Finalists for the NC Tech Awards, North Carolina’s only statewide technology awards program, will receive recognition at the NC Tech Awards Gala event on November 12, 2015 in Raleigh by the North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA). This awards program recognizes companies, organizations and individuals that have achieved outstanding innovation and leadership throughout the year.

“Each award looks for examples of extraordinary accomplishment in a given arena of the tech sector,” said Brooks Raiford, NCTA president & CEO. “The Corporate Technology Award looks at how our tech members develop a technology that is leveraged by the community, the Use of Technology Award focuses on those that are utilizing that technology for the betterment of the organization or industry.”

After a nomination period earlier this summer, finalists and winners were chosen in a two-stage review process, that looks for a compelling story of how an organization has made an impact, said Raiford.

The organization expects more than 800 community members and leaders will attend the event and honor finalists in each category. Winners of the corporate awards will be announced live that evening, and individual recognition will be made to leaders that represent innovation and expertise in the technology sector.

“The gala is always an exciting evening full of anticipation,” said Raiford. “Attendees always leave feeling they have a better feel for the broader tech sector in North Carolina.”

This program is the only event of its kind in the state, said Raiford, and provides a forum to share and celebrate some of the tech sector’s successes.

This is the 20th year of the NC Tech Awards Gala, a milestone for the organization, said Raiford. “It looks like we’ll have a record crowd to help us celebrate.”

In addition to its traditional technology corporate awards, the North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA) recognizes a group of emerging companies who provide a disruptive or innovative technology and are based in North Carolina. Dozens of companies were nominated and an independent selection committee has named the following winners.

Top 10 startups to watch:

  • Adwerx (Durham) – adwerx.com
  • Core Compete (Durham) – corecompete.com
  • Ecomdash (Charlotte) – ecomdash.com
  • Koolbridge Solar (Wrightsville Beach) – koolbridgesolar.com
  • Pendo (Raleigh) – pendo.io
  • Predictify.me (Raleigh) – predictify.me
  • Reveal Mobile (Raleigh) – revealmobile.com
  • Surgilum (Wilmington) – surgilum.com
  • Tiger Eye Sensor (Cary) – tigereyesensor.com
  • Tourpedo (Raleigh) – tourpedo.com

The finalists for the corporate awards:

  • Software Company: Avalara, AvidXchange, Impact Financial Systems, nCino, Stealz
  • Communications Technology Company: AT&T, CenturyLink, Cloud for Good, CommScope, Overture Networks
  • Industry Driven Technology: ABT Power Management, Cenduit, MobileSmith, Tantalus Systems, WebAssign
  • Innovative Product: Automated Insights, Cisco, Phononic, Reveal Mobile, Sensus
  • Best Consumer Web Company: Likeli, Next Glass, Reveal Mobile, Stealz, Tourpedo
  • New Media/Digital Technology: Automated Insights, Bronto Software, MobileSmith, Netsertive, Tourpedo
  • Best Place to Work: Adwerx, ARCA, Lenovo, Red Hat, TABNER
  • Fast Growth Small: d-Wise, Epoch Universal, Greenteknology Electronics Recycling Solutions, Impact Financial Systems, Samanage
  • Fast Growth Large: ARCA, AvidXchange, Netsertive, Red Hat, Spoonflower

The finalists for the use of technology awards:

  • Analytics: Cisco, NC Dept. of Administration, TIAA CREF, INC Research, Strategic Management Decisions
  • Business Value: City of Charlotte, INC Research, LPL Financial, NC Dept. of Health & Human Services, Town of Cary
  • Customer Service: Ally Financial, Fonville Morisey, Martin Marietta, TouchCare, Town of Cary
  • eCommerce: Ally Financial, Spoonflower, BlueCross BlueShield of NC, Futures, Inc., Ticketmaster Mobile Studio
  • Education: Coder Foundry, Friday Institute (NC State), NC FIRST Robotics, The Science House, US2020 RTP
  • Energy & The Environment: BioResource International, Greenteknology Electronics Recycling Solutions, Kepley Biosystems, Koolbridge Solar, XelAqua
  • Health & Wellness: TouchCare, Carolinas IT, Tiger Eye Sensor, Cenduit, DocsInk

Individual recognition

Also, the NC Tech Awards recognizes this group of executives and stakeholders for their accomplishments in the state’s tech sector:

  • Bob Greenberg (IBM – retired) and Bob Hawkins (EMC – retired) – Outstanding Achievement
  • Robbie Allen (Automated Insights) – Tech Executive of the Year
  • Rep. D Craig Horn (Union County) – Public Leader of the Year
  • Chris Estes (State of NC) – Public Sector CIO of the Year
  • Victor Fetter (LPL Financial) – Private Sector CIO of the Year
  • Saundra Williams (NC Community Colleges) – Tech Woman of the Year
  • Marie Hopper (NC FIRST Robotics) – Tech Educator of the Year

Registration for the NC Tech Awards Gala is available online. Organizers have said that the event will sell out to maximum capacity.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly listed Tiger Eye Sensor as Tiger Eye Sensors and Reveal Mobile as Reveal.