PBN announces Innovation Award winners

PROVIDENCE – Providence Business News has selected the top innovators in the state and will honor them at an awards ceremony on Sept. 29.

The 2011 Rhode Island Innovation Award winners are:

Innovator of the Year: Barrett Bready, CEO of NABsys. Bready’s company is developing a completely new way of looking at DNA that, he says, will “transform our knowledge of the genetic basis of disease."

Rising Star Innovator: Haibo He, University of Rhode Island College of Engineering. His innovation is math that will allow smart grids to actually function - the basic science for smart networks that can react to many circumstances as well as learn.

Innovation Mentor: Peter Dorsey, president of the Business Development Company. Dorsey works to find and fund viable companies and frequently coaches people on how to improve their business plans.

Innovation Champion: Hasbro Inc., among other initiatives, holds an annual employee event that celebrates innovations within the company in 19 categories that include cultivating talent, engaging customers and innovative play pattern. Winners receive an “Inny” trophy, as well as a cash award that is donated to a charity of their choice. So far the company has donated $110,000 to charity through the program.

Innovations of the Year

• Community & Social Service: Maternova – a global online “marketplace” for maternal health connecting doctors and midwives in the developing world with a greater variety of resources.

  Finalist: Highlander Charter School – Among other innovations, the school is developing and piloting an application that provides feedback to teachers on students’ specific needs so they can adjust their approach.

• Energy and the Environment – Eaves Devices, a Charlestown-based company that has developed a technology that separates electrical power into short pulses or packets, Packet Energy Transfer.

• Health Care and Biotechnology: Women and Infants Hospital, Dr. Sandra Carson – a research team at Brown University and Women & Infants Hospital built an artificial human ovary that can grow oocytes into mature human eggs in the laboratory.

  Finalist – CytoSolv Inc. is developing a biologic drug to treat diabetic skin ulcers and improve the cosmetic results of routine plastic surgery wounds.

• Information Technology – KVH Industries unveiled the smallest maritime VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) antenna, the TracPhone V3, allowing mariners Internet access.

• Manufacturing – NuLabel Technologies’ liner–free label technology eliminates 30 percent of material costs of linered labels.

• Professional Services – Independence Trail Educational Foundation – allows users of the 2.5 mile heritage trail to learn about local and national history, culture, architecture and folklore by dialing a voice information service.

  The awards dinner and ceremony will take place at the George E. Bello Center at Bryant University on Sept. 29 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Russell Morin Fine Catering will cater the event; Newport Vineyards will provide the wines, Newport Storm will bring the beer, and there will also be a vodka bar.

  To register, visit the PBN Events page. Tickets are $90 and $850 for a table of 10.

  The event sponsors are Bryant University, Cox Business, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, and Gencorp.