Meet Grace Simrall, Chair of the 2026 Vogt Invention and Innovation Awards Selection Committee

Written by: Kym Vorhees Raque

Pictured above: Grace Simrall, 2026 Vogt Awards Selection Committee Chair.

Grace Simrall has been a champion for entrepreneurs and early‑stage businesses throughout her career. She’s served as a Senior Fellow with Center for Digital Government, advised national leaders as a member of the National Advisory Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship (NACIE), and helped modernize Louisville’s civic tech landscape as the city’s Chief of Civic Innovation and Technology. Her focus has always been helping founders succeed. 

As Selection Committee Chair of the Community Foundation of Louisville’s Vogt Invention and Innovation Awards, Grace brings her unique experience and perspective to this year’s selection committee as they choose the 2026 cohort. 

We talked with Grace about her role and why she’s excited to help support this year’s Vogt Awards program. 

Tell us a little about yourself and your business experience  

Currently, I’m the Senior Director of Market Development at Lumos Fiber but my career journey looks a lot like many entrepreneurs. I founded my own startup, iGlass Analytics, which focuses on data management, analytics, and AI in the healthcare technology space since 2009. I know firsthand the challenges and difficulties new businesses face, such as defining who your customer really is and how to reach them, how to successfully scale your business, and defining your competitive edge. This is why it’s so incredibly valuable to have programs like the Vogt Awards providing support. 

Why did you agree to be the Vogt Awards Selection Committee Chair? 

Knowing the history of the Vogt Awards and how much it has impacted the startup ecosystem in Louisville, it was an easy choice. There really aren’t very many programs like it in our region that provide fully non‑dilutive funding and all of the wraparound support services entrepreneurs really need. 

For me personally, it’s also about paying it forward. When I was a founder, I was very active in the ecosystem but had to step back during other chapters in my career. Now I have the opportunity to give back, and of course I couldn’t turn it down.  

Why do you think the Vogt Awards are so important to our community? 

Early-stage businesses are the leading producers of jobs. They’re the leaders in disruptive innovation, in creativity and new ways of solving problems. The larger business community absolutely benefits from having a healthy startup ecosystem. 

Being a founder is incredibly lonely, especially if you’re doing it solo. The Vogt Awards gives founders a community of support, so they know they’re not alone. Someone who’s just a step ahead can say, “Yep, I went through that six months ago. Here’s what I did.” It might not be the exact solution, but it shows there’s a path forward. 

You’ve been part of the program for the last two years. What have you learned that you’ll carry forward as Chair? 

First, I have to give a huge shout‑out to the team behind the Vogt Awards for their incredible work that makes the Chair’s job easier and the program more impactful.  

Second, people don’t appreciate how much rigor goes into every step of the process from the initial posting to encourage applications, to narrowing down applicants to the finalists, and to selecting the award recipients. The application itself is rigorous, and now that I’ve seen it from the inside, I understand why. It forces founders to think through questions they may never have asked themselves before. It’s a really good exercise for any business owner. 

This year especially, we’re encouraging founders to think explicitly about how they might leverage technology in their operations or product/service.   Technology is altering every aspect of our lives and businesses. We saw this with last year’s cohort, and now this year we’d like founders to address it directly. I’m super excited to see how much more advanced the work will be. 

What has surprised you most about prior Vogt Awards recipients? 

The fact that we see early-stage businesses from a wide range of industries and business sectors. You’d think we’d mostly see solutions tied to our region’s economic strengths, but instead we see this grand diversity of ideas tackling real problems in new ways.  

It can be difficult for early-stage founders who are so passionate about their solution to see any blind spots. Going through this rigorous process forces them to look at their business in a new way and ask new questions. 

What would you say to encourage people to apply? 

If you’re passionate about your business, filling out the application is the least challenging problem you’ll face. Take it one bite at a time. You don’t have to complete it in one sitting. If it feels overwhelming, take a step back, take a break, and then get back to it.  

Is there anything else you would like to share or add? 

Going through the Vogt [Awards] process gives founders the tools, clarity, and a level of confidence they didn’t have before. 

If you’re sitting there thinking, “I’m not good enough”, or “my idea isn’t far enough along,” just put those fears aside and give it a try and submit an application. I know I can’t wait to see who our next batch of founders will be. 

Interested in applying? The 2026 Vogt Invention & Innovation Awards application is open now through Friday, June 5, 2026. For more information about the application process, resources, and more, visit www.vogtawards.com.  

About the Vogt Invention and Innovation Awards  
The Community Foundation of Louisville’s Vogt Awards is one of the longest-standing business accelerators of its kind in the Kentuckiana region. Funded by the Vogt Invention & Innovation Fund at the Community Foundation of Louisville, the program is made possible by an endowment from Henry Vogt Heuser, Sr. in 1999. The awards program is unique because it allows founders to retain full ownership of their business while leveraging funding and education, receiving mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs, and obtaining access to an extensive network of support. The fund’s mission is to help entrepreneurs, inventors, and visionaries commercialize their ideas, products, and projects and develop them into viable and successful businesses. The Vogt Awards program supports economic growth, diversification, stability, and employment for the Greater Louisville region.