2005 Technology Innovation Awards Introduction

2005 Technology Innovation Awards

Inventors can be a funny bunch. Obsessive. Stubborn. Some - maybe their spouses - might say difficult. But in the Zen-like moment when it all comes together, when a new technology is created, that tunnel-vision behavior can pale in comparison to the euphoric ear-to-ear grin on the face of the innovator.

Sure, there are new challenges ahead. Marketing it, selling it and turning a profit, for starters.

But it's the love of creating something new and useful that drives many, if not all, of the ten companies selected as finalists for this year's Technology Innovation Awards, sponsored by Gulf Coast Business Review and 82 Degrees. From maintaining advanced security cameras at some of the country's seaports to fine-tuning the process of soliciting donations for charities with new software, the people behind these innovations have all felt the adrenaline rush of creating something new.

The winner, MadahCom Inc., uses technology to help protect American soldiers in war zones. The next step is to tailor their services and products to other industries and markets in the U.S.

And although they came in as runners-up, Medical Education Technologies and RxTrocar have plenty to brag about. The former, known as METI, is a pioneer in the field of making life-like medical mannequins for training a variety of people in the medical field. The surgeon behind RxTrocar is trying to solve a problem well known in the medical field but little known elsewhere: protecting medical professionals from getting accidentally stuck by needles during surgeries and operations.

Picking a winner was difficult. As you will see from the profiles on these pages, all of the companies share the passion of creating something new. A panel made up of Gulf Coast Business Review editors and 82 degrees executives chose the finalists.