Purdue entrepreneurs, startups among Mira Award nominees

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  – Numerous Purdue-affiliated companies, entrepreneurs and departments have been nominated in several categories for the 18th annual TechPoint Mira Awards.

Based in Indianapolis, TechPoint is the growth initiative for Indiana’s technology ecosystem. The organization utilizes talent acquisition and development programs, community programs and scale-up programs to promote and accelerate the growth of Indiana’s tech community.

Winners will be announced during a black-tie ceremony April 29 at the Westin Indianapolis.

Purdue-affiliated nominees include:   

* Prahasith Veluvolu, co-founder of Mimir, a startup founded in West Lafayette, Indiana, which uses a cloud-based classroom for computer courses. He and two other co-founders were named to the Forbes magazine 2017 “30 Under 30” list of exceptional innovators under the age of 30. He’s nominated in the Rising Star category.

* Mike Asem, director at Chicago-based M25 Group. He founded The Anvil, a student and community co-working space adjacent to the Purdue campus. He also led development of Purdue Foundry’s FoundryX, a startup mentoring program. He’s nominated in the Community Champion of the Year category.

* Anurag Garg, CEO of DATTUS, a startup founded in West Lafayette, Indiana, that transforms old manufacturing facilities into smarter factories. He was named to the Forbes magazine 2017 “30 Under 30” list of exceptional innovators under the age of 30. He’s nominated in the Rising Star category.

* Information Technology at Purdue University, Teaching and Learning Technologies; A Purdue University department that supports and enhances teaching and learning at the university through technology usable by all instructors and students. They’re nominated in the Tech Educator of the Year category.

* Penguin Innovations, a startup commercializing a one-of-a-kind, virtual pharmacy cleanroom laboratory that is USP <797> compliant. They’re nominated in the Tech Educator of the Year category.

* Rubicon Agriculture, a startup building automated hydroponic growing facilities inside of upcycled 40-foot shipping containers. They’re nominated in the Tech Educator of the Year category.

* Hydro Grow LLC, a startup marketing a refrigerator-sized automated hydroponic device to grow vegetables in consumers’ homes. They’re nominated in the Best New Tech Product and the Innovation of the Year categories.

* Scale Computing, a company based in Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis that integrates storage, servers and virtualization software into an all-in-one appliance-based system manageable as a single server. They’re nominated in the Best New Tech Product category.

* Prehensile Technologies, a startup commercializing RoboDesk, an assistive wheelchair technology that utilizes a mounting system and automatically removable tray to provide people with disabilities an efficient and easy-to use method to more easily position and remove an iPad or other mobile device. They’re nominated in the Innovation of the Year category.

* Adranos Energetics LLC, a startup focused on developing the next generation of propellants, explosives and other energetic materials. They’re nominated in the New Startup of the Year Category.

* JUA Technologies International LLC, a startup developing solutions to prevent post-harvest losses for smallholders and small to medium agro-processors in developing countries and small organic farms in the United States. They’re nominated in the New Startup of the Year Category.

About TechPoint

TechPoint is the growth initiative for Indiana’s technology ecosystem. Through talent acquisition and development programs; community programs and scale-up programs, TechPoint promotes and accelerates the growth of Indiana’s tech community. 

Purdue Research Foundation contact: Curt Slyder, 765-588-3342, caslyder@prf.org