The judges are set, and now it’s up to Pipeline‘s fellows to bring their best for the annual Innovator of the Year competition on January 23.
The Midwest-based business leadership development program and network of entrepreneurs will gather with others in the community for a day-long event, starting with pitches from its 2013 class of fellows from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Union Station’s Extreme Screen—they’ll pitch their companies to a panel of judges announced today—and concluding with a 6 p.m. evening gala at the Midland Theatre. The judges also will engage in a panel discussion at the conclusion of the pitches. Those judges include:
- Rahul Sood is the general manager of Microsoft Ventures. In March 2013, Microsoft consolidated its global startup activities under Sood’s leadership and in June he launched Microsoft Ventures. A serial entrepreneur, Sood spent 18 years in multiple startups prior to joining Microsoft.
- Amos Winbush III is the CEO and mastermind behind CyberSynchs, which provides universal data transfer and synchronization.
- Dan Janiak is an associate with the Mercury Fund, focused on developing and originating science-based investment themes and startup opportunities. Prior to Mercury, Janiak was an associate in physical and biological technologies at In-Q-Tel, a strategic venture capital firm focused on investing in companies that support the U.S. intelligence community’s needs.
Tickets to the seventh Innovator of the Year evening gala are sold out, but you can get on the waiting list for the chance a few tickets free up—the event includes networking, dinner, awards and live entertainment. Register for the daytime pitches, by emailing Pipeline.
Disclosure: Silicon Prairie News is a media sponsor for Innovator of the Year.
