Indiana's CyberStars.

• Author: HROMADKA, ERIK
• Position: Winners of the 2001 CyberStar awards

Recognizing innovation in information technology

Information technology in Indiana is generating some $6.5 billion in annual revenues and growing 60 percent annually. Despite high-tech's turbulent times, advances in technologies being made here in Indiana are setting standards for innovation. The Indiana Information Technology Association recently recognized some of the stars of the industry with its 2001 CyberStar awards. These strong, young Indiana companies were able to avoid last year's dot-com disaster. Instead of being classified as either "new economy" or "old economy," they continue building the state's future economy.

In addition to recognizing the winners, the association also launched a new foundation that will work to expand the understanding and use of technology across the state.

"The foundation is being created to bring the IT industry's intellectual and financial resources together to help bridge the 'digital divide' in our state," says Steve Ehrlich, senior vice president of operations at Aprimo Inc.

The following individuals and companies were named winners of the 2001 CyberStar awards by a panel of judges representing industry-leading high-tech companies including Eli Lilly, Raytheon, Cisco Systems, Rolls-Royce and Silicon Valley Bank.

OPENGLOBE INC.

Gazelle Company

www.openglobe.net

The 2001 Gazelle Company winner is OpenGlobe Inc., a new high-tech company based in Indianapolis with offices in Greenville, South Carolina, and Los Gatos, California. OpenGlobe was created last year as a spin-off of Escient Technologies to develop products and services that converge new technologies such as the Internet, DVDs, mp3s and other formats of digital entertainment.

OpenGlobe is developing technology that will allow all such formats to be linked through the Internet and used on devices made by original-equipment manufacturers such as Thomson, Compaq and Kenwood. All three major brands joined the company's efforts in its first year of operation.

As broadband Internet access becomes more readily available in homes and offices across the country, OpenGlobe expects an explosion in demand for access not from people but from their machines. The company is positioning itself to provide the technology that will allow a personal computer, DVD player and home-entertainment system to retrieve and play selections seamlessly.

"At OpenGlobe, we are focused on our OEM partner success, providing a wide range of design services that accelerate the capabilities of successful brand-name consumer-electronic manufacturers to deliver the next generation of entertainment products," says CEO Bernie Sepaniak.

JAMES EIFERT

President, Rose Hulman Ventures

www.rose-hulman.edu/rhv

James Eifert was honored for outstanding individual contributions to the technology industry. He serves as president of Rose-Hulman Ventures, a technology-based business incubator and product-development center located in Terre Haute. From a 35,000-square-foot building on a campus-like setting, students from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology work directly with high-technology companies that are preparing to launch new products and services.

Drawing from a wide range of academic experience, Eifert was able to secure funding for his vision from the Lilly...