Pipeline has announced the eight national judges who will select the winners for its annual Innovators awards.

The national panel of judges are grouped into two categories: presentation judges and business plan judges.

The presentation judges include:

• Thomas Churchwell, ViMedicus, Chicago, Ill.
• Victor Hwang, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Kansas City, Mo.
• Rebecca Lovell, Office of Economic Development, Seattle, Wash.
• David Wilhelm, Hecate Energy, Columbus, Ohio

The business plan judges are:

• George Arida, 30Ventures, Madison, Wis.
• Jim Brisimitzis, Microsoft, Seattle, Wash.
• Denis Murphy, Anaeko, Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Tom Parkinson, Hopewell Ventures, Chicago, Ill.

The 2016 Fellows will compete for the Innovator of the Year, an award that has three components: (1) performance during the Pipeline year, (2) scores from their retooled business plans  and (3) presentations given during the “pitch” competition on January 26 in Kansas City. The recipient of this award will be announced at Pipeline’s Jan. 26 evening gala, along with the winners of Pipeline’s other entrepreneurial awards.

Formerly known as Innovator of the Year, the Innovators is an event that brings together successful entrepreneurs, investors, advisers and thought leaders..

Pipeline is a fellowship of high-performing entrepreneurs who have access to a national network of experts. Through Pipeline, entrepreneurs invest in their own professional development and tap into resources that enable them to build global businesses.