CHICAGO INNOVATION AWARDS

Why Celebrate Innovation?

There is nothing quite like the returns that a successful new product or service can bring straight to the bottom line of an organization. It is especially important in times like these, when there may be more pressure to hunker down than to reach out. The challenge is how to tap the potential of innovation in ways that yield reliable, predictable, and substantial returns year in and year out.

Innovation can be the key to success in a turbulent economy 

What is Innovation?

Successful new products or services are seldom the result of a “eureka” moment; but rather the result of a systematic process that is rooted in identifying customer needs and meeting them in creative ways. It flows from an innovation mindset that can be found throughout a successful organization.

The Chicago Innovation Awards recognize not just the products and services that are the end result of innovation, but the creative spirit that led to them. It is a spirit found in abundance in the Chicago region. It lies at the heart of this region’s vibrant and varied economy. It is found in for-profit, not-for-profit, and governmental organizations.

History of the Chicago Innovation Awards

It is important to recognize and encourage innovation. For that reason, Thomas D. Kuczmarski, founder of the innovation consulting firm Kuczmarski & Associates and prominent local journalist Dan Miller, established the Chicago Innovation Awards in 2002.

From the first year when there were only a handful of entries to the present day, with hundreds of nominations and an awards ceremony at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, the Chicago Innovation Awards have emerged as the major annual recognition and celebration of innovation in the Chicago region. In 2006 and 2007, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley invited the winners to his City Hall Office for a conversation about how to advance innovation in the city.

Beyond the Award — Innovation Education

It is not enough to simply recognize innovation. It is important to encourage it as well. For this reason, the education partner of the Chicago Innovation Awards, the Kellogg School of Management, provides a day-long program on the practical skills of innovation at its internationally-known executive education facility, the Allen Center. Each year 80 nominees for the awards are given a scholarship to attend this program.

The Chicago Innovation Awards

The Chicago Innovation Awards was founded in order to bring attention to the locally developed product and service innovations that are making an impact on our world. Through our awards process we hope to inspire others to re-evaluate their commitment to and use of innovation within their companies.

Tom Kuczmarski

Founder and Co-Chair, Chicago Innovation Awards

Thomas D. Kuczmarski, senior partner and president of Kuczmarski & Associates, is a nationally recognized expert in the innovation and development of new products and services. The author of five books and many articles, Mr. Kuczmarski has taught product and service innovation at Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management for 29 years. Mr. Kuczmarski is the founder and co-chair, along with Dan Miller, of the Chicago Innovation Awards, LLC, which recognizes each year the most innovative new products, services, business models and processes developed in the Chicago area.

The Chicago Innovation Awards recognize those with the courage, confidence, and good sense to take risks in the name of innovation. They celebrate the progress and profit that come from bringing new products and services to the market. 

Dan Miller

Founder and Co-Chair, Chicago Innovation Awards

Dan Miller is publisher and executive vice president of The Heartland Institute, a national research and education organization devoted to free-market solutions to public policy questions. As business editor of the Chicago Sun-Times, he co-founded the Chicago Innovation Awards program with Tom Kuczmarski. Before that, he worked as a business reporter for the Chicago Daily News and helped launch Crain's Chicago Business, serving as its editor for its first decade. He also served as chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission for four years.

Chicago’s reputation on the world stage continues to grow because businesses are working hard to bring high-quality, innovative products and services to international markets.” Seeing the continued success of past winners further strengthens our commitment to recognizing the brilliant minds that continue to seek to reach the next level. 

The Judging Process

Each year, our expert panel strives to build a balanced portfolio of 10 Chicago area companies, both large and small, for-profit and not-for-profit, that best represent the results of a sustained commitment to innovation.

This Years Judges

• Michael Krauss
• Thomas D. Kuczmarski
• Dan Miller
• Gary Slack
• Richard Strezo
• Howard Wolinsky
• Ron Gleason
• Dan Lyne
• Michael Arndt
• Ellen Barry
• Hardik Bhatt
• Maura O'Hara
• John Berscheid