25th Annual Fund Raising CBIC Gala Program
ABOUT THE CHARLOTTESVILLE BUSINESS INNOVATION COUNCIL
CBIC is a multimodal, vibrant community resource that celebrates, educates, and advocates for Charlottesville’s technology innovators. CBIC has served the community as a 501(c) non-profit membership organization since its founding in 1997. As the region’s technology council, CBIC creates opportunities through its public events, informative newsletter, and civic advocacy, and, collectively with its members, employ thousands of individuals in the greater Charlottesville area.
By providing a forum for ideas and a collective voice for the technology sector, CBIC promotes innovation and entrepreneurship and supports growth and success among the Charlottesville region’s technology-focused organizations. Through collaborative partnerships, educational resources, and strategic relationships, CBIC enhances, publicizes, and champions technology initiatives that strengthen economic and social vitality in our area.
NETWORKING | INNOVATORS ROW SHOWCASE | SOCIAL GOOD AWARD VOTING PHOTO BOOTH OPPORTUNITY WITH PARLOR THE STUDIO (A TICKETED ACTIVITY)
MASTER OF CEREMONIES: Craig Honick, Founder & Principal Advisor, The Good People Research Company
INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER: Viola Llewellyn, Founder & CEO, The Tulle Box
DINNER | DANCING | DJ EPIC SOUNDS ENTERTAINMENT | COFFEE | COCKTAILS | CONVERSATION
CAST YOUR VOTE FOR THE 2024 SOCIAL GOOD AWARD RECIPIENT
Each guest received a Social Good voting token at registration. After visiting each of the social good finalists’ exhibit tables and prior to the award ceremony, please use the token to cast your vote in your chosen finalist’s container, which can be found just outside the ceremony function entrance. Voting closes at the start of the ceremony.
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Founder & Principal Advisor, The Good People Research Company
Craig is the founder and principal advisor for The Good People Research Company, a social research and advisory firm that helps organizations build trust with customers, employees, partners, and the public. He is the principal investigator on several novel studies in partnership with the Better Business Bureau’s Institute for Marketplace Trust and the FINRA Investor Education Foundation exploring the factors that explain why individuals trust one another and trust organizations, or don’t. A recovering academic and start-up tech founder, he’s an advisor to several startups and has enjoyed being a mentor in the UVA Batten Institute’s iLAB since 2016.
INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER
Founder & CEO, The Tulle Box
Celebrating Charlottesville’s ROI
Viola, a lauded trailblazer in FinTech and Financial inclusion, is the Co-Founder and Manifestor in Chief of The Tulle-Box™, which offers innovative leadership development workshops for women that combine Human Design with Transactional Analysis and common sense. Previously, she was the Co-Founding President of the acclaimed African FinTech company, Ovamba, where she led technology innovation, strategic implementation, investor communications, and global business development. In her career, Viola has managed a $500MM life insurance investment fund, raised $1MM for a technology company, been named one of Innovate Finance’s “Women in FinTech Power List” and Latice80’s “Top 100 Women in Fintech 2019.” Viola is an international speaker, TED Talk presenter, and her insights were published in The Brookings Institute’s “Foresight Africa 2019.”
CBIC ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation
CBIC recognizes an individual who currently embodies all elements of successful tech-centric entrepreneurship, including innovation, employment, leadership, finance, determination, and persistence.
FINALISTS:
Lindsay Burton | Kayo Advisory
Drawing from her firsthand experience in the male-dominated fields of private equity and banking, Lindsay Burton founded Kayo Advisory with the vision to empower women in business. Through Kayo, she has built a platform that not only unites women leaders but also accelerates their professional growth in industries where they are underrepresented.
Gilman Callsen | Rho Impact
With a lifetime dedicated to entrepreneurship, Gilman Callsen started his first venture in college and has founded several successful companies over the years. At Rho Impact, he leverages his deep understanding of what drives early-stage companies—people, problems, and passion—to lead his team in making significant industry impacts.
Cameron Hardesty | Poppy Flowers
Cameron Hardesty transformed her unique insight gained at the White House Flower Shop into Poppy Flowers, America’s fastest-growing wedding florist service. Under her leadership, Poppy has innovated the floral industry with its tech-driven approach, significantly lowering costs and expanding access to quality wedding flowers across more than 70 markets.
Audrey Skinner | Imbibe Solutions
Audrey Skinner’s transition from chemist to entrepreneur has led her to establish Imbibe Solutions, a pivotal wine and beer quality control lab. Her profound dedication to ensuring product consistency and excellence has not only redefined industry standards but also cultivated a deeper appreciation for the craft among professionals and aficionados alike.
CBIC EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR
FINALISTS:
Sponsored by C’Ville Capital Partner
CBIC recognizes one tech or tech-centric business that creates an environment that attracts, develops, and retains highly skilled talent in a way that enhances our ecosystem and local economy. Consider factors such as internships, mentoring, upward mobility, vertical movement, and equity-mindedness.
Crutchfield Corporation | crutchfield.com
Crutchfield Corporation has been a beacon of entrepreneurial spirit and technological advancement since 1974. Their commitment to employee development, internal promotions, and community engagement contributes to a thriving workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent, positively impacting the local economy.
Luminoah | luminoah.com
Luminoah leads healthcare innovation with a groundbreaking enteral nutrition solution. Their portable, data-driven system sets new standards in patient care from infancy to old age. Luminoah’s workplace culture not only drives innovation but also attracts visionary talent, contributing to their success.
Solis Applied Science | solisappliedscience.com
Solis Applied Science, a service-disabled veteran owned small business, fosters innovation through collective empowerment. Every team member’s voice is valued, driving technological breakthroughs and professional growth, enriching the local tech ecosystem.
CBIC STARTUP OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by 434 Accelerator
CBIC recognizes an innovative company or project working to develop and validate a scalable economic model that would support growth beyond its entrepreneurial start. Preference will be given to those candidates that have experienced the classic startup path such as a lean beginning, development of an MVP, and early market validation, and whose principals exhibit passion, devotion, and innovation. Candidates will have demonstrated significant progress over recent years and/or made an impact as determined by jobs created, revenue generated, or other startup success metrics.
FINALISTS:
Luminoah | luminoah.com
Transforming personal adversity into healthcare advancement, Luminoah redefines enteral nutrition with a portable, data-driven feeding system that enhances patient quality of life. Achieving substantial funding and nearing FDA clearance, Luminoah demonstrates how visionary solutions can create profound industry impacts.
MetaCTF | metactf.com
MetaCTF enhances cybersecurity readiness across industries through immersive, competition-based training scenarios. Their platform provides essential skills development, preparing teams to tackle real-world cyber challenges, exemplifying significant growth and impact in the tech training sector.
Poppy Flowers | poppyflowers.com
Born from a vision in the White House Flower Shop, Poppy Flowers has grown into the nation’s fastest-growing full-service wedding florist. Led by Cameron Hardesty, this innovative venture revolutionizes the affordability and accessibility of wedding flowers, supporting a majority female workforce and propelling significant market expansion through technological integration.
CBIC STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by City of Charlottesville
CBIC recognizes one student entrepreneur, or a team of student entrepreneurs, who have successfully created or advanced the development of an idea, new product, service, or product candidate. This entrepreneur or team of entrepreneurs provide an example to other students to pursue entrepreneurship while at school. Candidates are students in a K-12 school, college, or university.
FINALISTS:
Navya Aenugu | esSTEMtials
At just 15, Navya turned her passion for explorative learning into esSTEMtials, a thriving international company that revolutionizes educational experiences, fostering independent thinking and scientific discovery among students globally.
Brian Bernard and Dmitriy Telemtayev | RoomMe
RoomMe tackles the stressful issue of college roommate matching. Starting with a pilot of 4,000 students, the app now supports over 10 universities and 10K users, and has facilitated 10K matches. Additionally, RoomMe has expanded to serve small to medium-sized real estate firms with a B2B platform, broadening its impact and utility.
Ahan Dalal | Broker Botics
High school freshman Ahan leveraged his fascination with finance to create BrokerBotics, an automated trading platform aimed at democratizing stock options trading, showcasing remarkable entrepreneurial spirit and technological innovation at a young age.
Mary Walton Petersen | I Love Step Mom
Starting with a single Instagram post, Mary founded Stepmom, a brand that mixes humor with fashion innovation. I Love Step Mom supports local artists and promotes sustainability through upcycled materials, demonstrating a unique blend of creativity and social consciousness.
CBIC EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Albemarle County Office of Economic Development
CBIC recognizes a K-12 educator who has set an example of incorporating the principles of innovation, entrepreneurship, invention, and/or technological achievement in a classroom setting.
FINALISTS:
Mike Bruscia | Charlottesville Catholic School
Mike Bruscia ignites innovative thinking and scientific inquiry among students, integrating hands-on experiments and real-world problem solving into the curriculum, inspiring a generation of future entrepreneurs and inventors.
Robbie Munsey | St. Anne’s Belfield
Robbie Munsey transforms his passion for STEM into dynamic educational experiences that lead students to national competitions and victories, proving that learning driven by curiosity results in outstanding achievements.
Heather Schmidt | Albemarle County Public Schools
Heather Schmidt equips students with critical cyber skills through engaging, real-world applications, preparing them for success in technological careers and competitions, significantly contributing to the educational landscape in cybersecurity.
Christine Zito | Miller School of Albemarle
Christine Zito seamlessly integrates engineering and science education with practical community projects, which nurtures problem-solving skills and teamwork among students, helping prepare them for real-world engineering challenges.
CBIC TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION GRANT
Sponsored by North Fork
The recipient of the 2024 CBIC Educator of the Year award will receive a $2,500 grant to further education in their classroom. Since 2003, including tonight’s grant, CBIC has gifted more than $46,000 to area teachers to help further the use of technology and learning in their classrooms.
PAST AWARD RECIPIENTS:
- 2023 Kevin Huff, Monticello High School
- 2021-2022 Emily Anderson, Albemarle County Public Schools
- 2020 Dominique Morse, Albemarle County, Murray High School and Community Public Charter School
- 2019 Chris Bunin, Albemarle High School 2018 Chris Stanek, Monticello High School
- 2017 Stephanie Passman, Stony Point Elementary
- 2016 Eric Bredder, Monticello High School
- 2015 Katina Dudley, Monticello High School
- 2014 Michelle Karpovich, Western Albemarle High School
- 2013 Jeff Prillaman, Albemarle High School
- 2012 Corrie Kelly, Woodbrook Elementary
- 2011 Michael Craddock, Monticello High School
- 2010 Tony Wayne, Albemarle High School
- 2009 Matt Shields, Charlottesville High School
- 2008 Beth White, Western Albemarle High School
- 2007 Paula White, Crozet Elementary
- 2006 Emily Linkins, Lightfoot Elementary
- 2005 John Hunter, Venable Elementary School
- 2004 Renee Honaker, Madison County High School
- 2003 Sandy Estep, Virginia L. Murray Elementary School
CBIC INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by CV-SBDC
CBIC recognizes an individual or organization for their creativity and resourcefulness in the development of a new product, service, or product candidate. Can also include the means by which their innovation will reach its end user.
FINALISTS:
Adovate | adovate.com
Adovate is pioneering new treatments by harnessing adenosine for diseases like asthma and cancer. Their groundbreaking molecules are set to transform healthcare, illustrating exceptional innovation from conception to imminent clinical application.
CargoLabs | cargolabs.org
CargoLabs has revolutionized the trucking and insurance sectors with innovative software. Originally a trucker tracking app, the company adeptly pivoted to insurance software in 2020, now delivering solutions that enhance operational efficiencies for insurance agencies and truckers from Virginia to California, and expanding into Canada. This transformative approach exemplifies innovation and demonstrates significant market impact.
Luna Labs’ TrueClot | trueclot.com
TrueClot by Luna Labs USA, LLC originated with DoD funding to address military training needs, and expanded into civilian markets. Their product line includes bleeding control training tools, ranging from simulant gauze to advanced wearable devices for various training levels. Innovations like the Chest Seal Application Trainer have established TrueClot as a key provider of realistic medical training solutions.
CBIC PARTNERSHIP OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Castle Hill Gaming
CBIC recognizes new partnerships built in the last 18 months that model collaborative innovation and achievement which inspired others, and resulted as well in successful outcomes for the partnership itself, local businesses, education, non- profits, and/or the community at large. Preference will be given to partnerships that transcend each member’s respective purview.
FINALISTS:
New Hill Development Corporation’s Beacon Kitchen | newhilldev.org
New Hill’s Beacon Kitchen expands economic opportunities within the Black community through a shared-use commercial kitchen, enhancing financial empowerment and fostering substantial community growth and integration.
Resilience Education | resilience-education.org
Resilience Education empowers justice-impacted individuals through exceptional business education, thanks to collaborations with top business schools, which enhance career prospects and foster economic reintegration.
UVA Innovation Hub at Charlottesville Middle School
This collaborative project between UVA and Charlottesville City Schools creates an innovative lab school, fostering computationally-rich learning experiences that prepare students for future challenges and opportunities.
Venture Central | venturecentralva.com
Venture Central builds vibrant entrepreneurial networks by uniting community leaders and innovators, fostering strong relationships that enhance local economic and social ecosystems.
CBIC BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Flora Pettit
CBIC recognizes one tech or tech-centric business, or organization, that serves as a model of achievement to which others can aspire, including indicators such as financial success, growth, healthy work environment, commitment to innovation, and contribution to the community.
FINALISTS:
Crutchfield Corporation | crutchfield.com
Crutchfield Corporation demonstrates sustained innovation and employee development since 1974, thriving through economic downturns without layoffs and consistently giving back to the Charlottesville community.
GovSmart | govsmart.com
GovSmart stands out for its exceptional contribution to government technology enhancement, supported by a dedicated team and strong partnerships, driving both company growth and industry advancement.
Laser Thermal | laserthermal.com
From its origins at UVA, Laser Thermal has become a leader in thermal metrology, which is crucial for electronics manufacturing and reliability. They have grown rapidly by developing innovative applications in critical industries.
Luminoah / luminoah.com
Luminoah excels not only as a startup but also as a transformative leader in healthcare, developing solutions that significantly improve patient care and push the boundaries of traditional medical practices.
CBIC VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Woods Rogers
CBIC recognizes its volunteers who have gone above and beyond expectations to make substantial and lasting contributions to the organization’s growth and development.
PAST AWARD RECIPIENTS:
- 2023 Adrian Felts and Alex Struminger
- 2021-2022 Sherry Gray and John Martin
- 2020 Hope McCutcheon, Justin Ritter, and Lily Garcia Walton
- 2019 Jon Moriarty
- 2018 Heidi Tombs
- 2017 Katie Murphy
- 2016 Kim Wilkins
- 2015 Liane Landers
- 2014 Jim Bain
- 2013 John Berryman
- 2012 Beth Roireau
- 2011 Chris Engel
- 2010 Laura Greene and Rusty Schundler
- 2009 Arin Sime
- 2008 Michelle Prosser and Linda Kolker
- 2007 Tracey Greene, Dave Keller, and Michael Latsko
- 2006 Reenst Leseman
- 2005 John Peterson
- 2004 Tracey Greene and Donna Shirley
CBIC SOCIAL GOOD AWARD
Sponsored by Mindsalt
CBIC recognizes one company or organization with efforts focused on social good. Their goal, in part, is to identify needs, improve our communities, and provide a meaningful benefit to the general public. Examples of social goods are clean air, education, clean water, racial equality, and access to affordable housing and healthcare. This award celebrates the positive impact that startups and businesses have on the greater Charlottesville community. Preference will be given to candidates that are tech or tech-centric businesses.
FINALISTS:
Community Lab School | cls.k12albemarle.org
Community Lab School redefines educational paradigms with its project-based, interdisciplinary approach, significantly impacting student engagement and achievement, and serving as a model for future educational innovations.
New Hill Development Corporation’s Beacon Kitchen | newhilldev.org
New Hill fosters economic revitalization within the Black community through entrepreneurship support and financial education, significantly contributing to broader societal equality and community development.
Resilience Education | resilience-education.org
Resilience Education’s transformative education model supports post-release success for justice-impacted individuals, significantly improving their life trajectories and economic prospects through innovative partnerships.
The Equity Center | virginiaequitycenter.org/center
The Equity Center actively addresses racial and social inequities through university-level initiatives, setting a standard for how institutions can actively contribute to societal change and justice.
CBIC IMPACT AWARD
Sponsored by Hantzmon Wiebel CPA and Advisory Services
CBIC established this award in 2022 to honor exceptional individuals, organizations, or projects that have made a tremendous positive impact on our ecosystem, an industry, or the world over an extended period of time, in rapid order under unique circumstances, or even in memoriam. An award recipient may be chosen at CBIC’s discretion.
PAST AWARD RECIPIENTS:
- 2023 Damon Devito, In Memoriam
- 2022 Sandy Reisky
DINNER
DANCING | DJ EPIC SOUNDS
COFFEE
COCKTAILS
CONVERSATION
OUR GALA SPONSORS
TITLE SPONSOR
HOST SPONSOR
INNOVATORS ROW SPONSOR
PRESENTING AWARD SPONSORS
CBIC ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
CBIC EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR
CBIC STARTUP OF THE YEAR
CBIC IMPACT AWARD
CBIC STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
CBIC EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
CBIC TECH IN EDUCATION GRANT
CBIC INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR
CBIC PARTNERSHIP OF THE YEAR
CBIC BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
CBIC VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
CBIC SOCIAL GOOD AWARD
SPECIAL THANKS TO GALA COMMITTEE MEMBERS
CBIC STAFF
TRACEY GREENE
CBIC Executive Director
AMANDA LISCOUSKI
CBIC Chair of Events & MarCom
LALAINE MAT-AN
CBIC Digital Marketing Coordinator
GALA CO-CHAIRS
ADRIAN FELTS
Mantel Technologies
SHERRY GRAY
Buildertrend, CBIC Vice-Chair
JOHN GRIFFITH
MITRE
CHRISTIAN HALL
Stacker Group
ALEXANDER STRUMINGER
Struminger & Company
CLAUDIA VEYSEL
If This Food Could Talk
2024 GALA VOLUNTEERS: PLANNING TEAM AND JUDGES
Sonny Abramson, WhatWorks Collab
Michele Aichs, North Fork
Kim Albero, MITRE
Kate Byrne, GoodLight Capital
Andrew Carter, Monograph
Jim Coleman
Katina Dudley, Albemarle County Public Schools
Jodi Fox, Class Petz
Joey Groah, DIGICO
Noah Healy, Coordisc
Linda Heeschen, Luminous Gardens
Heather Higgins, Chief of Staff for hire
Craig Honick, Good People Research Company
Rick Kulow, Business & Entrepreneurship Mentor
Jay Lester, CVSBDC
Ellie Linkous, Eliah Peyton Photography
Bob Lloyd, Sartography
John Martin, Adial Pharmaceuticals
Hope McCutcheon, C’Ville Capital Group
Misty Parsons, North Fork
Gena Pirtle, Cisco
Christa Poindexter, Hospice of the Piedmont
Nicole Prentis
Marty Weiner
Lisa Winn, Castle Hill Gaming
CBIC'S MISSION
To nurture a vibrant technology community by creating opportunities for Charlottesville innovators.
CBIC'S VISION
CBIC is a multimodal community resource that celebrates, educates, and advocates for Charlottesville’s technology innovators.
