Highlights from the 2024 Tekne Awards » MnTech

The Tekne Awards are an annual celebration of tech excellence in Minnesota. It is where the innovators and trailblazers gather to recognize achievements and honor leaders. On Thursday, November 14, 536 individuals gathered to celebrate honorees and finalists across three categories: business impact, community impact, and individual achievement. In addition to the awards ceremony, there was networking, connection, an after party, and countless memories made.

Attendees gathered before the event began to network, enjoy a social hour, and participate in the VIP Reception, sponsored by Digineer. The awards gala was emceed by Angela Davis, host of the popular radio show MPR News with Angela Davis. Leaders from our presenting sponsors, Optum and Target, kicked off the ceremony with a celebratory toast. Over 50 individuals and organizations were up for 15 competitive awards, and ultimately, 18 individuals and organizations were honored with Tekne Awards for their excellence, achievement, and innovation. Afterwards, attendees continued the celebration at our After Party, sponsored by Digineer, with a live DJ and photo wall.

You can relive the event with a selection of photos below and view the full list of winners here.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Presenting

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Jayshree Seth
Corporate Scientist, 3M

Jayshree Seth is a Corporate Scientist at 3M and currently holds 77 patents for a variety of innovations, with several additional pending. She joined 3M in 1993 after an MS and PhD in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University, New York. She is a Distinguished Alumni Award recipient from her alma mater REC Trichy India, now NIIT Trichy, where she earned a B. Tech. in Chemical Engineering.

Jayshree was appointed 3M’s first ever Chief Science Advocate in 2018 and is using her scientific knowledge, technical expertise and professional experience to advance science and communicate the benefits of science and the importance of diversity in STEM fields. She is also a member of Carlton Society which is the 3M Science and Engineering “Hall of Fame.” Jayshree is the fourth woman and first female engineer to be inducted. In 2020, she was awarded Society of Women Engineers (SWE) highest Achievement Award. She is also the first-ever winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the new Female Thought Leaders of the Year – category in the 18th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business in 2021. Jayshree was featured in a docuseries titled Not the Science Type that premiered during the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival and accepted for Brand Storytelling Showcase, a sanctioned event at Sundance Film Festival. She is the author of the books, The Heart of Science – Engineering Footprints, Fingerprints, & Imprints, and The Heart of Science – Engineering Fine Print published by the Society of Women Engineers, and all sales proceeds go to a scholarship for underrepresented minority women in STEM. She is a sought-after speaker, globally, on a multitude of topics such as innovation, leadership and STEM advocacy and has featured in local, national and international media.

Jayshree has served on the CEOs Inclusion Council, chaired the 3M Asian Employee Resource Group A3CTION and serves on the Steering Committee for 3M Technical Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF). She also serves on the Board of the Science Museum of Minnesota, Engineering Advisory Council for Clarkson University, AAAS Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy (COSEPP), Advisory Board for Innovation – The Conference Board, and Advisory Group of Aspen Institute Our Future is Science program.

Jayshree has two adult kids, and her husband also works at 3M.