Vogt Awards
The Community Foundation of Louisville’s Vogt Invention & Innovation Awards offers entrepreneurs in the Louisville region a unique and exciting opportunity to take their startups to the next level. Each year, up to six early-stage businesses receive $25,000 in non-dilutive grant funding, participation in a 10-week startup accelerator program, coaching, mentorship from industry veterans, strategic introductions and recognition, all designed to boost their companies’ growth. Unlike other business accelerator programs, the Vogt Awards allows founders to retain full ownership of their startups.
Vogt Invention & Innovation Awards Demo Day
We’re bringing together two incredible events celebrating entrepreneurs. The Community Foundation of Louisville’s legendary Vogt Invention and Innovation Awards joins forces with Network + Chill to bring you an evening you won’t want to miss.
Hear from six local, tech startups from this year’s Vogt Awards cohort and learn from Andy Dunn, author of Burn Rate: Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind. Dunn’s fireside chat will explore the intersection of entrepreneurship and mental health and is hosted by Ricky Mason, 2020 Vogt Award recipient, and Chris Redd.
Warm Welcome to TitleWise, 2022 Vogt Award Recipient
Real estate title research remains an industry of handwritten worksheets, or internal systems with geographic limitations. As co-owners of Southern Indiana Abstract Co., Chris and Jennifer Mason have first-hand experience with the challenges facing their industry — handwritten reports lack legibility and clarity, inconsistent formats and reporting styles produce errors, and the researcher’s role is overlooked and underinvested within the industry.
That’s why the Masons have developed TitleWise, a powerful, web-based tool for creating digital reports and databases designed for real estate title abstractors. The subscription-based app enables title researchers to produce work quickly on-the-go, whether researching from a courthouse or remotely online.
Say hello to the 2022 Vogt Awards Cohort
Pictured left to right: Waleed Bahouth, Erik Anderson, Jennifer Mason, Lecresha Sewell, TaMeka Bland, Roland Achenjang, Akhil Suresh Nair; Not pictured: Chris Mason | Photo credit: Jolea Brown, Creative Photography LLC
The Community Foundation of Louisville is thrilled to announce the recipients of our 22nd annual Vogt Invention and Innovation Awards. These six, early-stage industry disruptors will receive $25,000 in non-dilutive grant funding, participation in a 10-week accelerator program, startup coaching, mentorship from industry veterans, strategic introductions and recognition, all designed to boost their growth and take their tech-enabled businesses to the next level. We’re excited to share that this year’s recipients represent the program’s first majority minority cohort — 83% are minority/founders of color and 50% are women-founded.
Join us for networking, live presentations by company founders, and an in-person reunion with the Louisville startup community. The Vogt Awards will culminate with Demo Day on Thursday, October 13th, at 5 PM at the Speed Art Museum.
Learn more about our Vogt Award receipients and register for Demo Day.
Thank you 2022 Vogt Awards Selection Committee!
Back row pictured left to right: Christian Miller; Demetrius Gray; Alice Shade; Brett Moreno; Steven Plappert; Jake Miller; Mario Mazzone; Buddy Bockweg; and Telepriore “Greg” Tucker Ph.D. Front row pictured left to right: Phoebe Wood; Greg Langdon; Tendai Charasika; (Chair) Monique Quarterman; Angelique Johnson Ph.D.; and (Program Director) Lisa Bajorinas | Photo credit: Community Foundation of Louisville
Congratulations to the 22nd annual Vogt Award recipients! These six early-stage businesses were chosen by a selection committee made up of leading entrepreneurs and investors in the startup community, and past Vogt Award recipients. This innovative, passionate group of trailblazers are experts in their fields and have firsthand experience in what it takes to build a company from the ground up. The committee was led by Chair Monique Quarterman, one of Kentucky’s most recognized leaders in innovation. Monique serves as Deputy Executive Director for Kentucky Innovation at the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.
Competition was tough this year, and narrowing the field to six companies was an enormous challenge. We want to thank each committee member for their leadership, guidance, and thoughtful consideration throughout the selection process.
Committee members were:
- Buddy Bockweg, Vsimple
- Michael Boone, yLoft
- Tendai Charasika, Saling Wealth Advisors/UofL Entrepreneur-in-Residence
- Demetrius Gray, Captain
- Lydia Henshaw, Resolv
- Angelique Johnson, MEMStim
- Raffi Kayat, Borderless
- Greg Langdon, startup advisor and investor
- Christian Miller, Venture First
- Jake Miller, Toggle Health
- Brett Moreno, Anteriad
- Steven Plappert, Forecastr
- Mario Mazzone, KSTC–Keyhorse Capital
- Chris Redd, Baptist Health/Network ‘N Chill
- Alice Shade, 4 Aventures/UofL Entrepreneur-in-Residence
- Telpriore “Greg” Tucker, UofL Research & Innovation
- Phoebe Wood, CompaniesWood
The Tremendous Legacy behind the Vogt Awards
The Vogt Invention & Innovation Fund and Awards was established in 1999 through an endowment generously created by Henry V. Heuser Sr. This long-standing and prestigious program aims to strengthen Louisville’s economic health by supporting innovative startups and inspiring entrepreneurship.
It’s an incredible story of generosity supporting a long-term vision that benefits economic development in our community.
We're here to answer your questions!
