Maryland Tech Council ICON Awards

The ICON Awards honor the best in Maryland’s technology and life sciences communities. An icon is a person who is “widely admired especially for having great influence or significance” in their community. Each year our awards celebration honors the best in Maryland’s technology and life sciences communities. Individuals and companies are recognized for their work in developing the treatments, designing the systems, and teaching the children, that have ultimately touched the lives of millions of people. It’s a gathering of great minds and passion from those that believe in the future.

Finalists for the 2025 ICON Awards include:

Life Sciences CEO of the Year

• Jesse Christopher, Co-Founder and CEO, Longeviti Neuro Solutions
• Helen Sabzevari, Ph.D., President and CEO, Precigen
• Vidya Chari, Co-Founder and CEO, Axle
• Katherine Stueland, CEO, GeneDx

Technology CEO of the Year

• Peter Chapman, President and CEO, IonQ
• Elizabeth Clayborne, Co-Founder and CEO, NasaClip
• Sathya Elumalai, President and CEO, Aidar Health
• Aida Keehner, CEO, Atruent
• Xiaonao Liu, CEO, Nanobiofab

Government Contracting CEO of the Year

• Raghu Akkapeddi, CEO, Index Analytics
• Gary Daigle, CEO, RealmOne
• Rajan Natarajan, CEO, Global Alliant
• Anil Sharma, CEO, 22nd Century Technologies
• Gurpreet Singh, CEO, Infotrend

C-Suite of the Year

• Damien Bates, Chief Medical Officer, Cellphire Therapeutics
• Robert Charles, Chief Financial Officer, Digital Harbor Foundation
• Steven Tropello, Chief Medical Officer, CoapTech

C-Suite COO of the Year

• Matt Boxer, COO, Veralox Therapeutics
• Mitch Franklin, COO, BIOQUAL
• Jackie Linaberry, COO, JJA Technical Services

Life Sciences Company of the Year

• CoapTech
• GeneDx
• Mindoula Health

Technology Company of the Year

• The Canton Group
• Comcast Business
• CompassMSP
• Govplace

Government Contracting Company of the Year

• Digital Infuzion
• Global Alliant
• Index Analytics
• RealmOne

Emerging Life Sciences Company of the Year

• CraniUS Therapeutics
• Mblue Labs
• Precigen
• Silvec Biologics
• TrilliumBIO

Emerging Technology Company of the Year

• Epoch
• JumpLights
• RedZone Technologies
• RF Safety Laboratory
• xop.ai

Emerging Government Contracting Company of the Year

• Black Eagle Defense
• McBee Moore & Vanik IP Law
• Procurement Sciences
• Phoenix Integrators

Pava LaPere Young Innovator of the Year

Alden Sullivan, Co-Founder and CTO, Uneo Health

Adeola Ajani, MBA, Founder and CEO, Fem Equity

Yoseph Kim, CEO, Optosurgical

Rebecca Rosenberg, Founder and CEO, ReBokeh

Selena Shirkin, Founder, Fetal Therapy Technologies