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:
Accessibility
Sustainability
Quality of Life
Rules 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 disabled
secure visibility and easy understanding of the components
research and application of new ways to use products and services
qualitative values, functional and communicative of the product
reduce consumption of materials and energy
reduce waste throughout the life cycle of the product
application of renewable energies and materials
transformation of the mode of consumption as a function of reduced materials and energy
continued investment and not just an episodic 'company on the content of sustainable development
qualitative values functional and communicative of the product
applications of ergonomic parameters of materials and technologies that reduce the environmental impact
applications of materials and technologies to optimize user comfort
communicative product able to establish a relationship of empathy with the user
appropriate use of materials and technology in the production system
Every 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 Provó
Quality of life: Warka Water Tower - Arturo Vittori
Sustainability: Julian Melchiorri - The Silk Leaf
Special Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: Alec Momont - Ambulance drone
Sustainability: Donal Vitez - Robo-Washer Revolution
Quality of Life: Jordane Vernet - Steribox
First Prize
Accessibility: Genny Mobility - Genny™ 2.0 Urban
Quality of life: Robot Era Project - Robot Era system
Sustainability: SafetyNet Technologies - Safety Net
Special Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: Morph wheels - Morph Folding Wheelchair Wheel
Sustainability: Electric Mobility Company, S.L. - Xkuty One
Quality of Life: iCub team – iCub
First Prize
Sustainability: V3 Solar - V3 Solar Spin Cell
Accessibility: Design Research Lab in Germany - Tom Bieling, Ulrike Gollner - Mobile Lorm Glove
Quality of life: Water Sheer - Sulis PPD
Special Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Lau Shuk Man - Reach & Match
Sustainability: Peter Horvàth – Biolamp
Quality of Life: Lana Agiyan - Bubble Baby Bed
Special Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: RSL Steeper - Bebionic 3
Sustainability: Bombardier - Flexity 2
Quality of Life: O'Sun - Alain Gilles - Nomad
First Prize
Sustainability: School of Design, Hunan University - Oil Cleaning Guard
Accessibility: Todd Kuiken e il Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) - TMR
Quality of life: True Energy Group - Sure Chill
Special Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Continuum - Leverage Freedom Chai
Sustainability: Smart - E-Bike
Quality of life: Gabriele Diamanti - Eliodomestico
Special Mentions Well-Tech Award
Quality of Life: Embrace - Transport Infant Warmer
First Prize
Sustainability: Japan Science and Technology - Elastic Water
Accessibility: Roadrunnerfoot Engineering - Walking MP Foot
Quality of life: ThermaHelm Crash Helmet Limited - Halo Helmet
Special Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Tarta Design - Tarta
Sustainability: LAVA- Masdar City
Quality of Life: Politecnico di Milano, IPSIA “A. Ferrari” Maranello-Fabrizio Ceschin - MULO System
Special Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: Aviya Serfaty - Outfeet
Sustainability: Rem- Stilo
Quality of Life: Lamiflex - Luca Schieppati design - Ciclotte
First Prize
Sustainability: Luxim Corporation - LiFi
Accessibility: Frogdesign - Masileke Project HIV Home Test"I know my status"
Quality of life: Julene Aguirre Bielschowsky Design - Sun Station
Special Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Samsung Design - Touch Sigh
Sustainability: Habitare Art Design Srl – Egg (Ovetto)
Quality of Life: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation - I-MIEV
First Prize
Sustainability: Brand Image - Paper Bottle
Accessibility: Sungwoo Park - Voice Stick
Quality of life: Philips Design - Off the Grid: Sustainable Habitat 2020
Special Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Chas. A Blatchford - KX06
Sustainability: Oppent - Automatic Waste System
Quality of Life: Magneti Marelli - Eco Navigation
Special Mentions Well-Tech Award
Sustainability: Emker - BioWashBall
First Prize
Sustainability: Pelamis Wave Power - PELAMIS Wave Energy Converter
Accessibility: Spidi Sport -DPS 03 Airbag
Quality of life: Q-Drum - Q-DRUM
Special Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Associazione Nazionale Subvedenti -ROBOBRAILLE
Sustainability: Artemide - SOLAR TREE
Quality of Life: Alberto Meda - Francisco Gomez Paz - Solar Bottle
Special Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: Centro Ricerche Fiat
Sustainability: Ariostea
First Prize
Sustainability: Global Photonic Energy Corporation - Organic Photovoltaics Technology
Accessibility: CRIM Lab - EMILOC
Quality of life: d30 Lab - D30 Technology
Special Mentions Province of Milan
Accessibility: Landscape Structures - Accessible Superscoop
Sustainability: Citroen - C3 1.4 BI ENERGY M
Quality of Life: Parans Daylight - PARANS
Special Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: g.tec Medical Engineering - g.BCIys
Sustainability: Invent - B.& C. - TECH-TILE
Quality of Life: Fiat Group
First Prize
Sustainability: Konarka-Evident - Ultra High Performance Power Plastic
Accessibility: Optobionics Corporation - ASR Device
Quality of life: Vestergaard Frandsen - Life Straw
Special Mentions Region of Lombardy
Sustainability: Vectrix Corporation - Vectrix Electric
Quality of Life: Axana - GIOEL401, Trerè Innovation - X-Bionic Underwear
Special Mentions Well-Tech Award
Accessibility: Johnson & Johnson Medical - EMBRACE HEART STABILIZER
Sustainability: Citroen Italia - C3 STOP & START
Quality of Life: Thebe - RAMSES 820 KRISTALL TOP
