JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kate McAfoose, P.E., President of Chang Robotics and Co-founder of Curabotics, has been honored as a Stevie® Award Finalist in two categories: Most Innovative Woman of the Year – Technology and Achievement in Technology Innovation, in the 22nd annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business.
The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor the achievements of women executives, entrepreneurs, employees, and the organizations they run – worldwide. Nicknamed Stevie for the Greek word for “crowned,” the Stevie Award has been hailed as the world’s premier business award.
The awards will be presented at a gala event in New York City on Monday, November 10, where Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie placements from among the Finalists will be revealed.
More than 400 women and their guests from around the world are expected to attend the presentations, which will be broadcast live.
More than 1,500 entries from organizations and individuals in 48 nations and territories were submitted this year for consideration in categories such as Executive of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Company of the Year, Startup of the Year, Women Helping Women, and Women-run Workplace of the Year, among many others.
Kate McAfoose is a finalist for two awards in recognition of her key contributions to Chang Robotics in 2024. As president, she spearheaded the healthcare and robotics initiative that a top national hospital has adopted and is now expanding nationwide to tackle nurse burnout and turnover. At the heart of this initiative is the nurse assist-bot, a collaborative robot that delivers supplies, such as linens, medications, or suture kits, directly to nurses within 90 seconds when called via a mobile interface. This reduces repetitive tasks, allowing nursing staff to focus more on patient care. Drawing on her extensive technical engineering expertise and leadership skills, Kate guided this innovation from prototype to large-scale deployment. Her vision also led to the creation of Curabotics, a new company dedicated to advancing robotics and automation in healthcare, aiming to bring hospital systems into the age of automation.
“It’s a tremendous honor to receive this recognition,” McAfoose said. “I’d like to extend my congratulations to all the winners this year, and I’m looking forward to working with as many of these outstanding executives as possible over the coming year and beyond.”
Finalists were determined based on the average scores of more than 190 business professionals worldwide, serving across seven judging committees. Their scores will also determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie placements.
Maggie Miller, president of the Stevie Awards, said, “Now in its 22nd year, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business attracted an exceptional range of nominations. We are continually inspired by how meaningful it is for women to receive a Stevie Award and the lasting impact it can have on their careers and organizations. We extend our congratulations to all of this year’s Finalists and look forward to announcing the final award placements on November 10.”
Details about the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and the list of winners in all categories are available at www.StevieAwards.com/Women.
Entries for the 2026 Stevie Awards for Women in Business will open in May.
About Chang Robotics
Chang Robotics is a DBE-certified robotics firm at the forefront of advanced manufacturing, collaborative robotics, and automation. Founded in 2017, Chang Robotics has rapidly grown, delivering innovative, data-driven solutions, including some of the world’s largest autonomous systems. Recognized as one of Fast Company’s 2024 Best Workplaces for Innovators and Inc. Magazine’s 2024 Best in Business, the company revolutionizes supply chain automation and enhances workforce productivity through human-focused robotics. More information is available at ChangRobotics.ai and on LinkedIn.
About the Stevie® Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in nine programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence, and the Stevie Awards for Women in Business. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations and territories. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.
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