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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ®
JUNE 2022
2022 EDISON AWARDS When individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations win awards, we all celebrate. Their success contributes to our region’s success. Local awards programs recognize the region’s top entrepreneurs, business owners, female leaders, young professionals, public service workers, charitable causes and other high-achieving individuals, companies and organizations. Winning an award is a public acknowledgement that you’re doing things well and doing things the right way. Southwest Florida also won an award, although there is no trophy or plaque to display the achievement. We won the Edison Awards. Specifically, we won by hosting the Edison Awards, a global competition previously held in New York City that honors excellence in new product and service development, marketing, human-centered design and innovation. The Horizon Foundation helped recruit the Edison Awards, and its members are already working diligently to make Southwest Florida its permanent home. For three days in April, hundreds of the world’s top minds in technology, engineering, science, manufacturing, sustainability, education and other disciplines descended on Fort Myers for an incredible celebration of innovation and business success. The Horizon Foundation proudly supports the Edison Awards along with a dozen other organizations and businesses. Southwest Florida is home to postcard-perfect beaches, year-round sunshine and unspoiled natural amenities, yet the Edison Awards’ Steering Committee chose Fort Myers for a reason other than tourism – Southwest Florida also is a hotbed for innovation and entrepreneurship. Two years ago, when the Edison Awards announced Fort Myers would be hosting future awards celebrations, the organization noted “the city has a rich history of innovation and is a natural fit to continue the Edison Awards mission: To serve
as a leader in globally recognizing, honoring and fostering innovation and innovators to create a positive impact on the world.” More than a century ago, the likes of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone spent time in Southwest Florida. In the decades since, thousands of businesses large and small have gotten their start here. Mega-companies like Hertz, Chico’s, NeoGenomics and Gartner chose Lee BY CHRISTOPHER County as their world headquarters. SPIRO World-class systems like the School Guest Columnist District of Lee County and Lee Health continue to thrive, and Florida Gulf Coast University continues to innovate through additions like the Daveler & Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship, The Water School, Institute for Technological Innovation and Small Business Development Center. We want the world to see these assets in addition to our abundant sunshine, seashells and sand. Lee County will again be hosting the Edison Awards in 2023, and perhaps next year, an entrepreneur or innovator from Southwest Florida will be among those honored on the world stage for their achievements. We know the talent is here; now it’s time for the rest of the world to hear about it Christopher Spiro is President at the Horizon Foundation, a charitable 501(c)(3) organization that provides a funding vehicle for businesses to invest in Lee County’s long-term economic development and vitality. For more information, please visit HorizonCouncilFoundation.com or call (239) 533-6800.
Economic impact of awards
For 35 years, the Edison Awards have been putting a spotlight on innovations, inventions and new products from around the globe. The awards have also made a substantial economic impact on the Southwest Florida region, one of the reasons Lee and Collier counties continue to support the awards and the influx of visitors they bring to the area each year. This year’s event was hosted at the Luminary Hotel and the Caloosa Sound Convention Center in the Fort Myers River District. Top innovators from around the world came to Fort Myers in April to participate and experience Southwest Florida. The awards help leverage innovation, invention and the rich history of Thomas Edison in Fort Myers. “The more economic expansion we bring to the community, the more opportunities we create to recognize the innovators,” Tasman said. “It also means better and stronger branding and clustering of innovation we end up being able to promote.” In addition to fueling economic expansion, this also helps increase the quality of life and business-friendly environment for which Southwest Florida is known. “The Edison Awards are all about inventions and innovations that change people’s lives,” Tasman said. “Being part of a positive future is beneficial for our area.” Leveraging the Edison Awards and continuing to focus and brand them around the startup and technology industry is definitely a positive for Southwest Florida. “It’s important to grow and diversify the economy and maintain economic and environmental sustainability,” Tasman said. “The Edison Awards will influence our educational component. Growing and improving our systems here will continue to help exacerbate opportunities as well.”
EDISON AWARDS
THANK YOU FOR SHINING A LIGHT ON INNOVATION Lee County is thrilled to host the 2022 Edison Awards, which has honored the world’s leading innovators and innovations for 35 years. Special thanks to the Horizon Foundation board members for helping to bring this inspiring event to our community and for working diligently to make Southwest Florida its permanent home.
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INNOVATION
International awards shine spotlight on SWFL
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