innovator of the year

The CSU STRATA award for Innovative Excellence is presented to a faculty member whose work and intellectual property has attracted significant industry interest. The awardee’s technology is at the center of one or more commercial partnerships, or may even have been already developed into successful commercial products. With this award, CSU STRATA seeks to recognize research excellence that is leading to impact outside of the University through the commercial translation of discovery into innovative new products and solutions benefiting the lives of people around the world.

The 2024 Innovator of the Year will be announced at the CSU Demo Day awards ceremony.

Past Winners

2021

PhotonPharma, Solaris Vaccines
Ray Goodrich

2020
Chris Orton

2019
Philip Westra, Michael Ostlie, Scott Haley, Victoria Anderson

2018

KromaTiD
Susan Bailey, Andrew Ray, Joel Bedford

2017

Growcentia
Rich Conant, Colin Bell, Matthew Wallenstein

2016

Envirofit, Qapture
John Mizia, Morgan DeFoort, Bryan Wilson

2015

Surgireal
Fousto Bellezzo, Dean Hendrickson

2014

Biopoly, YoungHeartValve
Susan James

2012
Chandrasekaran Venkatachalam

2010

Abound Solar
Walajabad Sampath

2008

Keen Ingredients
Laurie Scanlan

XY Inc.
George Seidel

2005

Optibrand
Bernard Rollin, Ralph Switzer, Bruce Golden

2004

Numerica Corporation
Aubrey Poore

2003

Brotica
Louis Bjostad

2002
Steven Strauss

2001
Douglas Ishli

2000
Yian Shi

1996
Al Meyers

1995

XUV Lasers
Jorge Rocca

1994
Ralph Baker

1993
Bill Cotton, Roger Pielke

1992
Patrick Brennan

1991
Terry Nett

1990
Ed Hoover

1989
Ken Goldsberry

1988
John Stille

1987
Jim Hudson, Alvin Hoerlein

1986
Bruce Dale

1985
Glenn Schmidt

1984
Gordon Niswender