The SXSW Innovation Awards recognize the most exciting creative developments in the connected world, celebrating a variety of technological advancements, achievements, and discoveries.

Five finalists in each category will be chosen to exhibit their projects at the seventh annual Innovation Awards Finalist Showcase during SXSW 2026, where the Finalist Judges will determine the winners as well as Best of Show. SXSW audiences attending the Finalist Showcase will also vote to determine the winner of the People’s Choice award. Participation in the Finalist Showcase is required for consideration in all award categories.

Winners will be announced and presented their awards at the 27th annual SXSW Innovation Awards Ceremony on the evening of Monday, March 16.

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2025 Winners

Artificial Intelligence

Wandercraft’s Self-Balancing Exoskeleton
New York, NY

Audio Experience

"I SEE MUSIC!" by Synegram.com
Clermont-Ferrand, France and Miami, FL, USA

Community Empowerment

Share@MealConnect
Chicago, IL

Connection and Communication

855-HOW-TO-QUIT-(OPIOIDS)
Chicago, IL

Health & Biotech

BetterWay: Blood Testing Reimagined
Austin, TX

Interface Design

Posha: Your family's private robot chef
San Mateo, CA

Product Design

The Daylight Computer
San Francisco, CA

Student Innovation

GismoPower’s Mobile Solar Carport "MEGA"
Sarasota, FL

Sustainability Solutions

Uluu
Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Urban Experience

Sustainable 3D-Printed homes by Azure
Los Angeles, CA

WTF (What the Future)

SWEAR Security
Boise, ID

People's Choice Award

Engineering the world’s first Smart Lipstick
São José dos Pinhais, Paraná, Brazil

Best In Show

SolarSPELL
Tempe, AZ

Artificial Intelligence

The Artificial Intelligence category showcases projects that responsibly leverage the groundbreaking power of machine learning, LLMs and generative AI.

Audio Experience

From cutting-edge podcasts to apps that help you create your own music, the Audio Experience category serves as the landing spot for projects that reimagine the way humans interact with audio-based platforms.

Community Empowerment

The Community Empowerment category spotlights projects that help empower underserved groups and peoples around the world.

Connection and Communication

The Connection and Communication category features projects aimed at helping people discover meaningful ways of enriching human experiences and interactions.

Health & Biotech

The Health & Biotech category uncovers the best new projects serving wellness and medicine.

Interface Design

The Interface Design category recognizes the best new ideas for human interaction with software and machines.

Product Design

The Product Design category highlights the world's best new hardware, including products, devices, gadgets and appliances.

Student Innovation

The Student Innovation category honors exceptional student projects and startups that focus on interactive technology for the future.

Sustainability Solutions

The Sustainability Solutions category focuses on projects big and small that positively address the crisis of global warming.

WTF

The WTF (What the Future) category collects futuristic projects that don’t fit elsewhere. From quantum physics to nanotech to bio-engineering moonshots, this category pulls together all the amazing endeavors that make us excited about tomorrow.