Update: The deadline for nominations have been extended to midnight on Sunday, October 2.

InnovationMap is back to honor local startups and innovators — and this time, we've upped the ante.

Houston Exponential and InnovationMap have teamed up to combine their annual awards and event efforts to premiere a brand new program. The Houston Innovation Awards Gala on Wednesday, November 9, at The Ion will be a comprehensive event honoring Houston founders, innovators, investors, and more. InnovationMap and HX, which was acquired earlier this year, are in the same network of ownership.

Nominations are open online until midnight October 2, and nominees will have until October 11 to complete an additional application that will be emailed to nominees directly. A group of industry experts and Houston innovation leaders will review those submissions and determine finalists and winners across 11 categories. The categories for this year's awards are:

• BIPOC-Owned Business honoring an innovative company founded or co-founded by BIPOC representation
• Female-Owned Business honoring an innovative company founded or co-founded by a woman
• Hardtech Business honoring an innovative company developing and commercializing a physical technology across life science, energy, space, and beyond
• B2B Software Business honoring an innovative company developing and programming a digital solution to impact the business sector
• Green Impact Business honoring an innovative company providing a solution within renewables, climatetech, clean energy, alternative materials, and beyond
• Smart City Business honoring an innovative company providing a tech solution within transportation, infrastructure, data, and beyond
• New to Hou honoring an innovative company, accelerator, or investor that has relocated its primary operations to Houston within the past three years
• DEI Champion honoring an individual who is leading impactful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and progress within Houston and their organization
• Investor of the Year honoring an individual who is leading venture capital or angel investing
• Mentor of the Year honoring an individual who dedicates their time and expertise to guide and support to budding entrepreneurs
• People's Choice: Startup of the Year selected via an interactive voting portal during of the event

Additionally, the awards gala will honor an innovator who's made a lasting impact on the Houston innovation community. While you may nominate an individual for the Trailblazer Award via the online form, the judging committee will not require applications or nominations for this category and will be considering potential honorees from the ecosystem at large. If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to cbuckner@houstonexponential.org.

Last year, InnovationMap introduced its awards program and named 28 finalists and honored the nine winners on September 8. Click here to see more from last year's event.

Tickets for the November 9 event are available online. Early bird tickets will be $60 per person and startup founders will be able to attend for $25.

Click here to submit a nomination or see form below.