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By: Khristopher Brooks | Democrat & Chronicle
Upstate Venture Connect — a Syracuse-based non-profit that tries to connect entrepreneurs with funding, expertise, or building space — is accepting nominations for its five annual awards focused on fostering entrepreneurship.
Anyone who wants to nominate a person or company can submit information online, at UVC.org. The deadline for submitting nominees is July 31.
UVC wants to name a 2016 winner in five categories, which are:
Community Catalyst Award — For individuals who organize programs to bring together diverse startup ecosystem players in a local community and/or increase the amount of capital and number of active early stage investors in that community.
Campus Connector Award — For individuals affiliated with an educational institution (could be an administrator, student, alumnus or faculty member) who are leveraging on and off-campus resources and connections to spin-out research startups and/or create opportunities to retain entrepreneurial students.
Magical Mentor Award — For individuals who have had a transformative impact on the trajectory of one or more startup companies.
Deal of the Year Award — For a company whose exit created wealth for investors and founders/employees, as well as making the company a stronger contributor to the local economy.
Ecosystem Champion Award — For individuals who are catalyzing and supporting startup activity across multiple Upstate communities
UVC plans to announce the finalists for each award in early September and reveal the official winners during a luncheon at Verona’s Turning Stone Casino and Resort.
KJBROOKS@Gannett.com