First awarded 1987 | ||
Awarded for Honoring excellence in new product and service development, marketing, human-centered design and innovation. Official website | ||
The Edison Awards honor excellence in new product and service development, marketing, human-centered design and innovation. Award winners represent "game changing" products, services and excellence and leadership in innovation around four criteria: Concept, Value, Delivery and Impact. The Awards are named after innovator Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) and symbolize the persistence and excellence in innovation personified by him. Additionally, Edison Green Awards and Edison Achievement Awards are bestowed each year. Originally established in 1987 by the American Marketing Association, The Edison Awards became an independent organization in 2008.
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The Edison Award
Annually, beginning in September, nominations are sought from product and service innovators in fifteen categories. A nomination fee of ~$1000 is required, and then nominations are vetted by members of the Edison Award Steering Committee, who present a slate of finalists to the Panel of Judges. The panel is composed of over 3,000 senior business executives and academics from across the nation, whose votes acknowledge excellence in meeting the award criteria - concept, value, delivery and impact. Awards are presented at an annual event, usually in April. Past events have been held in New York, NY, Chicago, IL, and San Francisco, CA. Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards are given in each category.
Categories
The 2016 Edison Award Categories are:
Applied Technology Athletics, Sports & Recreation Collective Disruption Consumer Electronics & Information Technology Consumer Goods Energy & Sustainability Health & Wellness Industrial Design Innovative Services Living, Working & Learning Environments Media, Visual Communications & Entertainment Medical/Dental Science Social Innovation Transportation & LogisticsEdison Achievement Award
The Edison Achievement Award™ recognizes one or more individuals who, through their careers, their leadership and their achievements, have distinguished themselves by making a significant and lasting contribution to the world of innovation. Unlike the Edison Awards™, nominations for the Edison Achievement Award™ are not solicited. Rather, the Edison Steering Committee announces winners annually in the fall. The winners are honored at the annual event the following April.
Past Honorees
Past recipients of the Edison Achievement Award include:
Edison Universe
A percentage of every Edison Awards nomination funds Edison Universe, a 501(c)(3) organization and the parent organization of the Edison Awards. Edison Universe is focused on fostering innovation of youth by promoting innovation concepts through curriculums and educational programs. Additionally, the organization connects representatives from past Edison Award winning companies and Edison Achievement Award honorees with students to provide mentoring and internship opportunities.