Nomination Criteria

WHO CAN NOMINATE
Any individual who has direct knowledge about a professional, company or innovation that meets the criteria below can submit a nomination.

CRITERIA

COMMERCIALIZED INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
Nominations in this category must meet the following criteria/guidelines:

1. The innovation must be from a company five years or older.
2. The innovation must be commercialized, on the market contributing to the economy, and generating revenue.
3. The innovation must have been created or a primary portion of the work on the innovation must have been performed by a Idaho-based company (at a Idaho location).
4. The innovation must have been "recently" developed. Because many innovations do not have a clear-cut beginning or end in its evolution, the organizers have chosen not to set a definitive time frame on the nomination’s creation.
5. Innovations previously recognized as a winner in any category are not eligible to be entered again.
6. Innovations previously nominated or recognized as a finalist are eligible for consideration again, and can instruct the Selection Committee to review a nomination form submitted in previous years. However, organizers strongly encourage past nominees/finalists to include updated information on the nomination form to show how the innovation has evolved over the past year.

EARLY-STAGE INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
Nominations in this category must meet the following criteria/guidelines:

1. The innovation must be from an emerging/start-up company established less than five years ago.
2. The innovation has not been commercialized and is not yet generating revenue.
3. The nomination can be from a nonprofit/academic entity such as a university technology transfer office.
4. The innovation must be created or a primary portion of the work on the innovation must have been performed by a Idaho-based company (at a Idaho location).
5. The innovation must have been "recently" developed. Because many technology innovations do not have a clear-cut beginning or end in its evolution, the organizers have chosen not to set a definitive time frame on the innovation’s creation.
6. Innovations previously recognized as a winner in any category are not eligible to be entered again.
7. Innovations previously nominated or recognized as a finalist are eligible for consideration again, and can instruct the Selection Committee to review a nomination form submitted in previous years. However, organizers strongly encourage past nominees/finalists to include updated information on the nomination form to show how the innovation has evolved over the past year.

INNOVATIVE COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Nominations in this category must meet the following criteria:

1. Nominated companies must have a presence in Idaho. The company does not need to be headquartered in Idaho, but it must have at least one facility in the state.

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR
Nominations in this category must meet the following criteria:

1. Nominees must be professionals working at a company in Idaho. The company does not need to be headquartered in Idaho as long as it has at least one facility in Idaho, and the nominee is an Idaho resident.
2. Nominees must have at least 10 years of professional experience in his/her field.