Awards

Each year, the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA) recognizes business incubators and entrepreneurship centers with proven track records of excellence. These organizations and the outstanding companies they serve are the foundation for regional economic growth in communities around the world. InBIA’s awards celebrate the heart of business incubation and entrepreneurial economic development organizations. Urban or rural, specialized, technology or mixed-use, we’re looking for high impact entrepreneurship programs that showcase excellence in sustainability growing companies that drive economic growth.

The 2021 InBIA awards include:

Entrepreneurship Center of the Year Awards

Technology/Science
Mixed-Use
Sector-Focused
Rural

Specialty Awards

Most Innovative Program
Excellence in Communications (new)
Soft Landings (new)
Outstanding Client

Entrepreneurship Center of the Year Awards

Entrepreneurship centers have the opportunity to apply for an award in the category that fits best. Our panel of judges will review each application, and the center that displays the highest level of excellence in each category will receive the award for that segment.

Premiere Awards

InBIA’s most prestigious awards honor member entrepreneurship center programs that exemplify the association’s principles and practices of successful business incubation and entrepreneurship center management. The winners of these awards will be chosen from the selected entrepreneurship centers of the year. InBIA staff will notify winners in advance and they must attend the virtual ICBI35 conference to receive the awards as part of the event.

Categories

The Dinah Adkins Award will be given to a mixed-use of sector-focused center. This includes entrepreneurship centers that serve a wide range of client types or serve clients primarily in a non-technology industries. These centers can include mixed-use, manufacturing, arts, service, kitchen, or other sector-focused, non-technology incubation programs.

The Randall M. Whaley Award will be given to a center that focuses on technology companies. These centers can include general technology, internet, biotechnology, communications, software design, information technology, environmental technology, and other types of technologies.

Recognition: Dinah Adkins and Randall M. Whaley award winners will receive $1,000, an award and promotion at ICBI35 and InBIA social media and website channels.

Specialty Awards

InBIA awards in the Specialty Category honor specific activities and accomplishments of entrepreneurship centers to improve their organizations or to better serve their ecosystems, communities and clients.