President Chiang named TechPoint’s 2026 Trailblazer

INDIANAPOLIS — Purdue University President Mung Chiang has been honored as the Indiana tech sector’s 2026 Trailblazer for his efforts in building a pipeline of talent and positioning the Big Ten university and the state of Indiana as a global leader driving the AI, hard tech and health economies. 

Three other Purdue-led or supported startups or initiatives also won top awards during TechPoint’s 2026 Mira Awards gala Friday (April 24):

• Purdue Innovates was named Innovation Service Partner of the Year. The program provides funding, mentorship and other resources to help founders and researchers commercialize their innovations. The program “already has supported a significant number of startups and products, bringing new companies, technologies and investment into Indiana’s innovation ecosystem,” TechPoint noted.
• The Ascend Indiana Talent Innovation Award recognized a major collaboration among Purdue’s West Lafayette and Indianapolis locations as well as Eli Lilly and Company, and the Indianapolis, Bloomington and Lafayette campuses of Ivy Tech Community College. The partnership “earned top recognition for its thoughtful, employer-driven approach to expanding Indiana’s tech talent pipeline at scale,” TechPoint said.
• FiberX, a Merrillville, Indiana-based company that has roots at Purdue, earned the AgriNovus Indiana AgBioscience Innovation Award. FiberX turns agricultural by-products into sustainable fiber materials such as packaging, textiles and consumer goods. “Judges praised the company’s strong research partnerships, deep industry traction and meaningful environmental impact, reducing agricultural waste while maintaining quality and cost competitiveness,” TechPoint said.

As TechPoint’s Trailblazer Award winner, Chiang — who became Purdue’s 13th president in 2023 — was recognized for positioning the institution as an intellectual and industrial engine for Indiana’s rise as a national technology leader, linking discovery, delivery and talent at scale. His blend of technical expertise and public-policy experience continues to underpin Purdue’s expanding role in the national innovation ecosystem.

Seventeen awards were announced during the 27th annual gala, which took place at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, Indiana. A judges’ panel selected recipients from 106 previously announced finalists. In all, TechPoint received 231 submissions for this year’s awards.