History of 2008 VON Magazine Innovator Awards - The Applications Process

VON Magazine has been entrusted with the legacy and evolution of the pulver100 for 2008. The VON Magazine Innovators (Innovators) list will continue to recognize companies that represent the future of IP communications. As for the changes:

• Companies will have to apply online at the VON Magazine Web site for consideration. Applications will open up sometime between October 15 and November 1, 2007, and be completed through www.vonmag.com. Applying is free, but we’re not guaranteeing awards just based upon applying. The last date for submissions is December 15, 2007.
• Applications will be more formalized, and we reserve the right to come back and ask for more information.
• Innovators will be judged on new IP communications products and services introduced in the 2007 calendar year. You have to have a shipping product, and you have to have customers. It has to be a justifiably new product–not version 2.6 as compared to last year’s 2.51.
• Both public and private companies may apply. This is a significant change from previous years, but since companies such as Adobe, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Nortel are bringing new ideas to the table, we would be remiss if we didn’t objectively look at them.
• There will be fewer than 100 Innovators on our list. We may name as few as 25, but we are reserving the right, based upon the number of timely and quality submissions, to name up to 50 Innovators.
• Submissions will be judged by a panel of VON Magazine contributors and Carl Ford of pulvermedia. Bob Emmerson, Ross O’Brien, Bob Frankston, and Joel Maloff will judge, and I will serve as Chairman for 2008. Panelists are expected to excuse themselves from evaluating companies for which they’ve worked or with which they have a financial interest.
• The Chairman may also, when appropriate, call in other VON Magazine contributors to evaluate submissions

VON Magazine Innovators will be announced at Spring VON 2008, in San Jose, Calif. Further information on the application process will be available on the VON Magazine Web site in October.