IRI Excellence Awards
The IRI Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding contributions to innovation leadership, scientific advancement, and technological progress, recognizing the exceptional talent and groundbreaking work that drive our industries forward.
Now accepting submissions for the 2027 IRI Innovation Excellence Awards!
Award recipients will be recognized at the Innovation Celebration Luncheon during the 2027 Innovators Summit on May 20 in Cleveland.
The IRI Innovation Excellence Awards represent an unwavering commitment to innovation and pushing the boundaries to set new organizational standards in research and development. These awards honor both organizations and individuals whose outstanding vision and tireless pursuit of excellence is already impacting our lives today and shaping the industries of tomorrow.
2027 Company Excellence Awards
Innovation in Sustainability
The IRI Excellence Award for Innovation in Sustainability recognizes recent outstanding achievement and projects that have made a meaningful impact and significant contribution to sustainability efforts in their organization or industry.
Outstanding Innovative Culture
The Excellence Award for Outstanding Innovative Culture recognizes organizations that foster inclusive, diverse, equitable, and psychologically safe workplaces, cultivating an environment where innovation thrives and contributes to overall organizational success.
Digital Innovation
The IRI Excellence Award for Digital Innovation recognizes outstanding achievements in the development or application of new digital and technological solutions that improve processes, products, or services. The award seeks to inspire scalable digital innovation with the potential to drive transformative impact.
Scientific Advancement
The IRI Excellence Award in Scientific Advancement celebrates remarkable advancements that push the boundaries of scientific knowledge and discovery. The award recognizes scientific breakthroughs and leadership in advancing science that translate discovery into meaningful industry impact.
Open Innovation
The IRI Excellence Award for Open Innovation celebrates organizations that break down boundaries to harness ideas, knowledge, and technologies from both inside and outside their walls. This award recognizes companies that embrace collaboration across industries, academia, startups, customers, and communities, demonstrating that innovation is strongest when it is shared.
2027 Individual Excellence Awards
Leadership Award
The IRI Leadership Award celebrates visionary leaders whose exceptional contributions and transformative influence have inspired others, championed innovation, and significantly advanced the field.
Promising Early Career Innovation Professional Award
The IRI Promising Early Career Innovation Professional Award recognizes creative, forward-thinking individuals who, with less than ten years of experience in the innovation space at the time of their nomination, have made a significant impact within their organizations, and inspired others through their ideas, contributions, and leadership.
Why Companies Should Apply:
- Recognition: Winning an IRI Award signifies excellence and leadership in a specific category, enhancing a company’s reputation and credibility.
- Networking: Participation provides valuable networking opportunities within the innovation community.
- Brand Enhancement: Awards can be used for marketing and branding purposes, setting a company apart from competitors.
- Employee Morale: Recognition can boost employee morale and attract top talent.
- Innovation Inspiration: By showcasing past winners’ achievements, companies can inspire their teams to push the boundaries of innovation.
- Industry Influence: Winning an IRI Award can position a company as an industry leader and influencer.
Questions? Reach out to iri@nam.org.
The NAM/IRI reserves the right to deny any submission to the competition at its sole discretion.
Want to know more?
Visit the Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about the awards, the benefits of submitting, and more.
If you still have questions, you can email us as iri@nam.org and someone from the IRI will reach out to assist.
Winners Archive
Meet the past winners of the IRI Excellence Awards
