Application Finalists and category Award Recipients are chosen by a cross-section of the region's most prominent industry leaders and early-stage investors. Entering in the competition provides emerging companies with a rare opportunity to present their business plan and vision to the most influential panel of early-stage investors and industry leaders in the region.

Members of the 2010 Selection Committee:

Gregory Barger, Calvert Street Capital Partners
Philip Bogart, Saul Ewing LLP
Patrick A. Cairns, Montagu Newhall Associates, Inc.
Brian Carney, Harbert Venture Partners
Martha Connelly, Maryland Industrial Partnerships at University of Maryland
Christine Copple, Starise Ventures
Charles Cullen, Grotech Ventures
Brian P. Darmody, University of Maryland, Research & Economic Development
Tanya Dobash, Phoenix Global Supply
Randy Domolky, Liquid Capital Group
Donald Fallon
Yair Flicker, SmartLogic Solutions, LLC
David J. Freschman, FashInvest
Yali Friedman, thinkBiotech LLC
Valerie Gaydos, Fifty-First Associates, LLC
Thomas Gillespie, In-Q-Tel
Elizabeth Good Mazhari, Johns Hopkins University
Mark Grovic, New Markets Growth Fund
Michael Gutch, HIG Ventures
Jack Hollerbach, HarVest Bank of Maryland
Andy Jones, Boulder Ventures
Konstantina M. Katcheves, Saul Ewing LLP
Rick A. Kohr Jr., CPA Chesapeake Emerging Opp. Club
Steve Kozak, Greater Baltimore Technology Council
Lenard Marcus, Edison Venture Fund
Aris Melissaratos, Johns Hopkins University
Roberta Melton, Maryland TEDCO
Brian Meritt, RSM McGladrey, Inc.
Joseph Migliara, Investor
Sanya Mistry, Quaker BioVentures, Inc.
David Mott, New Enterprise Associates
Ruchika Nijhara, Georgetown University - Office of Technology Commercialization
Eric G. Orlinsky, Saul Ewing LLP
Alexander Perry, Anthem Capital
Jigar Raythatha, Red Abbey Venture Partners
Michael L. Salgaller Ph.D.
Jane Shaab, University of Maryland
Amita Shukla, New Enterprise Associates (NEA)
Paul Silber, Principal Silber Associates
Kyp Sirinakis, MASA Life Science Ventures, LP
Jae Sly, Strategic BioPharm Consulting, Inc.
Sean Stone, Silicon Valley Bank
Brian Taylor, Growing company Solutions, Inc.
Sever Totia, Edison Venture Fund
Geeta S. Vemuri Ph.D., Quaker BioVentures
Jonathan Wallace, WWC Capital Group
John Wasilisin, Maryland Technoloci Development Corporation
Benjamin Wu, Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development
Matt Zuga, Red Abbey Ventures Partners

Companies that apply to the ICOY Awards and the 13th Annual Early Stage East Venture Fair will receive preferential review of the application for Early Stage East.