The 2008 Chicago Innovation Awards
Past Winners 2002
Aon Risk Services – Wired for Growth™
Aon provides insurance and risk management guidance for emerging technology, pre-IPO companies battling to thrive in the New Economy.
Wired for Growth™ is the first Web-enabled virtual risk manager, which provides growth-cycle specific insurance products and services through an electronic platform to emerging technology startup companies. Aon Risk Services is the only large player so far that has developed a way to successfully service a niche market while elevating the quality of decision-making by investors and company managers through tools that provide access to Aon’s vast benchmarking database.
Argonne National Laboratory and SourceTech Medical – “Fast Track” Commercialization for Production of 125 Implant Seeds
A startup joint venture that helped to meet demand for radioactive seeds to treat prostate cancer.
As recent as the late 1990’s patients waited approximately six months for radioactive seed treatment of prostate cancer. Today, they only wait a few days for radioactive seeds, in part due to the additional capacity provided by this joint venture. Argonne National Laboratory and SourceTech Medical collaborated, resulting in the launch of a successful and unique high-accuracy radioactive seed manufacturing process in a mere two years.
City of Chicago – Mayor Daley’s Earned Income Tax Credit Program
A city helping its citizens take full advantage of a Federal program that is designed to help ease their financial burden.
Mayor Daley’s Earned Income Tax Credit Program is the first city-level service that assists qualified taxpayers in requesting and securing tax benefits from the Federal EITC program. Called the “Chicago model,” this service has drawn much attention and generated requests for guidance from other cities that want to offer valued city services to their constituents and be able to help people where it counts … in the pocketbook.
Madison Information Technologies – ALIGNDEX®
ALIGNDEX® helps companies merge databases with a high level of accuracy in record time without having to make a computer application change.
ALIGNDEX represents a breakthrough in software programs that provide data identity management which permits enterprises to accurately identify and link records relating to the same person, business, household, product or any other object. ALIGNDEX’s patented software outperforms its competitors in terms of speed, accuracy and ease of use and has attracted the attention of investors. Madison received $17MM in backing, the largest amount for a Chicago startup company this year.
Northwestern Memorial Hospital – Best Patient Experience
Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Best Patient Experience program is raising the bar on patient satisfaction and redefining high-quality patient care.
Northwestern Memorial Hospital launched a comprehensive customer satisfaction program to implement widespread improvements in patient care. The Best Patient Experience utilizes a variety of best practices from a range of service-based industries. In an unusual move, Northwestern management underwent training with an elite Ritz-Carlton customer service team and applied these learnings to the hospital setting. As a result, Northwestern has found a way to break the mold in hospital care.
QuesTek Innovations – Materials by Design®
Materials by Design® allows developers to focus on their new product needs as opposed to the materials currently available for product design.
Materials by Design is a revolutionary computational materials design software program that calculates new alloy compound combinations for use in product development and manufacturing. By identifying new compounds, developers have access to completely new materials that can potentially meet all of their product needs. Materials by Design is a new method to discover new-to-the-world materials that have the potential to advance our way of life.
Rubbermaid Home Products (A Newell Rubbermaid Inc. Company) – Tool Tower™
A product that meets the #1 garage organizational need and has sparked a “me too” response.
The #1 garage organization complaint is the management of long-handled tools and the dangers associated with them. Tools falling off wall racks onto people and cars, cluttering floors are all valid concerns. The Tool Tower™ is a simple, yet efficient plastic tool rack that stores a variety of long- and short-handled tools and easily fits on the floor in just about any area of the garage. Competitors have raced to copy this brilliant design.
Sara Lee Corporation – Bali Shoulder Spa
A new level of bra comfort in elegant intimate apparel for women dealing with strap pain.
The Bali Shoulder Spa bra offers an elegant alternative to female consumers dealing with pain issues associated with uncomfortable bras that fail to address their needs. The Shoulder Spa has a patent-pending gel-infused, S-shaped strap design that disperses weight placed on the straps in order to provide a higher level of shoulder comfort. The response to this bra has been amazing in terms of market share captured and consumers who are quick to sing its praises.
United Air Lines Inc. – EasyUpdateSM Provided by Centerpost Corporation
The new way to improve flight information communication that has the competition following suit.
United Air Lines launched EasyUpdateSM, which is the first service that lets all UAL fliers receive the EasyUpdate benefits of fast and reliable information concerning flights delays and cancellations via the communication device of the flier’s choice. With software designed by Centerpost Corporation, this service helps fliers deal with delays or cancellations and has inspired competing airlines to follow suit and offer similar services.
Walgreen Co. – Multi-Language Prescription Label
A prescription service that improves communication of information by utilizing the language of choice for consumers.
Walgreens is the only drug store chain in America that offers prescription services in eight languages. They have found a way to address a growing non-English-speaking population by printing multi-language prescription labels. Walgreens customers who use this service are able to take prescription medication more safely, thus reducing complications due to prescription non-compliance.