Celebrating the best of the best in Colorado tech.
The APEX Awards recognize Colorado’s technology excellence, highlighting remarkable leaders and innovators. Since 2001, the Colorado Technology Association has hosted this prestigious event bringing together the community and celebrating the exceptional people, companies and accomplishments of the year. We encourage you to take time to celebrate your wins – it’s important! Learn more about 2017’s APEX Awards celebrating the best of Colorado Tech in the Denver Business Journal and check out 2017 APEX Awards and Red Carpet photos.
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Seawell Grand Ballroom
1350 Arapahoe St, Denver CO
#APEXCO
Presented by
NOMINATE
Nominations are open! Click on a category below to nominate. We look forward to celebrating Colorado’s tech community with you on Wednesday, November 7, 2018! Nominations close end of day on Monday, August 6.
Company Awards
This Colorado-based company’s overall performance sets it apart as a leader in its market. It shows profitability from sales of its products and/or services, strong financial growth or return on investment for its investors and/or shareholders, technical innovation and concrete examples of how it is meeting a need in the marketplace. The company also is a strong leader in the community and shows corporate responsibility.
This is Colorado’s most promising technology company in operation for 5 years or less. Each company will be judged on the initiative it took in creating, promoting or advancing the product or service offered; the technical innovation of the product or service offered; the need in the marketplace for the product or service; and the acceptance by customers of the company’s product or service. (Must be headquartered in Colorado.)
This project implemented by an innovative IT department achieved successful, measurable results. Nominees will be judged on the following criteria: solving a business problem, strategic objectives, innovation, value/impact for the company or industry, risk-reward benefits, overcoming obstacles, meeting goals and team or internal collaboration.
Individual Awards
This legislator’s efforts make a real and measurable impact on the advancement of Colorado’s technology industry.
This individual has made outstanding achievements and commitments to furthering innovative technology in our community and the state, and has contributed to the initiatives of Colorado Technology Association.
This creative, innovative and determined founder or CEO leads a Colorado-based tech company to success. In addition to the daily role of leading their company, they work to drive the vibrancy of the tech economy beyond their business. CEOs from all company sizes are eligible to be recognized for their leadership and contributions to the Colorado tech community.
This outstanding chief information officer (or anyone holding technology leadership role at a Colorado-based company or department) has demonstrated considerable ingenuity in leading an IT team and implementing technology projects that demonstrably improve the effectiveness of their organization.
Effective security is mapped directly into the business it supports. This innovative CISO has implemented a security program that accelerated the success of her/his Colorado-based business. Utilizing people, processes and technologies, this security leader has positioned the security program to deliver on the core mission of the organization. CISOs from all company sizes are eligible to be recognized for this award.
This entrepreneurial leader in the community has contributed to multiple businesses, with at least one as a tech company started, grown and operated in Colorado. They may be an investor, founder, coder, marketer, maker or doer, but this entrepreneur has a true passion to seek out problems to solve, and is one who organizes, manages and assumes the risk of a business or enterprise.
This student’s efforts are making a real and measurable impact on fellow students, his or her school and the local community. His or her understanding, passion for and use of technology is exceptional compared to his or her peers. This Colorado student either currently studies technology or leverages technology through a club or community group to advance technology education and innovation in unique and impactful ways.
This individual’s efforts are making a real and measurable impact on building and strengthening the technology talent pipeline in Colorado. They actively lead and support initiatives that are helping build and ensure a strong local pipeline of qualified workers for technology companies and IT departments across the state. Local pipeline development requires a keen focus on inclusion and diversity, so the work of this champion should promote inclusive excellence through positive communication between persons of diverse backgrounds, demonstrate efforts to promote an environment free from bias and discrimination, and create opportunities to promote diversity, respect and inclusiveness.
This Emerging Leader has demonstrated a commitment to the Colorado tech industry by showing passion for technology and making significant contributions to their organization or the industry overall. They excel at their role and actively seek opportunities to grow professionally and personally. This individual shows great potential to grow in their area of expertise and as a leader in the tech community overall. (Nominees must be located in Colorado and between the ages of 21-35.)
FAQ
Event FAQs
The APEX Awards is an annual awards event that recognizes technology excellence and celebrates Colorado’s remarkable leaders and innovators. Since 2001, the CTA has hosted this prestigious event to bringing together the tech community and to celebrate the exceptional people, companies and accomplishments of the year.
View all past APEX Awards winners here, and view all 2017 nominees here.
As an attendee at APEX Awards, you build lasting business relationships, celebrate the Colorado tech community’s wins and support those who are moving tech in our state (and beyond) forward.
The VIP reception is open to APEX Award finalists, nominees, judges, Colorado Technology Association Board of Directors and guests of these individuals. All VIP reception attendees will receive a ticket for entry to the reception at registration.
There are a variety of parking options near the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. For more information on parking options, please go here.
All CTA event tickets are non-refundable. In the event you are unable to attend, you may find another individual to take your place.
Business Cocktail (dressy but not black-tie; business wear is OK).
Nomination FAQs
Leaders within the community are selected to serve as judges for their knowledge of the community and their ability to be unbiased to nominees. Nominations are given to them to review individually, where they score each on several criteria, then they all convene to make final decisions on finalists and winners. CTA brings these judges together, but does not make any decisions on winners.
Judges are key thought leaders in the Colorado technology community who have expertise related to the categories they are judging.
Each year is different and includes different candidates. It’s important to apply every year, so judges see continued success.
APEX is designed to recognize and promote the Colorado technology industry. To be eligible for Company of the Year and Emerging Tech Company of the Year, the company needs to be headquartered in Colorado.
Financials are now optional, but will only help the nominee.
Yes! Self nominations are encouraged. You know your company best. Some nominees utilize marketing and PR agencies. Work with your marketing department or a third-party agency.
It’s all through the online forms, and easier than ever before. We streamlined the forms substantially to get to the most important information quickly and help you nominate more worthy contenders. We recommend you copy and paste all the questions to a new document, so you can edit freely; then when finished, you can go back in and paste your answers.
It’s all through the online forms, and easier than ever before. We streamlined the forms substantially to get to the most important information quickly and help you nominate more worthy contenders. We recommend you copy and paste all the questions to a new document, so you can edit freely; then when finished, you can go back in and paste your answers.
Yes! All judges are required to sign confidentiality agreements.
You don’t have to be a marketing professional to write a nomination, you just need to believe in the company or person you’re nominating. If you give yourself enough time to go back and make changes, your passion will eventually come out in your writing.
It’s encouraged to seek out more information from that company as it will give judges a clearer picture of their accomplishments, but don’t refrain from nominating for that reason.
Global companies can still promote local awards. It shows true leadership and community involvement.
It’s OK to show the world your company is successful!
SPONSORS
Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Contact Jason Delp at 303-592-4070 or jason@coloradotechnology.org.
