Well-Tech Award, also known as “WT Award” , is an international award for technological innovation in design coordinated by Well-Tech Architecture & Design Studio in Milan, Italy, in collaboration with the Municipality of Milan and the Polytechnic University of Milan.
The most relevant projects for technological innovation, sustainability, accessibility, and contribution to a better quality of life are selected by a committee formed by the members that sponsor the event and the president of Milan Città Metropolitana authorities.
The winning projects are exhibited during Milan Furniture Fair event, also known as Milan Design Week.
Well-Tech Award carries out research and monitors technological innovations. It is the initiative of Chiara Cantono, founder of Well-Tech Architecture&Design Studio which started in 1999 as an organization based in Milan, Italy. Its aim is to help various companies with innovative systems to fulfill rational and ecologically sustainable choices using technologies and materials with a low environmental impact.
The philosophy behind Well-Tech stands in “the recognition of ethical applications by both the designer and manufacturer, attempting to create a habitat that responds to functional necessities and, at the same time, respecting natural equilibrium.”
In 2013, Well-Tech initiated also Well-Tech SmartCity Award, an international competition focused on urban and architecture projects for sustainable development.
The categories of Well-Tech Award are:
AccessibilitySustainabilityQuality of LifeRules and regulation
Each candidate can propose from one to three technologies / products /projects for each category.
Each candidate has to pay a fee to enter the competition.
The ideas range from vehicles to home appliances from wearable to toys, from eco-friendly materials, to new forms of renewable energy.
Candidates must follow the steps on the official website. Once the registration process is successfully completed they receive an email notice. After receiving the complied format and the fee by bank transfer, they receive a confirmation e-mail.
Well-Tech Award annually selects sixty products that stood out for technological innovation that improves the quality of life, with particular attention to issues of sustainability and accessibility. The jury composed of members of the competent institutions awards the best product for each section.
easy to use by vulnerable groups, elderly and disabledsecure visibility and easy understanding of the componentsresearch and application of new ways to use products and servicesqualitative values, functional and communicative of the productreduce consumption of materials and energyreduce waste throughout the life cycle of the productapplication of renewable energies and materialstransformation of the mode of consumption as a function of reduced materials and energycontinued investment and not just an episodic 'company on the content of sustainable developmentqualitative values functional and communicative of the productapplications of ergonomic parameters of materials and technologies that reduce the environmental impactapplications of materials and technologies to optimize user comfortcommunicative product able to establish a relationship of empathy with the userappropriate use of materials and technology in the production systemEvery year, a short list of products and projects candidate for the award will be showcase during the Milano Design Week. The Event is organized by Well-Tech Architecture & Design Studio in collaboration with Milano Città Metropolitana. At the Well-Tech Award ceremony, intervene important personalities of the institutions and journalists.
The Awards consist in three First Prizes (one for each category: Accessibility - Sustainability – Quality of Life) and maximum six Honorable mentions.
The ceremony during which the Well-Tech Award winners are announced takes place during Milan Design Week in the Isimbardi Palace in Milan. At the Well-Tech Awards ceremony intervene important personalities of the institutions and businesses and journalists.
First Prize
Accessibility: Trompe - Maxime Dubreucq and Robert ProvóQuality of life: Warka Water Tower - Arturo VittoriSustainability: Julian Melchiorri - The Silk LeafSpecial Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: Alec Momont - Ambulance droneSustainability: Donal Vitez - Robo-Washer RevolutionQuality of Life: Jordane Vernet - SteriboxFirst Prize
Accessibility: Genny Mobility - Genny™ 2.0 UrbanQuality of life: Robot Era Project - Robot Era systemSustainability: SafetyNet Technologies - Safety NetSpecial Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: Morph wheels - Morph Folding Wheelchair WheelSustainability: Electric Mobility Company, S.L. - Xkuty OneQuality of Life: iCub team – iCubFirst Prize
Sustainability: V3 Solar - V3 Solar Spin CellAccessibility: Design Research Lab in Germany - Tom Bieling, Ulrike Gollner - Mobile Lorm GloveQuality of life: Water Sheer - Sulis PPDSpecial Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Lau Shuk Man - Reach & MatchSustainability: Peter Horvàth – BiolampQuality of Life: Lana Agiyan - Bubble Baby BedSpecial Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: RSL Steeper - Bebionic 3Sustainability: Bombardier - Flexity 2Quality of Life: O'Sun - Alain Gilles - NomadFirst Prize
Sustainability: School of Design, Hunan University - Oil Cleaning GuardAccessibility: Todd Kuiken e il Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) - TMRQuality of life: True Energy Group - Sure ChillSpecial Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Continuum - Leverage Freedom ChaiSustainability: Smart - E-BikeQuality of life: Gabriele Diamanti - EliodomesticoSpecial Mentions Well-Tech Award
Quality of Life: Embrace - Transport Infant WarmerFirst Prize
Sustainability: Japan Science and Technology - Elastic WaterAccessibility: Roadrunnerfoot Engineering - Walking MP FootQuality of life: ThermaHelm Crash Helmet Limited - Halo HelmetSpecial Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Tarta Design - TartaSustainability: LAVA- Masdar CityQuality of Life: Politecnico di Milano, IPSIA “A. Ferrari” Maranello-Fabrizio Ceschin - MULO SystemSpecial Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: Aviya Serfaty - OutfeetSustainability: Rem- StiloQuality of Life: Lamiflex - Luca Schieppati design - CiclotteFirst Prize
Sustainability: Luxim Corporation - LiFiAccessibility: Frogdesign - Masileke Project HIV Home Test"I know my status"Quality of life: Julene Aguirre Bielschowsky Design - Sun StationSpecial Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Samsung Design - Touch SighSustainability: Habitare Art Design Srl – Egg (Ovetto)Quality of Life: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation - I-MIEVFirst Prize
Sustainability: Brand Image - Paper BottleAccessibility: Sungwoo Park - Voice StickQuality of life: Philips Design - Off the Grid: Sustainable Habitat 2020Special Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Chas. A Blatchford - KX06Sustainability: Oppent - Automatic Waste SystemQuality of Life: Magneti Marelli - Eco NavigationSpecial Mentions Well-Tech Award
Sustainability: Emker - BioWashBallFirst Prize
Sustainability: Pelamis Wave Power - PELAMIS Wave Energy ConverterAccessibility: Spidi Sport -DPS 03 AirbagQuality of life: Q-Drum - Q-DRUMSpecial Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Associazione Nazionale Subvedenti -ROBOBRAILLESustainability: Artemide - SOLAR TREEQuality of Life: Alberto Meda - Francisco Gomez Paz - Solar BottleSpecial Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: Centro Ricerche FiatSustainability: AriosteaFirst Prize
Sustainability: Global Photonic Energy Corporation - Organic Photovoltaics TechnologyAccessibility: CRIM Lab - EMILOCQuality of life: d30 Lab - D30 TechnologySpecial Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Landscape Structures - Accessible SuperscoopSustainability: Citroen - C3 1.4 BI ENERGY MQuality of Life: Parans Daylight - PARANSSpecial Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: g.tec Medical Engineering - g.BCIysSustainability: Invent - B.& C. - TECH-TILEQuality of Life: Fiat GroupFirst Prize
Sustainability: Konarka-Evident - Ultra High Performance Power PlasticAccessibility: Optobionics Corporation - ASR DeviceQuality of life: Vestergaard Frandsen - Life StrawSpecial Mentions Region of Lombardy
Sustainability: Vectrix Corporation - Vectrix ElectricQuality of Life: Axana - GIOEL401, Trerè Innovation - X-Bionic UnderwearSpecial Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: Johnson & Johnson Medical - EMBRACE HEART STABILIZERSustainability: Citroen Italia - C3 STOP & STARTQuality of Life: Thebe - RAMSES 820 KRISTALL TOP