Innovator & Entrepreneur of the Year
Since 1990, NC State has held an annual Celebration of Innovation, awarding an innovator of the year and an entrepreneur of the year, and recognizing faculty and graduate student inventors who are turning NC State research into real-world results, launching startups and patenting technologies.
Celebrating NC State Innovators and Impact
Chancellor Announces 2024 Awardees
Nomination Guidelines
A call for nominations for the Innovator and Entrepreneur of the Year awards is typically sent out to Deans, Department Heads, and Associate Deans for Research in July of each year.
A selection committee composed of past award winners will evaluate the nominations and make recommendations to the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation. The individual selected to receive each award will be recognized by the Chancellor at ORC’s annual Celebration of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to be held in October at the Chancellor’s Residence.
Each Associate Dean for Research may nominate up to two candidates for each award. Each Department Head, Center Director or other interested party may nominate one individual for each award. Previous winners are not eligible for the award they have already received, and nominees must be commercializing university-owned intellectual property to be eligible for award.
Nominations should include a letter of support no longer than two pages addressing the criteria described below.
Submit Your Nomination
Nominations for the 2025 awards will open in July 2025.
Nomination Criteria
The following criteria should be considered when preparing your two-page nomination letter:
Innovator of the Year Criteria:
- Patents Awarded
- Licenses Executed based on Innovator’s technology
- Industry Collaboration – number of companies engaged, research dollars attracted, resulting patents or licenses, etc.
- Impact – The ultimate sign of a successful innovation is a product on the market that is making an impact.
- Impact can be measured in a number of ways: enhanced products or services for consumers, products that improve quality of life, products that create new markets, etc.
Dr. John S. Risley Entrepreneur of the Year Criteria:
- Startup activity – the nominee is the founder, co-founder of, or key collaborator for a university startup; nominees research is being or has been commercialized through a startup company
- Impact of companies and/or non-profits launched or supported.
- The impact can be measured in involvement with new startup companies, the number of jobs created, revenue generated, production of products or services that benefit consumers and/or improve the quality of life, etc.
- Demonstrates the best traits of entrepreneurship, including business creativity and perseverance.
- Entrepreneurial Impact – Encourages entrepreneurialism both on and off campus.
Questions about the awards process?
Contact us to discuss the nomination process
Past Awardees
Innovator of the Year Awardees
| Year | Awardee(s) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Dr. Ahmed El-Shafei |
| 2023 | Dr. Brian Floyd |
| 2022 | Dr. Craig Yencho & Mr. Ken Pecota |
| 2020 | Dr. Robert Heath |
| 2019 | Dr. Tom Ranney |
| 2017 | Dr. Fran Ligler |
| 2016 | Dr. Rodolphe Barrangou |
| 2015 | Dr. Sylvia Blankenship & Dr. Todd Klaenhammer |
| 2014 | Dr. Paul Franzon |
| 2013 | Dr. R. Michael Roe |
| 2012 | Dr. Jere Confrey & Dr. Josip Simunovic |
| 2011 | Dr. Kenneth Swartzel & Dr. Orlin Velev |
| 2010 | Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi |
Entrepreneur of the Year Awardees
| Year | Awardee(s) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Dr. Jack Wang |
| 2023 | Dr. Franky So |
| 2022 | Mr. Marshall Brain |
| 2020 | Dr. Fred Kish |
| 2019 | Ms. Lisa Chang |
| 2017 | Dr. Matthew Breen & Dr. Marian McCord |
| 2016 | Dr. Michael Escuti |
| 2015 | Mr. Lewis Sheets |
| 2014 | Dr. Ken Adler |
| 2013 | Dr. Jayant Baliga |
| 2012 | Dr. John Cavanagh, Dr. Christian Melander, & Dr. Mary Tschirhart |
| 2011 | Mr. Roger Debo & Dr. John S. Risley |
| 2010 | Dr. Tom Miller |
