Chicago, IL— Out of 365 nominees, PCs for People – Cook County has been selected as one of the Top 100 Finalists still in the running for the 21st annual Chicago Innovation Awards. The awards celebrate the most innovative new products and services in the Chicago region across all organization sizes, sectors and industries. Over 400 business and civic leaders will come together to honor the winners when they are announced on November 16th at Morgan Manufacturing.
PCs for People – Cook County was nominated for their work throughout the Chicago area; traveling to Chicago neighborhoods and distributing computers at very low or no cost, as well as internet service that is low cost or free (through the federal Affordable Connectivity Program). We partner with community groups, schools, social service agencies, libraries, and other organizations that serve low-income populations in Chicago to organize events where computers and internet “hotspots” can be acquired. At these events, we bring computers to the neighborhoods of Chicago where people live and work. A family that was not connected to the internet in the morning, can be connected later in the day. The computers that we distribute are fully refurbished and include one year of warranty and technical support.
“Chicago continues to rise as a global hub of innovation due to the breadth of organizations in our region that introduce a stream of new products and services into the market each year,” said Tom Kuczmarski, co-founder of the awards. “This year’s nominees generated a combined total of $6.2 billion in revenues through their new products and services alone.”
As one of the Top 100 Finalists, PCs for People – Cook County will receive a $2,500 scholarship to attend The Practical Innovator, a day-long executive education course on October 17th led by top faculty who teach innovation at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
Out of the Top 100 Finalists, the judges will select 20 winners of the Chicago Innovation Awards. The winners will be invited to ring the Nasdaq Bell in New York City, invited to separate meetings with the Mayor, Governor, and Cook County President, and receive widespread media recognition.
