Sacramento Inno Awards: Spotlighting Local Innovation — Nominations Now Open
The Sacramento Business Journal is once again rolling out the red carpet for innovation with the 2025 Sacramento Inno Awards. This annual event is all about recognizing the trailblazers, game-changers, and forward-thinkers driving Sacramento’s innovation economy.
If you’re part of the startup community—or you know someone whose work is shaking up their industry—this is your chance to get them the recognition they deserve.
What Are the Inno Awards?
The Inno Awards celebrate the people, products, and companies pushing the boundaries of what’s possible right here in the Capital Region. It’s not just about flashy tech or big funding rounds (though those help); it’s about spotlighting meaningful impact, creativity, and leadership that’s moving the needle for our local economy.
Three Ways to Get Recognized
This year’s awards feature three nomination categories:
Company
For startups and businesses that have shown serious traction, growth, or market impact over the past year.Innovation
Honoring a specific product, service, technology, or process that’s novel, disruptive, and making a difference.Individual
Celebrating founders, executives, and innovators whose bold thinking is leading the charge for change.
You can nominate in one category or all three. Multiple nominations are welcome—so go ahead, give credit where credit is due.
Important Dates to Remember
Nomination Deadline: Friday, June 6, 2025
Honorees Announced: Summer 2025
Awards Celebration: November 2025
Coverage: Featured in the Sacramento Business Journal (print & online)
Who’s Eligible?
The awards are open to companies and individuals based in Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, or Yolo counties. Whether you’re nominating yourself, your company, or someone else doing standout work, all are welcome to submit.
What Makes a Winning Nomination?
Judges will be looking for:
Originality and creativity
Proven market need and measurable impact
Strong leadership and problem-solving
Disruptive potential and scalability
Contributions to Sacramento’s innovation ecosystem
For the Innovation category specifically, extra weight will be given to novelty, market relevance, and the potential to shake things up.
Why Bother? (Hint: It’s Totally Worth It)
Beyond the bragging rights, being recognized by the Sacramento Business Journal comes with some solid perks:
Credibility and visibility in the regional business community
Increased exposure to customers, partners, investors, and talent
Recognition for your team’s hard work
Networking with fellow innovators and leaders
Helping elevate Sacramento’s status as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship
Time to Shine
This is more than an awards show—it’s a celebration of the innovative spirit that’s fueling our region’s future. So if you’ve built something remarkable, solved a tough problem, or simply know someone whose work deserves the spotlight, now’s the time to nominate.
Submit your nominations by June 6, 2025 here:
https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/nomination/88609/2025/2025-sacramento-inno-awards-companies#/
