CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - Sep 11, 2012) - NanoInk announced today that it is one of the top 75 finalists for the prestigious 2012 Chicago Innovation Awards reflecting a cross section of the Chicago and surrounding regions' business communities. NanoInk was recognized for its Protein Nanoarray Assay, which provides a complete solution for the detection, identification and quantification of clinically and biologically relevant, low abundance proteins from a wide variety of sample types. The final ten winners will be announced Monday, October 22, and celebrated at an event with over 1,500 business and civic leaders at Chicago's Harris Theater. NanoInk is an emerging growth technology company specializing in nanometer-scale manufacturing and applications development for the life sciences, engineering, pharmaceutical, and education industries.

"We are honored to be selected as a finalist in the Chicago Innovation Awards. The Protein Nanoarray Assay is a great example of successful technology transfer from basic research to a viable commercial product," said Mike Nelson, chief technology officer, NanoInk. "In addition to ultrasensitive protein detection, this miniaturized assay format allows the use of smaller sample volumes with multiple measurements from each sample and many more samples in the same time and space as conventional assays."

The Chicago Innovation Awards, celebrating its 11th year, is the only organization in the country dedicated to honoring the most innovative new products or services brought to market or to public service from a specific region. This year almost 400 nominations were received.

"The most important message of the Chicago Innovation Awards is one of confidence and courage," said Thomas D. Kuczmarski, co-founder of the awards. "The economy is challenging but each nominee believes the simple truth that a powerful new product or service will find a rewarding market and has the courage to pursue their vision."

This year 13 judges, representing a range of Chicago's business community, will be involved in an exhaustive and complex judging process to select the final ten winners of the Chicago Innovation Awards as well as ten "Up & Comer" award winners for smaller organizations still in the start-up phases of their innovations. In addition, each of the 75 finalists is automatically in the running for the annual "People's Choice Award," selected through online balloting at www.chicagoinnovationawards.com.

About NanoInk
NanoInk, Inc. is an emerging growth technology company specializing in nanometer-scale manufacturing and applications development for the life sciences, engineering, pharmaceutical, and education industries. Using Dip Pen Nanolithography® (DPN®) patented and proprietary nanofabrication technology, scientists are enabled to rapidly and easily create micro-and nanoscale structures from a variety of materials on a range of substrates. This low cost, easy to use and scalable technique brings sophisticated nanofabrication to the laboratory desktop. Headquartered in the Illinois Science + Technology Park, north of Chicago, NanoInk currently has several divisions including the NanoFabrication Systems Division, the Nano BioDiscovery Division, the NanoProfessor® Division and the NanoGuardian™ Division. For more information on products and services offered by NanoInk, Inc., visit www.nanoink.net.

NanoInk, the NanoInk logo, Dip Pen Nanolithography, and DPN are registered trademarks of NanoInk, Inc.