About Us
The Tech Awards
A signature program of The Tech Museum, The Tech Awards is an international awards program that honors innovators from around the world who are applying technology to benefit humanity.
How The Tech Awards Works
The Tech Awards honors individuals, non-profit organizations and for-profit companies who are using technology to significantly improve human conditions in 6 awards categories. The technology used can be either a new invention or an innovative use of an existing technology.
Categories
Environment
Education
Young Innovator
Health
Economic Development
Sustainable Energy
The Tech Awards Criteria
- The use of technology to significantly improve the human condition in one of the 6 award categories.
- Evidence that a serious problem or challenge with broad significance is addressed by this use of technology.
- A noteworthy contribution that surpasses previous or current solutions.
- The potential for this use of technology to serve as an inspiration or model for others.
- The technology application is in the field and has demonstrated a measurable benefit.
The James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award
Each year, an individual is honored whose broad vision and leadership on a global scale are helping find solutions to humanity's greatest challenges. View past recipients.
Selection and Awards
Completed nominations and applications are presented to the panel of judges organized by the Center for Science, Technology, and Society at Santa Clara University. Last year we received more than 1000 nominations. There are two laureates in each category. At our annual gala, all laureates are awarded cash prizes of either $75,000 or $25,000 in each of the 6 categories.
The Tech Awards Gala
This formal event caps off the week of activities for the laureates. The James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award recipient will also be in attendance to receive recognition. Learn more about The Tech Awards Gala.
The Tech Awards Network
The Tech Awards laureates are inducted each year into The Tech Awards Network (TAN), which provides them access to resources and mentoring that aid them in scaling the reach of their organizations' impact. The Tech Museum, Applied Materials, and the Center for Science, Technology, and Society at Santa Clara University (CSTS) work together to ensure that The Tech Awards laureates benefit from the educational, networking, and leadership opportunities available in Silicon Valley through our sponsors and partners. These benefits include media interviews, filming, marketing materials, seminars, workshops, speaking engagements, and important networking opportunities with venture capitalists and executives.
History
The Tech Awards program was launched in November 2000, and The Tech Awards Gala was held in 2001 for the first time. The concept for the awards and the five universal categories were inspired in part by the State of the Future report, published by the Millennium Project of the American Council of the United Nations University. The report recommends that award recognition is an effective way to accelerate scientific breakthrough and technological applications to improve the human condition. The Tech Awards categories were inspired by the 15 Global Challenges identified in the report.
