Ingenuity Wins for Collaboration at Chicago Innovation Awards

Ingenuity has been awarded the Collaboration Award for its public/private partnership with the City of Chicago, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and Chicago Public Schools in putting the arts back into Chicago’s public schools. Ingenuity accepted the award at Chicago’s Harris Theater on October 30th before an audience of nearly 1,500 business and civic leaders.

The Chicago Innovation Awards, celebrating its 12th year, is the Chicago region’s foremost recognition of the most innovative new products or services brought to market or to public service each year.

“Chicago is an innovation hub with talented business leaders who aren’t afraid to be bold, be confident, and try new approaches,” said Tom Kuczmarski, co-founder with Chicago journalist Dan Miller of the awards. “Every winner of the Chicago Innovation Awards embodies this mindset, and each one has an inspiring story of achievement and vision.”

Ingenuity is helping spearhead one of the most sweeping public education initiatives in the nation. Through the Creative Schools Initiative, Ingenuity helps identify an arts liaison in each school, collects data to determine schools’ needs, provides a roadmap to each school on tactics like budgeting and external partnerships, and offers incentives for school leaders to provide arts education.

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make change at a scale that matters,” said Paul Sznewajs, Executive Director of Ingenuity. “Creative cities and creative companies are fueled by creative individuals. This award symbolizes the simple truth, that in order for the spirit of innovation to thrive in our next generation, we must teach creativity in our city’s classrooms.”

“When you consider the impact of the innovations developed by the award winners, it is clear that Chicago is a respected global center of innovation,” said Luke Tanen, Executive Director, Chicago Innovation Awards.

The nominees cut across all industries, sizes and sectors in the Chicago region. There were a record-high 562 nominees for this year’s Chicago Innovation Awards – up from 390 last year. The complete list of this year’s Chicago Innovation Award winners can be found at www.chicagoinnovationawards.com.

The Chicago Innovation Awards are supported by Gold Sponsors Hillshire Brands, Comcast Business, and Disney Institute; Silver Sponsors Dell, SMS Assist, Wintrust Financial, Vedder Price, Brinks, Gilson and Leone, Edelman, SmithBucklin and others.