NIIC Honors Business Startups and Growth Companies

Amber Harper

The Fort Wayne-based Northeast Indiana Innovation Center has awarded three different honors to "business builders" who are growing sustainable ventures and creating jobs in Northeast Indiana. The awards were presented at the organization’s Ideas@Work event and gave winners cash prizes to help grow their businesses.

This was the sixth year for the annual entrepreneurial community event.

The event recognizes entrepreneurial success and honors entrepreneurial support organizations like the NIIC and Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center for working to create a climate and culture of entrepreneurship in Northeast Indiana. The honorees are:

• WEOC Launch Women Business Builder Amber Harper, Owner, BurnedIn Teacher and EdTech Consulting, was awarded the 2019 WEOC Founders Cup Award and a $500 cash award to help grow her business.
• The Mirro Business Builder Award was presented to Jillian Lee, Founder and CEO, UniqueLee Creations, addition to the award, Lee received a cash award of $1,250 to help grow her business
• Ten women from WEOC Launch Women Business Builder Program cohorts two and three were recognized for progress they’ve made through the program. The program began January 2018 to help women in tech accelerate the launch and growth of their businesses. 

“These women are dedicated to building their businesses and providing support to those in their Launch Women Business Builder cohort, while also running a family, working full-time jobs, healing the sick, you name it.  We want them to know: we see you battling and winning,” said Leslee Hill, Director, WEOC at The NIIC, in  a news release. “All of our Launch Women Business Builders push through the roller coaster that is business building and persevere to reap the benefits. They stay focused and strong when there is seemingly no strength left.”