TechPoint has officially launched the entry process for the 23rd annual Mira Awards, Indiana’s largest, best known and most prestigious technology awards program. People are encouraged to enter the awards themselves or they can nominate others in 15 different “Best of Tech in Indiana” award categories.

The Mira Awards gala, which is often referred to as “Tech’s Biggest Night” and the “Oscars of Tech” for the state of Indiana, will return to the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis as an in-person event next spring on Saturday, April 23, 2022. A limited number of sponsorship opportunities for the ball gown and black tie event are available.

This year, TechPoint has introduced a new category recognizing leadership and excellence in workforce development, including the vital pipelines into Indiana tech careers. The new Talent Impact Award celebrates initiatives and programs that are influencing our state’s talent recruiting, attracting, hiring, training and retaining efforts, which are collectively the lifeblood of our information-based, talent critical economy.

“To inclusively grow Indiana’s tech workforce, bold, creative solutions by employers, educators, government and community organizations will be required,” said TechPoint President and CEO Mike Langellier. “We look forward to recognizing remarkable organizations and individuals and inspiring others through the new Talent Impact Award. Pandemic permitting, we will deliver the Mira Awards in-person. Since we last celebrated together at an in-person Mira Awards gala almost three years ago, Indiana tech companies have raised nearly $1.5 billion in venture capital and countless new companies and programs have launched. There will be much to celebrate. The energy and excitement in the room will be amazing.”

As part of its work to bring equity to all levels of the state’s tech ecosystem, TechPoint is especially encouraging community nominations for (and self applications from) women and people of color who might not have been as visible in the traditional tech circles of the past. Employers, educators, investors, entrepreneurs, municipalities and community champions who, through improved programs, policies, training, etc., are advancing diversity, equity and inclusion and/or creating employment and development pathways for underrepresented individuals are also encouraged to apply.

TechPoint created the awards program in 1999, to recognize tech-related achievements and innovation statewide, and ultimately to stimulate future tech growth and entrepreneurship. Each year, nominees and winners reap millions of dollars in value from promotion and often venture capital investment, hiring success and connections as a result of the visibility.

Any company, startup, scale-up, community, school, team or individual may enter the Mira Awards. It is not required that an applicant be nominated by someone else to enter the awards.

Follow the conversation online with the hashtag #MiraAwards. The 2022 Entry Kit, 2022 Sponsor Prospectus and the online 2022 Entry Form are available at miraawards.com. The submission deadline is Friday, Jan. 21, 2022.

The 2022 TechPoint Mira Award categories are:

• Talent Impact Award — NEW
• Community Impact Award
• Tech Education Award
• Bridge Builder Award (Chosen by TechPoint Foundation for Youth)
• Rising Tech City Award (Including Communities, Towns, Cities, Counties or Regions)
• Tech Product of the Year
• Service Partner of the Year
• Innovation of the Year
• Trailblazer Award (Chosen by the TechPoint Board)
• Exceptional Employer
• Rising Entrepreneur (Startup Founders of Any Age or Experience)
• Investor of the Year (Individuals or Firms Invested in Indiana Tech Companies)
• Startup of the Year (Launched after January 1, 2020)
• Scale-up of the Year
• Large Enterprise of the Year

Fifty-two independent and diverse subject matter experts evaluate and rank the applications. The rankings determine which entries become nominees, which will be announced on February 15, 2022. Next, nominees deliver presentations and answer questions virtually in front of a panel of judges on March 9 and 10, 2022. Following the interviews with one of the independent judging panels, the judges deliberate and select the winners. The process culminates in the state’s largest tech community event, the Mira Awards gala, which will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2022, at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis.

The Mira Awards are named after the first of the brilliant variable stars to be discovered—the Mira Star. Mira is also the Latin word root meaning worthy of admiration, wonderful, marvelous.

TechPoint:

TechPoint is the nonprofit, industry-led growth initiative for Indiana’s technology companies and overall tech ecosystem. The team is focused on attracting talent, accelerating scale-up companies, activating the community and amplifying stories of success. For more information, please visit www.techpoint.org.