MatchBOX Programs and Member Companies Nominated for Statewide Tech Awards
On April 23, winners of the 2022 TechPoint Mira Awards will be announced at the state’s largest event for technology startups and businesses in Indianapolis. The list of nominees includes five Greater Lafayette nods, all with ties to MatchBOX Coworking Studio, a shared workspace and acceleration studio.
Two of MatchBOX’s acceleration programs, MBXax and Spark, were honored with nominations for the Community Impact Award. The category recognizes individuals and organizations that support the advancement of Indiana’s tech community. Other area nominees include Neurava, Accent Consulting, and Skyepack.
Both the MBXax and Spark program were designed by MatchBOX to help people start and grow businesses. MBXax courses work with existing and potential entrepreneurs for six to 12 weeks to move their ideas forward. Spark is a year-long program for a cohort of 10 entrepreneurs to help grow BIPOC businesses in Greater Lafayette. Graduates of both programs have access to assistance with business branding, discounted software and services, and the opportunity to apply for microgrants to fund projects for their businesses. Around 50 founders or people with ideas go through the MatchBOX acceleration programs every year.
“The Mira Awards are well-known and widely respected throughout the state, and we’re honored that TechPoint included two MatchBOX programs in the short list of Community Impact nominees. We’ve designed these programs to help build a better future for our communities. We’ve graduated over 100 founders and entrepreneurs since launching MBXax and Spark, and know that the impacts are felt locally, regionally, and statewide,” said MatchBOX Coworking Studio Executive Director Jason Tennenhouse.
Phil Wright, founder and CEO of Accent Consulting and IntelliHire, is a nominee for the Rising Entrepreneur Award, recognizing a class of passionate and creative entrepreneurial leaders thriving in Indiana. Wright is a graduate of the MBXax course and has been a staple in the Greater Lafayette entrepreneurial ecosystem for over a decade.
Amanda Findlay, managing director at MatchBOX, said of Wright’s nomination, “Phil’s eagerness to give back to entrepreneurs in our community really stands out. He’s served on committees and spoken on panels, but he’s also willing to offer answers and guidance and mentorship to other founders who are seeking the advice of someone with real, local experience. He’s incredibly supportive of area entrepreneurship and a leader in his field.”
Neurava, a startup making wearable devices for patients with epilepsy, graduated from the Spark program at MatchBOX at the end of 2021. The founders recently raised a round of venture capital and aligned with strategic partners to move their technology to market. Neurava was nominated for Innovation of the Year, an award that celebrates a company that revolutionizes, advances, or creates new tech industries and fields.
Eric Davis, CEO of Skyepack, was a MatchBOX member for years while working to grow the company in the digital course materials space. Skyepack was nominated for the Tech Education Award, geared toward educators and education innovators inspiring positive impact on student achievement.
Tennenhouse shared that MatchBOX is looking forward to the awards ceremony but is honored just to be nominated. He said, “Five nominations for programs and businesses in Greater Lafayette is an achievement and cause for celebration, and these companies represent only a fraction of the over 150 currently working with MatchBOX. Greater Lafayette innovators are making waves, and we’re thrilled to have had the opportunity to work alongside the entrepreneurs up for Mira Awards and other founders and small business owners in our community.”
About TechPoint
TechPoint is the nonprofit, industry-led growth initiative for Indiana’s technology companies and overall tech ecosystem. The team is focused on attracting talent, accelerating scale-up companies, activating the community, and amplifying stories of success. For more information, please visit www.techpoint.org.
About MatchBOX
MatchBOX Coworking Studio is a nonprofit venture that draws together innovative and creative individuals pursuing new ideas, doing business in creative ways, or working remotely from downtown Lafayette, Ind. The 11,000 sq ft studio is full of desks with all the amenities needed to get work done: 24-hour secure access, meeting rooms, super fast WiFi, MBXax acceleration courses, the MatchBOX Makerspace, workshops, networking, and an unlimited supply of coffee and snacks.
The studio is an office and meeting space to over 300 members and partners in a variety of sectors. MatchBOX hosts meetups and events that focus on networking, strategy, making, technology, business acceleration, mentorship, innovation, and more. Visit www.mbx.studio to learn more.