Purdue University’s legacy of innovation was on full display at TechPoint’s 2026 Mira Awards, which celebrate the most groundbreaking contributions to Indiana’s tech ecosystem. Many Purdue-connected companies and individuals stood out among the honorees, underscoring the university’s far-reaching impact on driving technological advancement in Indiana and beyond.
One of the evening’s standout recognitions for Purdue went to Purdue Innovates, which was named Innovation Service Partner of the Year. The honor reflects Purdue Innovates’ role in helping Boilermakers transform problems into possibilities: protecting IP, launching new companies, funding bold solutions and partnering with industry to create real-world impact.
Purdue Innovates has thrived under the leadership of Purdue Research Foundation (PRF) President & CEO Chad Pittman who started his career at PRF working closely with commercialization efforts. Since he became president in early 2025, Pittman has built on the strong legacy of commercialization and entrepreneurial support, empowering Purdue Innovates to expand its impact through new programs like the Purdue Innovates Accelerator and enhanced funding designed to de-risk Purdue intellectual property.
“I’ve been honored to work closely with Purdue Innovates Senior Vice President Brooke Beier and the whole Purdue Innovates team over to ensure our streamlined system offers everything Boilermakers need to turn ideas into impact,” Pittman said. “With a strong, united vision, we’ve made incredible strides to ensure Purdue is a global leader in startup creation as well as research commercialization.”
By aligning PRF and Purdue Innovates around a shared goal—pioneering transformative technology solutions in Indiana for the benefit of the world—the team has supported a growing portfolio of startups and products, helping bring new companies, technologies and investment into the state’s innovation ecosystem.
Purdue University President Mung Chiang’s leadership was also honored as the Indiana tech sector’s 2026 Trailblazer for his efforts in building a pipeline of talent and positioning the Big Ten university and the state of Indiana as a global leader driving the AI, hard tech and health economies. Purdue Innovates was established in 2023—Chiang’s first year as president—underscoring his commitment to the success of Boilermaker innovators across the university, its research foundation and alumni network.
Read more: Purdue University President Mung Chiang is TechPoint’s 2026 Trailblazer
Congratulations to the other 2026 Mira Awards winners with Purdue connections:
AgriNovus Indiana AgBioscience Innovation Award: FiberX
FiberX is a biomass refinery that upcycles corn stover into high-value products. It mechanically refines stover into fibers used as additives in plastics, rubber, and other materials. Its lignin-first biorefinery produces lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, while its depolymerization technology creates feedstocks for bio-based resins and epoxies, reducing reliance on petroleum and toxic substances such as formaldehyde and PFAS. With the potential to transform multiple markets, FiberX stands out as a powerful example of Indiana-rooted innovation shaping the future of sustainable materials.
The Purdue connection: Chief Strategy Officer Wade Lange holds degrees from Purdue and was previously Chief Entrepreneurial Officer of PRF. The company is licensing and co-developing its biorefinery technology with the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering’s Professors James Caruthers and Enrico Martinez, and doctoral candidate Rajdeep Deka. The company is also one of five companies in the second Purdue Innovates Accelerator cohort.
Ascend Indiana Talent Innovation Award: Eli Lilly and Company, Ivy Tech Community College, Purdue University
This award recognizes organizations and their programs or platforms that inspire and open doors for STEM talent, create economic opportunities, and have a positive impact on talent pipeline development and the future workforce. The partnership “earned top recognition for its thoughtful, employer-driven approach to expanding Indiana’s tech talent pipeline at scale,” TechPoint said.
Deal of the Year: BiomEdit’s $18.6M Series B
BiomEdit is an innovation company that discovers, designs, and develops novel microbiome-derived products to address unmet needs in animal health. Elanco Animal Health was a leader in the round, highlighting both the commercial relevance of BiomEdit’s platform and a clear pathway to market through one of the industry’s leading animal health companies.
The Purdue connection: BiomEdit CEO Aaron Schacht was a PRF Board Member.
Emerging Tech Leader Award: Jonathon Brack, V2X (Fishers)
Jonathon Brack leads teams developing and deploying mission-critical systems, with a focus on building scalable, repeatable solutions that perform in high-stakes conditions.
The Purdue connection: Jonathon Brack has a BSEE & MSECE in Electrical Engineering from Purdue.
Media contact: Polly Barks, phbarks@prf.org
