Arizona Technology Council, in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority, is proud to present the 23rd Annual Governor’s Celebration of Innovation Awards.
Join us at the Governor’s Celebration of Innovation Awards!
This year, we’re pulling out all the stops to make this prestigious event the most memorable yet! Join over 450 of Arizona’s brightest minds for an unforgettable night of networking, dining, and honoring Arizona’s best in technology.
Award nominations are NOW OPEN for the 2026 Governor’s Celebration of Innovation!
Arizona’s visionary thinking is at the forefront of its ever-evolving tech sector — and we want to recognize the individuals, companies, and organizations driving that momentum. If you know a game-changer, submit your nomination today and help us celebrate the innovation shaping Arizona’s future.
Click categories below to download a nomination form.
Innovator of the Year:
Nominations are due by Friday, June 26, 2026.
View GCOI Sizzle Reel View Scenes from GCOI 2025
Why Sponsor?
Sponsoring the Governor’s Celebration of Innovation Awards is your golden ticket to valuable brand recognition and the chance to connect with high-level executives and decision-makers from across the state. As a sponsor, you’ll enjoy exclusive benefits and special recognition before, during, and after the event. No matter your budget, we can tailor a sponsorship package that aligns with your business goals and maximizes your impact.
Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to celebrate and support Arizona’s innovation community. We can’t wait to work with you and make this night truly spectacular!
GCOI sponsorship packages range in price from $5000 – $25,000.
Contact [email protected] for more information on sponsorship opportunities.
AGENDA
4:45 – 5:45 PM – Check-in/Reception/Networking
5:45 – 6:15 PM – Dinner
6:15 – 8:30 PM – Awards/Networking
ATTIRE + SEATING
Come dressed to celebrate Arizona’s vibrant tech ecosystem. Cocktail attire is recommended. All dinner seating will be assigned. Table numbers and assignments for all ticket holders will be given at check-in.
2025 Innovation Award Winners
WINNERS
Ed Denison Business Leader of the Year Winner:
- Per Scholas Phoenix
Innovator of the Year – Large Company:
- Aligned Data Centers
Judges Award:
- Flinn Foundation
People’s Choice AccountabilIT Lifetime Achievement Award:
- James Currier, President and CEO, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies
MSS Business Transformation Leader of the Year:
- Jeff Benck, Benchmark
Innovator of the Year – Startup:
- JACE Sciences/RokPaper Packaging
Innovator of the Year – Small Company:
- Optical Support, Inc
Innovator of the Year – Academia:
- New Frontiers of Sound Science & Technology Center
2025 Future Innovators of the Year Award Winners
- Siyaa Poddar, Grade 12, Arizona College Prep High School
Project: Developing a Rapid, Colorimetric Metal Organic Framework for Airborne Silica and Uranium Detection: A Novel Approach to Pollutant Monitoring and Health Risk Assessment in Indigenous Communities for Sjogren’s Syndrome - Shireen Arora, Grade 9, BASIS Chandler
Project: The Efficacy of Consumption of Ashwagandha on Mitigation of Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology: A Drosophila melanogaster Model - Elias Chang, Grade 12, BASIS Mesa
Project: From 2D to 3D: Enhancing Lung Nodule Segmentation in Computed Tomography Scans with Anatomy-Based Self-Supervised Learning - Ananya Lakkaraju, Grade 10, Hamilton High School
Project: A Novel Machine Learning Method and Drug for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression
Honorable Mentions
- Akshay Karthik, Grade 11, Hamilton High School
Project: THETA: Triangulated Hand-State Estimation for Teleoperation and Automation in Robotic Hand Control - Ganeshsai Talluri, Grade 11, BASIS Peoria
Project: A Novel Multi-Omics Deep Learning Framework for Spatiotemporal Cerebral Cortex Localization and Expression
2025 Teacher of the Year Award Winner
- Amber Struthers, Tempe High School & Corona del Sol High School
Honorable Mention
- Pradip Misra, Bagdad High School, Bagdad
Location
1175 E. Lone Cactus Dr.
Phoenix ,
AZ
85024
Venue
Chateau Luxe
Date
November 18, 2026
Time
4:45 PM - 8:30 PM
Cost
EARLY BIRD RATE (UNTIL OCTOBER 16) [Individual Tickets Member: $200, Nonmember: $250] [Table of 10 Member: $1900, Nonmember: $2400] REGULAR RATE (AFTER OCTOBER 16) [Individual Tickets Member: $250, Nonmember: $300] [Table of 10 Member: $2400, Nonmember: $2900]
Register
