A jury chaired by UvA professor Henk Volberda will select the winners, who will be announced on 19 November.

The Dutch Innovation Award recognises companies that excel in innovation, sustainability, leadership, collaboration and societal impact. This year’s nominees work in fields ranging from healthcare technology and energy storage to cybersecurity and circular materials processing.

From UvA research to recognition

The award is based on findings from ACBI’s Dutch Innovation Monitor. This long-running study examines how innovation develops across the business sector and how organisations respond to technological, economic and societal change. Its findings inform the shortlist, from which an expert jury selects the winners. ACBI director Henk Volberda, senior managing researcher Rick Hollen, and PhD candidate John-Luca de Vries.

Alongside jury chair Henk Volberda, UvA professor Roel Beetsma serves on the panel. The jury brings together representatives from academia, business, government and industry organisations.

Four awards

The 2 main categories are ‘Most innovative small or medium-sized enterprise’ and ‘Most innovative large company’. This year, nominees are also eligible for the Societal Impact Innovation Award and the Agrifood Innovation Award.

The nominated companies are:

Small and medium-sized enterprises

• Archon – digital records management
• Avics – healthcare technology, including alert systems and home automation
• CelSian Glass & Solar – glass production technology and industrial process optimisation
• CoCo Yachts – lightweight and electric ship design
• Delmic – electron microscopy and workflow automation
• Elestor – energy storage using hydrogen–iron flow batteries
• EPLAN – software for electrical and industrial engineering
• NoWIT – circular materials processing and pyrolysis, a process that uses heat to break down materials
• PerfoTec – packaging technology for fresh produce
• Rail Innovators Group – rail freight and logistics combining different modes of transport

Large companies

• Abovomaxlead – marketing communications and media technology
• MSD Animal Health – animal health and vaccine biotechnology
• Northwave – cybersecurity
• Omrin – household waste collection and processing
• PostNL – postal and parcel logistics

Winners announced on 19 November

The winners will receive the Dutch Innovation Award 2026 at the BID National Innovation Gala on 19 November, an initiative of Big Improvement Day. All 15 nominees will also receive a BID Innovation Award in recognition of their innovative achievements.