Startups celebrate their best and brightest at the 2015 NEVY awards

Hollywood has the Oscars. New York has the Grammys. And while Jay-Z and Jennifer Lawrence weren’t on hand for the evening’s festivities, the New England Venture Capital Association rolled out the red carpet at the House of Blues on Wednesday evening for the third annual NEVY awards, a celebration of the best and brightest players in Boston’s tech and health care startup scene.

“It’s not that the world needs another award show,” NEVCA’s executive director, C.A. Webb, admitted. “But it’s a chance to channel a lot of attention to these really world-changing companies.”

Among this year’s winners were two of the city’s largest technology IPOs in recent time: Wayfair took home the prize for Exit of the Year, while Dharmesh Shah and Brian Halligan of Hubspot shared honors for Entrepreneurs of the Year (Shah was also named Angel of the Year).

Dharmesh Shah and Brian Halligan of Hubspot shared honors for Entrepreneurs of the Year. (Photo: Janelle Nanos)

Webb said the sheer number of biotech companies that went public in 2014 caused angst among judges — there were 17 in all — so they went with the kids soccer team approach and created a video celebrating all of the winners. “It was really earth shattering,” she said. “It was too good of a year to not support all of them.”

Over 800 attendees turned out for the event, which had a “Solid Gold” 70s disco theme.

1. Winners in the technology sector
   Hottest Startup: Seed – BookBub
   Hottest Startup: A+ — PillPack
   Rising Star Entrepreneur – Elias Torres, Driftt
   Angel of the Year – Dharmesh Shah
   Rising Star VC – Nicole Stata, Boston Seed Capital
   Next Unicorn – Acquia
   Funds of the Year – FKA Atlas and Founder Collective
   Exit of the Year – Wayfair
   Entrepreneurs of the Year – Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, Hubspot

• Winners in the healthcare sector
  Hottest Startup – Navitor Pharmaceuticals
  Rising Star Entrepreneurs – Zoe Barry, ZappRX and Nancy Simonian, Syros Pharmaceuticals
  Rising Star VC – Bruce Booth, Atlas Venture
  Entrepreneur of the Year – Rushika Fernandopulle, Iora Health
  Deal of the Year – Moderna Therapeutics

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C.A. Webb hosts the NEVY venture capital awards in the House of Blues Boston, Mass. Photo Credit: Justin Saglio.

Rick Lundberg from the company Navitor walks onstage to accept an award for "Hottest Startup: Healthcare" at the NEVY venture capital awards in the House of Blues Boston, Mass. Photo Credit: Justin Saglio

Employees of Syros Pharma applaud after CEO Nancy Simonian won the rising entrepreneur award at the NEVY venture capital awards in the House of Blues Boston, Mass. Photo Credit: Justin Saglio.

Dancers at the NEVY venture capital awards in the House of Blues in Boston, Mass. Photo Credit: Justin Saglio

Halli Melnitsky from the company Bookbub watches the NEVY venture capital awards in the House of Blues Boston, Mass. Photo Credit: Justin Saglio

C.A. Webb hosts the NEVY venture capital awards in the House of Blues Boston, Mass. Photo Credit: Justin Saglio.