More Wilmington companies than ever are among the nominees for WRAL TechWire’s fourth annual Full Steam Ahead awards. The nominees, announced Monday, include nine local companies or company officials. That’s three more than there were in last year’s competition.

In total there are 125 nominees from all over the state this year in the Startup division and Enterprise (larger companies) division combined.

In the Startup division, the categories and local nominees are:

Startup Engineer (top leader): Charles Davis, CFO/founder, EasyVote Solutions; Kurt Taylor, CEO/ founder, Next Glass; and Neil Underwood, co-founder, nCino

Startup Express (fastest-growing, most potential for growth): nCino, Next Glass/Untappd

Startup Tycoon (founders/investors): Andrew Williams, founder/CEO, Elite Innovations MakerSpace; and Pierre Naudé, CEO, nCino

Startup Freight (delivering success consistently): nCino; Next Glass/Untappd; and PlayerSpace

Startup Subway (fast-growing and emerging from stealth mode): Likeli and Surgilum

Startup Conductor (CEO/Chairman): George Taylor, chairman, Next Glass/Untappd

"nCino is honored to be nominated in multiple categories for the 2016 Full Steam Ahead Awards and appreciate everyone who has cast a vote in our favor," company spokeswoman Kathryn Cook said Tuesday in an email. "North Carolina has a dynamic and thriving technology community, as evidenced by all of the great companies and individuals nominated this year, and we are excited to be a part of it." 

George Taylor III, founder of social affinity app Likeli, said he was surprised to find his startup among the nominees, since he has not yet launched the app.

"It's an honor to be nominated," he said Tuesday, adding he was not aware that people knew about the venture. "We had no expectations at all."

Williams credited those around him at Elite Innovations for making him and the company noteworthy.

"This nomination is a testament to my theory of where true product innovation comes from. Without my team, I am just a guy with an idea about helping others with great ideas; the team turns those ideas into reality," he said Tuesday in an email.

In the Enterprise division of larger companies, the categories and local nominees are:

Enterprise Engineer (top leader): Chip Mahan, CEO and chairman, Live Oak Bank

Enterprise Express (established successful companies): BRAX and Live Oak Bank

Enterprise Freight (delivering continued success): Live Oak Bank and nCino

Enterprise Subway (emerging companies, perhaps with IPO or exit potential): Next Glass

“We really like seeing the Wilmington community brought up on statewide scale,” Next Glass CEO Kurt Taylor said Tuesday. “We’ve been involved with the Full Steam Ahead awards for about three years, and the number of Wilmington companies continues to grow each year, to build the profile of the Wilmington tech startup scene.”

Winners in each category are determined by online voting, plus evaluation of the nominee’s community commitment, innovation, record of achievement and market-based potential, WRAL TechWire editor Rick Smith said last year. The winners will be announced in April.

In 2015, nCino won in the Startup Subway category, Live Oak Bank won in the Enterprise Freight category and Jim Roberts was honored with an editor’s choice award for public service.