution that has or will have significant impact on customers.

• Corporate Impact: A tech company that has gone above and beyond to help make North Carolina a better place to live and learn (examples of impact can be regional or statewide).

• Small Tech: A tech company with under $10M in revenue, product innovation, market penetration, sales growth and employment expansion.

• Mid-Size: A tech company with up to $100M in revenue, product innovation, market penetration, sales growth and employment expansion.

• Large Tech: A tech company with over $100M in revenue, product innovation, market penetration, sales growth and employment expansion.

• Top Ten (10) Startups to Watch:  A tech startup founded in NC within the past four years that has demonstrated a foundation for success (e.g. funding, product development, customer acquisition).

Recognizes companies, organizations, institutions and/or collaborations for their use of technology.

Nominees/Applicants are open to any company, organization, institution or collaboration that has implemented a tech solution with demonstrated impact. Must be headquartered or have a significant presence in NC and must clearly state the use of technology and provide insight on the impact.

• E-Commerce: Utilized technology to improve the customer’s online purchasing experience.

• Customer Service: Utilized tech to improve customer engagement throughout the sales cycle and/or utilized customer feedback to improve a product or service.

• Business Value: Utilized tech to significantly improve internal processes or products.

• Analytics: Utilized analytics to significantly improve what they do and how they do it (e.g. internal operations, customer engagement, product development). 

• Innovative Workplace: Utilized technology tools to enable employees and create a culture of innovation and creativity in the workplace.

Recognizes executives and stakeholders for their accomplishments and/or impact in the tech sector.

Nominees must be based in and/or have made a positive impact in NC.  Their employer should be headquartered or have a significant presence in the state.

• Tech Executive of the Year: Founder/CEO/Site Leader who has achieved a significant milestone within the past year (e.g. taken a company public/private, led a merger/acquisition, significantly boosted a company’s presence in the state, authored a book)

• Private Sector CIO of the Year: A CIO or equivalent who has primary IT leadership responsibility within his/her organization in the private sector, and demonstrated leadership, driven innovation, and delivered value to their organization (e.g. revamped IT organization, contributed to employer’s mission/profit/efficiency in a major way)

• Public Sector CIO of the Year: A CIO or equivalent who has primary IT leadership responsibility within his/her organization in the public sector, and who has demonstrated leadership, driven innovation, and delivered value to their organization (e.g. revamped IT organization, contributed to employer’s mission/profit/efficiency in a major way) 

• Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of the Year: A CISO or equivalent who has primary security leadership responsibility within his/her organization and demonstrated leadership, driven innovation, and delivered value to their organization by establishing and maintaining the enterprise vision, strategy, and program to ensure information assets and technologies are adequately protected. 

• Tech Educator of the Year: An individual (e.g. teacher, administrator, counselor, etc.) that has demonstrated innovation and effectiveness in the use of tech to educate students, and/or has been effective in driving interest among students in pursuing tech fields. 

• Tech Woman of the Year: A woman in tech who has made increasingly significant contributions throughout her career to her company, industry and community (e.g. reached a professional pinnacle such as being named a CXO, demonstrated track record of being a ground-breaker or visionary, inspires and mentors others). 

• Public Leader of the Year: A public official who has provided leadership in the use of tech to advance North Carolina, and/or has supported the innovation economy through public policy efforts. 

• Beacon Award (Outstanding Achievement): An individual who over their career has helped advance the tech sector and has a history of significant personal achievement. (i.e. aimed at recognizing a leader with NC ties whose achievements have been statewide, national, or global).