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2025

The Nucleus Awards celebrate leaders fostering a more innovative, collaborative, and equitable future

The Nucleus Awards

An evening of celebration, connection, and collaboration. The Science Center’s annual Nucleus Awards honor the region’s leaders in innovation, spotlighting the visionaries who are commercializing promising technology, allocating capital, convening the community, and cultivating our STEM workforce.

Bringing together groundbreakers from across the region, the Nucleus Awards is an industry-recognized celebration of Philadelphia’s role as leader in equitable science and technology innovation and inclusive growth.

Join 250+ innovation leaders for a night of celebration that starts with a cocktail reception and a brief award ceremony featuring comments from the awardees, followed by food and networking.

2025 presenting sponsor

Commercialization Award

Recognizes outstanding contributions to the commercialization of science and technology. The awardee catalyzes technology transfer, develops new ways to transition ideas to market adoption, and has a tangible impact on quality of life, economic growth, or societal wellbeing.

Capital Award

This award recognizes an individual that has intentionally sourced and invested in startups or founders with the purpose of mobilizing capital to unlock innovation. The Capital awardee is investing in a wide range of perspectives and talents to make transformative change in the STEM ecosystem.

Cultivator Award

Recognizes outstanding contributions in nurturing a talent pipeline in the STEM sectors. The awardee has demonstrated leadership and commitment to building a sustainable workforce that represents the community at large.

Convener Award

Recognizes an individual or organization that has generated new ideas or solutions through collaboration, placemaking, or unique introductions. The awardee has removed barriers to connect assets, resources and strengths of people and organizations with different backgrounds and perspectives to advance civic interests and improve lives.

Nominate a visionary for the 2025 Nucleus Awards!

We’re celebrating bold leaders and changemakers who’ve made a lasting impact in one of four key areas: commercialization, capital, cultivation, and convening.

Help us spotlight the people shaping the future of innovation.

Submit your nomination