CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- Each year, the Charlottesville Business Innovation Council honors local businesses, start-ups, leaders and more.

The finalists for this year’s CBIC Awards have now been announced.

The Business of the Year category aims to highlight a tech or tech-centric business or organization that serves as a model of achievement for others, for financial success, growth, commitment to innovation and more.

In this category, the finalists are AMPEL BioSolutions, Bonumose LLC, Rivanna Medical, and WillowTree.

The Educator of the Year Award goes to a K-12 educator who sets an example by incorporating the principles of innovation, entrepreneurship, invention, and/or technological achievement in their classrooms.

The finalists are Mike Bruscia, Keith Congdon, Kevin Huff and Health Schmidt.

The Employer of the Year recognizes a tech or tech-centric business creating an environment that attracts, develops and retains talent in a way that enhances the local ecosystem and economy.

Elder Research, Construction, a Buildertrend Company, Shine Systems / Management, and the University of Virginia School of Data Science are this year’s finalists in this category.

An individual who embodies the elements of successful tech-centric entrepreneurship may be recognized with the Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

This year, the finalists are Lindsay Burton, Amrie Grammar, John Gaskins, and Jennell Lynch.

Up next is the Innovator of the Year, which goes to an individual or organization in honor of creativity and resourcefulness in the development of a new product, service or product candidate.

AMPEL BioSolutions, Contraline, Empathable, and Allocortech are the finalists for 2023.

The Partnership Award goes to new collaborative partnerships that have been built within the last 18 months creating successful outcomes for the partnership itself, area education, nonprofits, and/or the community at large.

The four finalists here are the Charlottesville Computer Science Community, the Community Climate Collaborative, the Buford Lab School, and the UVA Engineering Link Lab.

For the Social Good Award, a company or organization needs to be focused on identifying needs, improving communities, and providing meaningful benefits to the general public through clean air, clean water, education, racial equality or similar initiatives.

This year’s finalists are Stephen Davis, the CODE Building, New Hill Development Corporation, and Sigora Solar / Sigora Haiti.

The Startup of the Year recognizes an innovation-centric project or company that looks to develop a scalable economic model aiming to grow beyond its entrepreneurial beginnings, with demonstrated significant progress in recent years.

Icarus Medical Innovations, Laser Thermal, Luminoah Inc., and Rivus Pharma are the finalists for 2023.

A student or team of students who successfully create or advance the development of an idea, new product, service or product candidate may be honored with the Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

For 2023, the finalists are College Contact, Skinzy Software Solutions, Vidya Ambati, and Vuetech Health Innovations.

CBIC also recognizes its volunteers with the Volunteer of the Year Award. This goes to volunteers who have gone above and beyond in making substantial and lasting contributions to CBIC’s cause.

This year’s Awards Gala will be held at North Fork, a UVA Discovery Park, on June 1.

For more information, click here.