April 5, 2013

Mayor Emanuel Announces the Arrival of the 26th Edison Awards to Chicago

Awards honoring business and technology innovation to move to Chicago from New York City

Mayor's Press Office    312.744.3334

Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced today that the 26th Edison Awards will be held in Chicago at the Chicago Cultural Center and Navy Pier. Previously held in New York City, the prestigious international award program recognizes business and technology innovations and will be celebrated in Chicago for the first time on April 24 and 25.

“I am pleased to welcome the Edison Awards to Chicago and showcase top global talent in business and technology,” said Mayor Emanuel.  “The selection of Chicago as host for the awards reflects Chicago’s growing international status as a destination for technological ingenuity and as a place where innovators are launching their ideas.”

The Edison Awards will take place over the course of two days, featuring an opening reception at the Cultural Center, a Meet the Innovators forum, an innovators’ showcase, and a gala at Navy Pier where the winners of the awards will be announced.  The Edison Award can be presented to people, products, and organizations, and nominees are judged by a panel of more than 3,000 individuals. Sponsors for this year’s awards include Discovery Communications, Nielsen, Science Channel, USA Today, ViridiSTOR, and McAndrews, Held & Malloy.

“The Edison Awards provides a robust platform for honoring the best in innovation, and encourages today’s development teams, researchers, designers, and entrepreneurs to dream big.  We’re inspired by our 2013 finalists and delighted to have this opportunity to recognize and promote the outstanding accomplishments they represent,” said Frank Bonafilia, Executive Director of the Edison Awards.   “We’re pleased to hold the Edison Awards in Chicago in recognition of the city as an increasing hub of innovation and technology.”

The Edison Awards is a program conducted by Edison Universe, a non-profit, 501C(3) organization dedicated to fostering future innovators.  The Awards have been recognizing and honoring the best in innovations and innovators since 1987.  They honor game-changing innovations that are at the forefront of new product and service development, marketing and human-centered design, and are one of the highest accolades a company can receive in the name of successful innovation.  For more information about the Edison Awards complete program and a list of past winners, visit www.edisonawards.com.

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