Past Winners

  • By Year
  • By Award

2024

Community Empowerment
Award

Recognizes a program or an initiative that promotes diversity and inclusion in manufacturing.

  • The Manufacturing, Technology and Engineering Center (MTEC) at Daley College The Manufacturing, Technology and Engineering Center (MTEC) at Daley College

Excellence in Engineering
Award

Recognizes an individual engineer's outstanding contributions to product design, development, or optimization, recognizing their visionary thinking, technical prowess, and unwavering commitment to driving innovation and transformative ideas.

  • Dr. Adam Jakus Dr. Adam Jakus

Innovation
of the Year

Recognizes a groundbreaking technology or process from an established and growing company causing significant disruption within its industry.

  • Nanograf Nanograf

Small & Medium-Sized Manufacturer
of the Year

Recognizes a small or mid-sized manufacturer that has demonstrated excellence in business practices, innovative processes, support for emerging technologies, or productivity enhancements as well as contributions to its local community.

  • Ludlow Manufacturing Inc. Ludlow Manufacturing Inc.

Rising Star
Award

Recognizes a pre-series B round startup company, before its seventh year in operation, for its innovation, creativity, and position as the next 
great company to emerge in the region.

  • Ascent Integrated Tech Ascent Integrated Tech

2023

Product
of the Year

Recognizes a product design that is unique, improves user experience, and has an impact on productivity and the greater good.

  • Icarus RT Icarus RT

Small & Medium-Sized Manufacturer
of the Year

Recognizes a small or mid-sized manufacturer that has demonstrated excellence in business practices, innovative processes, support for emerging technologies, or productivity enhancements as well as contributions to its local community.

  • ITAMCO ITAMCO

Community Empowerment
Award

Recognizes a program or an initiative that promotes diversity and inclusion in manufacturing.

  • Chicago:Blend Chicago:Blend

Innovation
of the Year

Recognizes a groundbreaking technology or process from an established and growing company causing significant disruption within its industry.

  • LanzaJet LanzaJet

Rising Star
Award

Recognizes a pre-series B round startup company, before its seventh year in operation, for its innovation, creativity, and position as the next 
great company to emerge in the region.

  • Dimension Inx Dimension Inx

2021

Product
of the Year

Recognizes a product design that is unique, improves user experience, and has an impact on productivity and the greater good.

  • Rhaeos Rhaeos

Small & Medium-Sized Manufacturer
of the Year

Recognizes a small or mid-sized manufacturer that has demonstrated excellence in business practices, innovative processes, support for emerging technologies, or productivity enhancements as well as contributions to its local community.

  • Pioneer Service Inc. Pioneer Service Inc.

Rising Star
Award

Recognizes a pre-series B round startup company, before its seventh year in operation, for its innovation, creativity, and position as the next 
great company to emerge in the region.

  • Allergy Amulet Allergy Amulet

Community Empowerment
Award

Recognizes a program or an initiative that promotes diversity and inclusion in manufacturing.

  • Future Founders Future Founders

Innovation
of the Year

Recognizes a groundbreaking technology or process from an established and growing company causing significant disruption within its industry.

  • Clearflame Engine Technologies Clearflame Engine Technologies

2020

Product
of the Year

Recognizes a product design that is unique, improves user experience, and has an impact on productivity and the greater good.

  • Psyonic Psyonic

Small & Medium-Sized Manufacturer
of the Year

Recognizes a small or mid-sized manufacturer that has demonstrated excellence in business practices, innovative processes, support for emerging technologies, or productivity enhancements as well as contributions to its local community.

  • Laystrom Manufacturing Laystrom Manufacturing

Rising Star
Award

Recognizes a pre-series B round startup company, before its seventh year in operation, for its innovation, creativity, and position as the next 
great company to emerge in the region.

  • Mesh++ Mesh++

Community Empowerment
Award

Recognizes a program or an initiative that promotes diversity and inclusion in manufacturing.

  • Chicago CRED Chicago CRED

Innovation
of the Year

Recognizes a groundbreaking technology or process from an established and growing company causing significant disruption within its industry.

  • NuCurrent NuCurrent

2019

Rising Star
Award

Recognizes a pre-series B round startup company, before its seventh year in operation, for its innovation, creativity, and position as the next 
great company to emerge in the region.

  • Jiobit Jiobit

Innovation
of the Year

Recognizes a groundbreaking technology or process from an established and growing company causing significant disruption within its industry.

  • 300 Below 300 Below

Product
of the Year

Recognizes a product design that is unique, improves user experience, and has an impact on productivity and the greater good.

  • Neopenda Neopenda

Small & Medium-Sized Manufacturer
of the Year

Recognizes a small or mid-sized manufacturer that has demonstrated excellence in business practices, innovative processes, support for emerging technologies, or productivity enhancements as well as contributions to its local community.

  • Matrix 4 Matrix 4

Community Empowerment
Award

Recognizes a program or an initiative that promotes diversity and inclusion in manufacturing.

  • Manufacturing Renaissance Manufacturing Renaissance

2018

Rising Star
Award

Recognizes a pre-series B round startup company, before its seventh year in operation, for its innovation, creativity, and position as the next 
great company to emerge in the region.

  • Luna Lights Luna Lights

Innovation
of the Year

Recognizes a groundbreaking technology or process from an established and growing company causing significant disruption within its industry.

  • Light Guide Systems Light Guide Systems

Product
of the Year

Recognizes a product design that is unique, improves user experience, and has an impact on productivity and the greater good.

  • Cast 21 Cast 21

Small & Medium-Sized Manufacturer
of the Year

Recognizes a small or mid-sized manufacturer that has demonstrated excellence in business practices, innovative processes, support for emerging technologies, or productivity enhancements as well as contributions to its local community.

  • Wiegel Toolworks Wiegel Toolworks

Community Empowerment
Award

Recognizes a program or an initiative that promotes diversity and inclusion in manufacturing.

  • Safer Foundation Safer Foundation

2017

Community Empowerment
Award

Recognizes a program or an initiative that promotes diversity and inclusion in manufacturing.

  • ICATT ICATT

Innovation
of the Year

Recognizes a groundbreaking technology or process from an established and growing company causing significant disruption within its industry.

  • Impossible Objects Impossible Objects

Product
of the Year

Recognizes a product design that is unique, improves user experience, and has an impact on productivity and the greater good.

  • AE Machines AE Machines

Rising Star
Award

Recognizes a pre-series B round startup company, before its seventh year in operation, for its innovation, creativity, and position as the next 
great company to emerge in the region.

  • Intelligent Flying Machines Intelligent Flying Machines

Community Empowerment Award

Recognizes a program or an initiative that promotes diversity and inclusion in manufacturing.

2024

  • The Manufacturing, Technology and Engineering Center (MTEC) at Daley College The Manufacturing, Technology and Engineering Center (MTEC) at Daley College

2023

  • Chicago:Blend Chicago:Blend

2021

  • Future Founders Future Founders

2020

  • Chicago CRED Chicago CRED

2019

  • Manufacturing Renaissance Manufacturing Renaissance

2018

  • Safer Foundation Safer Foundation

2017

  • ICATT ICATT

Excellence in Engineering Award

Recognizes an individual engineer's outstanding contributions to product design, development, or optimization, recognizing their visionary thinking, technical prowess, and unwavering commitment to driving innovation and transformative ideas.

2024

  • Dr. Adam Jakus Dr. Adam Jakus

Innovation of the Year

Recognizes a groundbreaking technology or process from an established and growing company causing significant disruption within its industry.

2024

  • Nanograf Nanograf

2023

  • LanzaJet LanzaJet

2021

  • Clearflame Engine Technologies Clearflame Engine Technologies

2020

  • NuCurrent NuCurrent

2019

  • 300 Below 300 Below

2018

  • Light Guide Systems Light Guide Systems

2017

  • Impossible Objects Impossible Objects

Small & Medium-Sized Manufacturer of the Year

Recognizes a small or mid-sized manufacturer that has demonstrated excellence in business practices, innovative processes, support for emerging technologies, or productivity enhancements as well as contributions to its local community.

2024

  • Ludlow Manufacturing Inc. Ludlow Manufacturing Inc.

2023

  • ITAMCO ITAMCO

2021

  • Pioneer Service Inc. Pioneer Service Inc.

2020

  • Laystrom Manufacturing Laystrom Manufacturing

2019

  • Matrix 4 Matrix 4

2018

  • Wiegel Toolworks Wiegel Toolworks

Rising Star Award

Recognizes a pre-series B round startup company, before its seventh year in operation, for its innovation, creativity, and position as the next 
great company to emerge in the region.

2024

  • Ascent Integrated Tech Ascent Integrated Tech

2023

  • Dimension Inx Dimension Inx

2021

  • Allergy Amulet Allergy Amulet

2020

  • Mesh++ Mesh++

2019

  • Jiobit Jiobit

2018

  • Luna Lights Luna Lights

2017

  • Intelligent Flying Machines Intelligent Flying Machines

Product of the Year

Recognizes a product design that is unique, improves user experience, and has an impact on productivity and the greater good.

2023

  • Icarus RT Icarus RT

2021

  • Rhaeos Rhaeos

2020

  • Psyonic Psyonic

2019

  • Neopenda Neopenda

2018

  • Cast 21 Cast 21

2017

  • AE Machines AE Machines