The Icelandic Innovation Awards are presented to a company that is considered to have excelled in the development of a new product or service based on research and innovation activities, and that has achieved success in the marketplace.
Nominations have now opened for the 2026 Icelandic Innovation Awards. The awards are given to a company that is deemed to have distinguished itself in the development of a new product or service founded on research and innovation, and that has achieved notable success in the market.
The purpose of the awards is to highlight the important connection between research, knowledge creation, and increased value creation in the business sector.
Anyone may submit a nomination by completing the registration form on the website. The nomination must include the name of the company and a brief explanation of why the nominee deserves the award. Once the nomination period closes, the awards jury will review all nominations and, where appropriate, request additional information from the nominated companies.
The jury consists of representatives from the organizations behind the awards: Rannís (the Icelandic Centre for Research), the Icelandic Intellectual Property Office, Business Iceland, and The Business Venture Fund Kría, along with representatives from the award-winning companies of the previous three years.
The deadline for submitting nominations is September 1.
The recipient of the Icelandic Innovation Award will be announced at the Innovation Forum, which will be held on October 29.
In selecting the Innovation Company of the Year, consideration is given to whether the company is a new startup, whether it is based on innovative technology and ideas, and whether it is knowledge-intensive. The jury also evaluates the value added by the company’s products or services and its market success. Consideration is given to the likelihood that the company will remain successful over time and whether its innovation management practices serve as a model for others. Finally, the jury assesses whether the company can inspire others to follow a similar path.
