IronWorkz based in Gary capped off a few years of accolades with a Community Impact Award during the 2025 Mira Awards gala Feb. 27 at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.
Faith Spencer, Alex Termini and Emmani Ellis founded the nonprofit business incubator in 2022 and haven't looked back.
Since then, they have earned awards for their work to create access to resources and collaboration for all entrepreneurs.
“The Mira Award is a powerful acknowledgment of IronWorkz’s mission to create equity and bridge resource gaps in underserved communities,” said Spencer and Ellis in emailed comments. “This honor reinforces our commitment to not just empowering entrepreneurs but also ensuring they have direct access to the knowledge, networks and opportunities they need to thrive.”
Indianapolis-based TechPoint honored 20 technology-based organizations and people during the 26th annual gala. Judges chose winners from 221 submissions. More than 1,500 people attended the gala.
“Indiana’s tech ecosystem is growing deeper and more innovative every year,” said TechPoint President and CEO Ting Gootee in a press release. “It’s always a difficult decision, choosing among the state’s wide array of promising leaders and innovators, and this year was no exception. It’s inspiring to be in the room with this group.”
IronWorkz also was honored by the Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest in November as an advocate for innovation inductee.
Spencer, who is president and CEO, was included in a Northwest Indiana Business Magazine special section about “African Americans in Business” early last year. And she was on the Leadership Institute and the Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest's list of 2024 Women on the Rise. In 2023, IronWorkz was included in the state of Indiana's annual Entrepreneurship Indiana yearbook.
“The awards and acknowledgments IronWorkz has received reinforce the value and credibility of our work — and most importantly, why we do it,” they said. “As a young organization, we’ve covered a lot of ground in just a few years, but at the core of it all is trust. These accolades are more than recognition; they’re proof that we’re here to stay, that we’re not backing down, and that we’re committed to changing the narrative for entrepreneurs in Northwest Indiana.”
Another regional winner was rScan, which has headquarters in South Bend. It earned Startup of the Year. Find the full list here.
