The Massachusetts Information & Technology Exchange (MITX), a local trade organization for tech companies in New England, announced the call for entries to their biggest awards ceremony of the year yesterday.
The Interactive Awards, now in their 15th year, aren’t just MITX’s biggest annual shindig…
“The Awards are the largest competition of its kind in the country that honors web innovations developed by or created in New England,” noted MITX President Kiki Mills in a conversation with BostInno yesterday.
The MITX Interactive Awards recognizes the best and brightest in new technology. To keep it ultra fresh, MITX requires that all applicants launched no earlier than September 1, 2009. Of course, new products from pre-existing companies are also eligible — the Interactive Awards are all about everything that’s new and exciting in the local tech scene.
As a result of their focus on the cutting edge, the MITX Interactive Awards are unlike other ceremonies in that they have to update the categories to reflect current market trends.
“We revamped the categories this year to better mirror the evolution of the industry,” said Mills. “This year our categories are divided into three sections: Industry, for web sites and online projects within vertical industry categories; Usage, for non-industry-specific projects and campaigns executed by specific channel (social media) or technology (mobile); and Digital Media, for online media campaigns primarily driven by paid media strategies.”
In previous years, the MITX Interactive Awards have honored local heavy-hitters like Monster.com (2001), Staples (2000, 20005, 2007) and Brightcove (2007). Last year, it was all Zipcar, Dunkin’ Donuts, Overdrive Interactive and Sapient.
This year, the MITX Interactive Awards are being held on Thursday, November 18 at the Boston Mariott in Copley Place — the same venue that hosted this year’s MITX Tech Awards, a smaller but equally prestigious ceremony held by the non-profit each spring.
If you launched anything your team feel has made some serious waves since last summer, we encourage you to apply. There is an entry fee of $150 for MITX members and $300 for non-members, but the recognition and attention showered on the companies that take home these awards each year make the risk well worth taking in our book, because the brand recognition — at least in the circles we travel in — is really almost instant for winners.
“We typically honor over 100 finalists, and about 35 winners,” said Mills, also noting that winners are selected “through a two-part judging process that brings together over 100 judges from different areas of expertise in branding, design, strategy, user experience, marketing, analyst and investment communities.”
The deadline for entry to the Interactive Awards is Friday, September 10.
What do you think about MITX and their Tech Awards and Interactive Awards ceremonies? Are you definitely going to apply? Thinking about it? Let us know in the comments section below.
To learn more about MITX, follow them on Twitter or like them on Facebook.
