12th Annual Idaho Innovation Awards Nomination Period Opens

Stoel Rives LLP, Trailhead and the Idaho Technology Council serve as presenters of awards program that recognizes innovations, innovative professionals and companies throughout Idaho.

BOISE, ID — The submission period for the 12th Annual Idaho Innovation Awards, which are organized and hosted by Stoel Rives LLP, Trailhead and the Idaho Technology Council, with support from Deloitte, opens June 5, 2017. The Idaho Innovation Awards recognize innovations, innovative professionals and innovative companies statewide. Nomination forms can be submitted online through July 28, 2017.

Nominations from all industries are welcome in the following categories:

Commercialized Innovation of the Year:	This category recognizes innovations from companies that have been established for five years or more and that are commercialized, on the market contributing to the local economy and generating revenue.
Consumer Product of the Year:	This category recognizes new concepts, technologies or products that fill a niche or meet market needs and have the potential to revolutionize the process, product, segment or scientific field.
Early-Stage Innovation of the Year:	This category recognizes innovations that have not been commercialized or are not generating revenue, from companies that are less than five years old or from nonprofit/academic entities such as a university technology transfer office.
Innovative Company of the Year:	This category recognizes innovative companies—through culture, management, products or services, technology and/or marketing—that have used an innovative solution to overcome a challenge or obstacle and that have a unique, clear and relevant strategy in using innovation as a means to achieve their strategic goals.
Innovator of the Year:	This category recognizes innovative business professionals—with at least 10 years’ experience in their fields—who are the first to develop new ideas, or more effective processes, services, products or technology.

Additional information on the categories and nomination criteria can be found here. Nominations will be reviewed by a selection committee consisting of leaders from Idaho’s business and technology sectors. Finalists will be announced in September, and finalists and winners will be recognized October 24, 2017, at an awards ceremony, which will be held at Boise Centre in conjunction with the Idaho Technology Council “Hall of Fame” banquet.

The Idaho Innovation Awards, which Stoel Rives first organized and hosted in 2006, has recognized some of the most promising and successful Idaho companies, products, science and technology advancements, and professionals. The following were recognized as winners and finalists in 2016:

Commercialized Innovation of the Year

• Night Vision Compatible Lighting by Blue Wolf  - WINNER
• Axios^® Modular LED Lightbar System by ESG (ECCO Safety Group)
• Kount Central by Kount

Consumer Product of the Year

• Probiotic MELT Organic Buttery Spread by Prosperity Organic Foods – WINNER
• ICAP-USA Insulated Claddings by InsulStone
• Inergy Kodiak Solar Generator by Inergy Solar

Early-Stage Innovation of the Year

• E-RECOV by Idaho National Laboratory – WINNER
• Inergy Home Base+ by Inergy Solar
• Magnetic Shape Memory µPump by Shaw Mountain Technology

Innovative Company of the Year

• Wilderness Wireless - WINNER
• Idaho Transportation Department
• xCraft Enterprises

 Innovator of the Year

• Kenton Lee, Founder, Because International - WINNER
• Tracy Lotz, CEO, LiveRez.com
• Matt Rissell, CEO, TSheets

About the Innovation Awards: Stoel Rives has celebrated innovative companies and their accomplishments since hosting the first Innovation Awards in Salt Lake City in 2002. Each consecutive year, the law firm has honored groundbreaking advancements from emerging to established businesses. In its commitment to foster the innovation ecosystem across its footprint, Stoel Rives has since expanded its Innovation Awards program to Boise, Idaho (2006) and Sacramento, California (2016). In 2017, the firm partnered with the Puget Sound Business Journal as a presenting sponsor of the publication’s inaugural innovation awards program in Seattle, Washington. www.stoel.com/innovation

About Stoel Rives LLP: Stoel Rives is a leading U.S. corporate and litigation law firm. One of the largest national firms focused on energy, natural resources, environmental law and climate change, Stoel Rives also serves the agribusiness, food and beverage, health care, life sciences and technology industries. With more than 350 attorneys operating out of 10 offices in seven states and the District of Columbia, Stoel Rives is a leader in regulatory and compliance matters, and business,  labor and employment, intellectual property, land use, and  real estate development and construction law. For more information, follow us @stoelrives or visit www.stoel.com.