The NCWIT Symons Innovator Award promotes women’s participation in information technology and entrepreneurship by honoring an outstanding woman who has successfully built and funded an IT business. By recognizing women IT entrepreneurs, the NCWIT Symons Innovator Award hopes to inspire others to pursue IT entrepreneurship, and increase awareness about the importance of women’s participation in IT innovation and business.

The award is named for Jeanette Symons, founder of Industrious Kid, Zhone Technologies, and Ascend Communications, and an NCWIT Entrepreneurial Hero whose pioneering work made her an inspiration to many. Previous winners include Kate Matsudaira, Shellye Archambeau, Katie Hall, Caterina Fake, Jessica Jackley, Audrey MacLean, Kim Polese, and Anousheh Ansari.

The NCWIT Symons Innovator Award was created by the former NCWIT Entrepreneurial Alliance. For more on women and IT entrepreneurship, check out our research and listen to our Entrepreneurial Heroes interviews.