The Awards Ceremony
All Eyes on Innovation!
The Awards Ceremony is more than just a prize. This is where your innovation gets the recognition it deserves: visibility from industry experts and access to a network that’s shaping the future. Hosted by the German Design Council in Berlin.
The German Innovation Awards Ceremony brings together the people shaping our future. Around 200 guests from business, science and society will gather in Berlin to celebrate trailblazing innovations—solutions that improve lives and drive transformation.
At the heart of the event are the Gold Awards, presented on the big stage. A dynamic supporting programme opens up new perspectives: inspiring keynotes, hands-on insights and lively discussions reveal how innovation is imagined and realised today.
The exhibition invites guests to explore the award-winning projects up close—and to engage in conversation.
All award winners will receive their personal invitation to the Awards Ceremony in spring. Further details on the programme and schedule will follow in due time.
Innovation with Impact
On 12 May 2026, around 200 guests from business, academia and society gathered at the DRIVE Volkswagen Group Forum in Berlin to celebrate the year’s most outstanding innovations. Twenty-two Gold awards were presented to projects ranging from solutions for everyday life and society to industrial applications. With their relevance and strong implementation, these innovations demonstrate how ideas can create real impact while reflecting key themes shaping the future: health, AI-driven automation, sustainable energy and CO₂ solutions, and resilient infrastructure.
A highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the German Innovation Spotlight 2026 by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sven Schimpf, Managing Director of the Fraunhofer Group for Innovation Research. The study was conducted by the German Design Council in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Group.
A discussion between Stephan Ott, Director Design Research & Appliance at the German Design Council, and Dr. Christopher Stillings, VP Head of Research & Development at Envalior, explored the crucial role of design in the innovation process and its growing strategic importance for companies in the future.
The evening made one thing clear: innovation is not a question of size, but of impact and relevance.
