Amelia Blake

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the inaugural OpenSphere Awards, our initiative to recognize and celebrate groundbreaking innovators who push beyond conventional limits. The response to our call for applications was extraordinary, showcasing the incredible depth of talent across the technology landscape.

Meet Our Distinguished Winners

Rising Stars Category

Recognizing emerging talents making early yet significant impacts in their fields:

🥇 First Place: Rob Terry CEO of seafoodai.com A versatile leader with an impressive track record spanning big data at UCSF Medical, multimedia innovation at Xerox PARC, and e-commerce leadership at Whole Foods. Rob's entrepreneurial spirit shines through his successful venture, SmartCatch Inc., which he founded and led to a successful acquisition.

🥈 Second Place: Robin Gupta A promising innovator continuing to push boundaries in the technology sector.

🥉 Third Place: Aaron Belsh CEO of joindealio.com, demonstrating remarkable potential in entrepreneurship.

Innovative Minds Category

Celebrating those driving technological advancement through creative solutions:

🥇 First Place: Nazrul Islam CEO of cloudaeye.com A distinguished engineering executive with 20 years of enterprise product experience. Nazrul's impressive career includes leadership roles at CloudBees Core and Oracle Cloud. His innovative thinking is evidenced by 47 patents, and he graduated with high distinction from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business's executive MBA program.

🥈 Second Place (Tie):

• Mehdi Karamnejad - CEO of getarki.com An accomplished tech enthusiast based in Vancouver, specializing in SaaS solutions, interdisciplinary software, and blockchain technology. His expertise spans AI, health informatics, and virtual reality.
• Naman Bhargava - CEO of mixar.app An emerging leader in technological innovation.

Impactful Leaders Category

Recognizing those leveraging technology for positive social change:

🥇 First Place: Vitali Karpeichyk CEO of pigpug.co A visionary entrepreneur dedicated to transforming the lives of children with ADHD and autism through AI-driven solutions. His background as CTO of Nito (acquired by AOL in 2016) demonstrates his ability to build and scale impactful technologies.

🥈 Second Place: Tanuj Sharma CEO of kanahealth.ai A seasoned business leader with over 23 years of experience, Tanuj has successfully built and scaled businesses from scratch. His Stanford University education and experience leading billion-dollar enterprises showcase his capability to drive meaningful change.

🥉 Third Place: Surbhi Goyal A dedicated innovator making strides in technology-driven social impact.

Our Distinguished Panel of Judges

The winners were selected by an exceptional panel of industry experts:

Kim Boher

• CTO, AR Digital Twin
• 20+ years in AI and technology
• Known for evaluating startups through the lens of complexity, moat, and market potential

Anku Rani

• AI Researcher, MIT Media Lab
• Brings 5 years of cutting-edge AI research experience
• Focuses on societal impact and technological innovation

JoAnn Yamani

• VP Marketing and Communications, Adeia
• 25 years of industry experience
• Specialist in evaluating market positioning and competitive advantage

Abby Guo

• Co-founder and CEO of an AI infrastructure company (in stealth)
• 13 years in AI and entrepreneurship
• Emphasizes real-world problem-solving and sustainable business models

What's Next

In the coming weeks, we'll be sharing in-depth features on our winners, exploring their journeys, innovations, and visions for the future. Stay tuned for exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes insights into their groundbreaking work.

Join us in celebrating these remarkable innovators who are shaping the future of technology and making a lasting impact on our world.

#OpenSphereAwards #Innovation #BeyondConventionalLimits