About Innovations

Deadlines and Fees

Be sure to download a copy of the Innovations 2013 Rules & Eligibility Guide.


Innovations 2014 Deadlines

*September 13 is the final entry deadline. Access to the site will be disabled at 11:59 p.m. (EST) Friday, September 13, 2013.

**Innovations Honorees will be announced in New York at the 2014 International CES Press Preview. If a company does not wish to have their product announced, companies should indicate so on the online entry form, or by email by October 25, 2013. The Innovations Awards Team will do its best to delay the product announcement until the opening of International CES. However, we can make no guarantees.


Program Fees (Per Entry)

Submit your entries before August 28, 2013, and save $200!
 

 

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All applications and supporting materials must be submitted via the online entry form. Email or hard copy forms are not accepted.

Honoree Benefits

Earn the right to place the free coveted Innovations logo on your product's packaging and advertising.

• Receive additional exposure by displaying your product in the Innovations Design and Engineering Awards Showcase at the 2014 International CES (for official International CES exhibitors only). 
• If you're named a Best of Innovations Honoree, you'll have your product on display front-and-center at CES Unveiled New York and Las Vegas, the official press events of the International CES.
• Innovations Honorees are often featured on the live radio broadcast of "Into Tomorrow" with Dave Graveline. This nationally syndicated consumer electronics radio program will launch its 19th season at the 2014 International CES. Host Dave Graveline will interview CEOs, presidents and senior executives from the hottest companies exhibiting at CES, producing three entire programs (nine hours of programming), live from the International CES show floor. Reserve your International CES broadcast airtime now. Call now to pitch your story. Contact Producer Rob Almanza at 305-824-9000 x20 or rob@graveline.com (for official International CES exhibitors only).
• Receive a beautiful Innovations 2014 Design & Engineering award to display in your booth and in your company's trophy case.

• Receive a listing in the Innovations 2014 on-site directory (for official International CES Exhibitors only).
• Receive the Innovations icon published next to your company listing in the Official CES Show Directory (for official International CES exhibitors only).
• Gain industry-wide recognition and media attention through a CEA press release. Garner the attention of key industry journalists and retailers who visit the Innovations honoree displays.
• Get exposure on the official CES website. The Innovations pages are among the most heavily-trafficked pages.
• Best of Innovations honorees have the option to display their product at other CEA events throughout the year.
• Take advantage of advertising opportunities in CEA's It Is Innovation (i3) magazine. Innovations honorees receive substantial discounts. Contact Innovations@CE.org for more information.

Entry Qualifications

If you've recently introduced a product that has raised the standard of consumer electronics innovation, chances are it deserves an Innovations 2014 Design and Engineering Award.

Entries must qualify for each of the following criteria:

• Products entered must fit within one of the official award categories.
• Products entered must be available for sale to the public, for the first time, in U.S. retail outlets or on the Internet between April 1, 2013, and April 1, 2014.
• If you are a CES exhibitor, one sample of your Innovations honoree product (mock-ups or the final product) must be available for display in the Innovations Showcase at the 2013 International CES, from January 7-10, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Best of Innovations Honorees must allow CEA to hold one sample of the product for up to one year, for display at other CEA-related events.
• Download a complete copy of the Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Awards Rules and Eligibility.
• Unless you indicate otherwise on your application, honorees will be announced at the 2014 International CES Press Preview event in New York, November 12, 2013, and will be included in the launch of the honoree portion of the International CES website, also on November 12.
• Companies not exhibiting at CES may also enter the Innovations 2014 competition; however, restrictions apply if selected as an honoree (see Contest Rules).

Contest Rules

Entrants agree to these rules:

• Entry fees are non-refundable.
• The decisions of the judges are final.
• Products entered must fit within one or more of the designated award categories. You are allowed to enter your product into more than one category, if you choose. However, a separate application and payment must be submitted for each category entered.
• If a company does not wish to have their product announced for any reason other than stated above, CEA has the right to remove the award designation. In the event of such notification, CEA may, in its sole discretion, remove the award designation and consider the product a non-entry; the company will then have the right to submit the product as a new entry at the next year's Call for Entries, provided it still meets the initial entry submission qualifications.
• If you are a CES exhibitor, one sample of your Innovations honoree product (mock-ups or the final product) selected must be available for display in the Innovations Showcase at the 2014 International CES, from January 7-10, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Best of Innovations Honorees must allow CEA to hold one sample of the product for up to one year, for display at other CEA-related events.
• Companies that are not exhibiting at CES may enter the Innovations 2014 competition. However, non-exhibitor honoree products will not be included for display in the Innovations 2014 Design and Engineering Showcase and will not be listed in the on-site honoree directory in It Is Innovation (i3), unless the company pays for an exhibit space by October 25, 2013. If a company has fully paid for an exhibit space by October 25, 2013, they can be listed in the onsite directory and have their product displayed in the Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase.
• Entries must be submitted via the online entry process by the Call for Entries deadline, September 13th, 2013.
• Entries submitted in a previous year are not eligible for resubmission; however if significant improvements have been made to the original product and/or significant enhancements that are truly unique and innovative, then the new model will be eligible for submission. If an entry of a similar model previously submitted is disqualified, the entry fees will not be refunded.
• At least two DIFFERENT product photographs must accompany each entry. Computer renderings are not preferred, and may result in reduced scores from the judges. Entries may include up to five photos. Photos must be submitted in a .jpg format. Each photo should be less than 3MB. All photos must be submitted via the online submission process. Emailed and hard-copy photos will not be accepted.
• All entry forms are the property of CEA. We suggest you print or make a copy of your submission for your records.
• An entry is qualified for judging when all required sections of the online entry tool are completed and entry fees have been paid.
• Incomplete and unpaid entries will be disqualified. CEA is not responsible for follow-up of incomplete entries. If you are unsure if your entry is complete, please contact us at Innovations@ce.org.
•  Entries must be paid online at the time of submission, using a credit card. Check and invoice payments are not accepted.To evaluate a submitter's entry, the judges may ask for additional information, including a request to provide a product sample.
• If improperly categorized, an entry may be moved to a different category based on the recommendation of the judging panel without consent from the submitter.
• CEA reserves the exclusive right to set, modify, and interpret all conditions regarding this competition without claim for damage or recourse of any kind.
• Each company selected as an honoree grants CEA permission, without compensation, to use its name and photograph/likeness and/or entry in promoting this or similar awards programs in the future.
• Materials must meet CEA standards for appropriate product presentation and taste and may be asked to be resubmitted or disqualified at any time, if they are deemed inappropriate. Any attempt by a submitter to deliberately damage the Innovations website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Call for Entries may be in violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such an attempt be made, all entries submitted by such person will be disqualified. CEA reserves the right to seek damages from any such person fully permitted by law.
• In the event a virus compromises the competition or non-authorized human intervention, tampering, or other causes beyond the reasonable control of the CEA corrupt or impair the administration, security, fairness, or proper operation of the Call for Entries, CEA reserves its right to suspend, modify, or terminate the Call for Entries.  Should the Call for Entries be terminated prior to the stated closing date, CEA reserves the right to announce honorees based on the nominations received before the termination date.
• CEA reserves the right to rescind any awards granted to honorees that have misrepresented their product or entry in this competition.

Award Categories

Download a copy of the 2013 Category Guide here.


Accessible & Universal Design Technologies
Products that have innovative features that enable ease of use by
anyone, including, but not limited to, accessibility for seniors and
people with disabilities, regardless of cognitive, hearing, mobility,
visual or other impairments.

Computer Accessories
Products designed to enable, enhance, connect, power and/
or maintain desktop or portable computer systems.

Computer Hardware & Components
All desktop and notebook computer systems, as well as their internal
components, EXCEPT for tablets and e-readers, which have
their own category.

Computer Peripherals
Products designed to connect to and extend the functionality of
desktop or portable computer systems.

Digital Imaging
Products designed to enhance the visual experience and/or allow
the user to capture, store and edit still images or video.

Eco-Design & Sustainable Technologies
Innovative features incorporated into consumer electronics products
that make them safe for the environment, e.g., efficient and
clean energy use; manufacturing processes that reduce use of
environmentally relevant substances (e.g., lead, mercury); durability/
end-of-life (reuse, refurbish, remanufacture, recycle); resource
conservation.

Embedded Technologies
Silicon chips and integrated components designed to provide
functionality to finished products or subassemblies.

Gaming Hardware & Accessories
Products (hardware) designed to allow one or more users to interact
with electronic games.

Headphones
Devices that allow users to listen to audio content, such as music,
radio, video, TV, gaming, and/or telephone conversations. The
devices may incorporate microphones for user voice response or
input, and do not have to be designed for use with any specific
type of device.

Health & Fitness
Products designed to test, monitor, or analyze the health, wellbeing,
fitness and/or medical condition of an individual or provide
therapeutic benefit. Products must have significant electronic
functionality as a central part of the item’s operation.

High Performance Home Audio
Separate audio components and speakers that provide for optimal
performance and sound reproduction. Items are typically produced
in limited quantities and are often handcrafted.

Home Appliances
Products that have a primary function of being used in the home.
These products include both major and portable appliances, and
may provide home heating and cooling, comfort, aesthetics, convenience,
food storage and preparation, and/or cleaning. Products
should have significant electronic functionality as a central part of
the item’s operation.

Home Audio/Video Accessories
Products designed to enable, enhance, connect, and/or maintain
home audio/video systems and components.

Home Audio/Video Components
Systems or components designed to provide playback, storage,
and/or distribution of video signals and content in the home.

Home Networking
Products and accessories that enable users to maintain a wired
or wireless data network, with the most typical applications being
file, print and internet access sharing. Systems may also include
products and software that provide for remote or conditional access.

Home Theater Speakers
Speakers with the primary purpose of incorporation into a home
theater system.

Integrated Home Systems & Multi-Room Audio/Video
Products and components designed to be used as complete
systems or subsystems in the home to control the distribution of
and access to audio and video content. Systems may also control
lighting, energy and environmental systems and security access.

In-Vehicle Accessories
Products designed to enable, enhance, connect, and/or maintain
in-car audio, video and navigation systems, and components.

In-Vehicle Audio/Video
Products and components designed to be part of an in-vehicle
audio and video system.

In-Vehicle Navigation/Control/Telematics
Products and components designed to be part of an in-car navigation,
information retrieval and transmission service, or facilitate
the integration of audio, video, and navigation systems.

Personal Electronics
Products that have a primary function of being worn, carried, or
used by a person. These products may assist with ease of living,
time keeping, data reference/calculation, or many other functions
of daily life.

Portable Media Players & Accessories
Products incorporating integrated storage and playback capability
for audio and/or video content, as well as the accessories for
enabling, enhancing, connecting, carrying, and/or maintaining
them.

Portable Power
Devices designed to facilitate the powering and/or charging of
consumer electronic products.

Software & Mobile Apps
Programs or operating systems meant to be used on a computer
system or mobile device.

Tablets, E-Readers & Mobile Computing

Tech For A Better World
Products that share a common goal or ability to impact the world
in a positive way, whether domestically, or on a faraway corner of
the globe.

Video Displays
Devices whose primary purpose is the display of video content,
excluding items marketed and sold primarily as computer monitors.

Wireless Handset Accessories
Products designed to enable, enhance, connect, carry, and/or
maintain wireless handsets.

Wireless Handsets
Items marketed primarily for the ability to provide wireless calling
capability. The products in this category, in addition to having
voice calling features, may also incorporate wireless data and
internet access features along with built-in camera and media
playback functionality.

Entry Form Questions

Each application will have a section of basic information to be filled in about the product, and then a series of free response questions. The free response questions are as follows.

General Entries

Answers are limited to 500 words or less.

1. Please provide the product's technical specifications. Can also be submitted as a PDF, Word, or Excel document, with a limit of one full page of text.
2. Describe the engineering qualities of your product, including the materials, components and processes used to fabricate the product.
3. Describe the product's aesthetic and design qualities, intended use and/or functions, including details about the user value.
4. Describe why your product deserves an Innovations award. Include specifics regarding your product's unique and/or novel features and why consumers would find your product attractive.

Eco-Design and Sustainable Technologies Entries

Answers are limited to 500 words or less.

1. Please provide the product's technical specifications. Can also be submitted as a PDF, Word, or Excel document, with a limit of one full page of text.
2. Describe your product's engineering qualities' impact on the environment, including the materials, components and processes used to fabricate the product and how the product is transported to market, reduces emissions, etc.
3. Describe the product's environmentally friendly aesthetic and design qualities and intended use and/or functions, including details about the user value and environmental benefits, such as use of energy and materials, enhanced recyclability, etc.
4. Describe why your product deserves this award. Include specifics regarding your product's unique and/or novel features and why consumers would find your product attractive.

Software & Mobile Apps Entries

Answers are limited to 500 words or less. If your software is web-based, please make sure to include a link to the web site.

1. Describe the software's intended use and functions, including details about user value.
2. Explain the platform(s) on which this software runs, the channel(s) through which it is distributed, and the cost to the user or suggested retail price. 
3. Describe why your software deserves this award. Include specifics regarding its unique and/or novel features, and why consumers would find your software attractive.
4. Describe how the software enhances the quality of life for the user.

How to Submit an Entry

1. Visit the Innovations Call for Entries page when it opens.
2. Complete, submit, and pay for your entry online between Monday, August 12 and Friday, September 13, 2013.
3. You will be notified by e-mail in October with your award status.

E-mailed and/or hard copy submission forms are not accepted.

Remember: You must provide a minimum of two different photos of your product (we encourage more) of publishing quality.

Tips for Preparing Your Strongest Entry

• Do not wait! Begin preparing your entry as early as possible, and have your technical staff review it to ensure that it's accurate. Many companies miss the deadline each year, and we are unable to give extensions.
• Answer the questions as clearly as possible and provide straightforward, informative photographs or illustrations.
• When preparing your entry, focus on providing substantive information, not on creative formatting or typefaces. Entries will be given a standardized look before the judges see them.
• Don't submit an entry that will not be commercially available in the U.S. by April 1, 2014.
• Don't submit an entry that has been commercially available in the U.S. before April 1, 2013.
• Upload as many photos of the product as you are able. Show off that awesome design! Take advantage of those extra fields.

Remember: If you are selected as an honoree and are a 2014 International CES exhibitor, you are required to make your product available for the Innovations Showcase during the 2014 International CES, January 7-10, 2014.  Products must arrive at International CES by January 5, 2014.

Judging Criteria

Each product category has a three-member judging team comprised of an independent industrial designer, an independent engineer and a member of the trade press.

The three-member judging team gives a numerical value to each of the above criteria. The scores are combined, resulting in a cumulative score for each product. A baseline value is derived from the cumulative scores in a category. All scores above the baseline are designated as honorees.

The Best of Innovations Awards will be awarded to the highest-rated product in each category, as long as that product surpasses a previously-determined minimum score. If the highest-rated product in a category does not surpass the minimum score, there will be no Best of Innovations Award for that category.

All award designations by our judges are final.


General Entries:

1. Engineering qualities, based on technical specs and materials used
2. Aesthetic and design qualities, using photos provided
3. The product's intended use/function and user value
4. Why the product deserves the Innovations award, including specifics regarding its unique/novel features and features that consumers would find attractive
5. How the design and innovation of this product directly compare to other products in the market place
    

Eco-Design and Sustainable Technologies Entries:

1. Environmentally friendly engineering qualities, based on technical specs and materials used
2. Environmentally friendly aesthetic and design qualities, using photos provided
3. The product's intended use/function and user value as it impacts the environment
4. Why the product deserves the Innovations award, including specifics regarding its unique/novel features and features that consumers would find attractive
5. How the design and innovation of this product directly compare to other products in the market place
    

Software & Mobile Apps Entries:

1. Intended use, function, and user value
2. Aesthetic and visual qualities, using screenshots or photos provided
3. Perceived ease of use/user-friendliness
4. Why the software deserves the Innovations award, including specifics regarding its unique/novel features and features that consumers would find attractive
5. How the design and innovation of this software directly compare to other products in the market place

Questions

Want more details?
Email Innovations@ce.org

FAQ

Who is eligible to enter?
Anyone who manufactures, designs, engineers or promotes consumer electronics products marketed in the United States, or is an authorized agent of the organization or individual, is eligible to submit entries.

What is the difference between Best of Innovations and the Honoree awards?
In the Innovations program, there are two levels of "winners" (we use the term honorees). The first level is Honoree, and only a fraction of the products entered achieve this honor. The second level, Best of Innovations, is a more exclusive award that is given to the highest-rated product in each category, as long as that product scored above a pre-determined score threshold. If the highest-rated product in a certain category did not pass the Best of Innovations score threshold, that category has no Best of Innovations award.

Who are the Innovations Judges?
The Innovations Judges are a panel of highly-qualified industry experts that have extensive knowledge of the product categories they've been assigned to judge. Each product category has three judges: a member of the press, an industrial designer, and an independent engineer, and each gets equal weight in the scoring. To become a judge, each must apply on their own, and then be subjected to a rigorous vetting process. To maintain program credibility, new judges are always brought in each year, and a judge may only participate in the program for three years consecutively. Judges are also subject to a strict conflict of interest policy.

What is the Innovations Showcase?
The Innovations Showcase is a designated area of the show floor at the International CES, where the Innovations honoree products are put on display for the world to see. It is a very high-traffic area, and one of the most popular at CES. Innovations honoree products are encouraged to send a product sample to the area, and we will display it free of charge as long as the company is a CES exhibitor.

How many products are entered into the Innovations Design and Engineering Awards? How many in XX category?
We do not release information about the number of entries that we receive. However, you are able to see the previous award winners here.

What is eligible to be entered?
Any new products that are, or will be, in the marketplace and available/accessible to U.S. consumers no earlier than April 1, 2013 and no later than April 1, 2014, are eligible to enter.

Selected products must also be available for display in the Innovations Showcase at International CES, from January 7-10, 2014, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Non-exhibitor honoree products will not be included for display in the Innovations 2014 Design and Engineering Showcase or the on-site honoree listing in It Is Innovation magazine at the International CES.

When is the best time to submit an application?
As early as possible! Do not wait to submit your application. Every year, there is a surge of applications as the deadline approaches. The problem with waiting is that if you suddenly realize that additional information needs to be gathered to complete your application, you may be forced to submit it hastily and lacking key information, in order to meet the deadline. Also, many applicants have questions during the application process. If you require assistance from the Innovations Awards team, there may not be enough time to help you prior to the deadline.

My product fits into multiple categories - which should I enter?
If you are only able to submit one entry, select the category that most completely encompasses your product, or in which you feel your product is most accurately described. However, we welcome you to submit the product into multiple categories, if you prefer. Each category is judged independently, so well-designed products often receive awards in multiple categories.

My company is a brand new start-up with only a few employees and nothing but a prototype product that hasn't even hit the market. Do I really stand a chance of receiving an award?
Absolutely! The wonderful thing about the Innovations Awards is that at the end of the day, a product's score is based on engineering and design qualities, innovation, and value provided to the user. We admire brilliant products, so it makes zero difference whether your company has been around for a month or a century, operates globally or locally, or has 10 employees or 10,000. Take a look at the 2013 honorees, and you'll surely find companies similar to your own.

Can an entry submitted last year be submitted again this year?
Entries submitted last year can probably not be submitted this year, since the competition is limited to new products that become available to consumers from April 1, 2013 and no later than April 1, 2014. However, if you have developed a new model of the product that you feel is innovative and enhances the original product; you may submit an entry for the new model.

Must I include photos with my entry?
The photos entered are the only visual references the judges will have of the product. Your entry form will not be processed without a minimum two different photos of your product. While two photos are required, we encourage you to upload as many as possible.

Do I have a word limit for questions on the entry form?
On the product-specific questions, we impose a limit of 500 words. You may also upload the technical specification sheet for your product. If you do not have a specification sheet, you may provide the same data in your own words (1,000 character limit).

What happens if my entry is not complete?
An entry is qualified for judging when all required sections are completed, images are included, and all entry fees have been paid. While CEA is not responsible for the follow-up of incomplete entries, we will attempt to notify submitters of the status of their entry. Ultimately, it is the submitter's responsibility to ensure the entry is complete. Unpaid entries will be disqualified. Entry fees are non-refundable.

When will I find out if my product has been selected to receive an award?
All applicants will be notified via email on October 14, 2013. If selected as an honoree, you are requested to confirm information included in your entry. It is essential that we receive this information for the announcement scheduled at the 2014 International CES Press Preview event in New York on November 12, 2013.

If I book a booth at CES later, can I receive a partial refund on my Innovations entry fee? 
If you are not a CES exhibitor at the time that you pay for your Innovations application, you can sign up as an exhibitor and receive a partial refund up until the day that the honorees are notified on October 14th, 2013. After October 14th, we are unable to issue partial refunds. Contact us at Innovations@CE.org to receive a refund.

When will the honorees be announced to the public?
Unless indicated on your application, the honorees will be announced at the 2014 International CES Press Preview event in New York on November 12, 2013.   If you are unable to have your award announced on November 12th, you can instead choose to be announced during the CES Unveiled Press Event at the 2014 International CES, on January 5th, 2014. Make sure that this area of your application is correct prior to submitting. If, after you submit your application, you need to change the date of announcement, it's imperative that you contact the Innovations Awards team as soon as possible, at Innovations@CE.org. We will do our best to delay product announcements until January 5th, 2014. However, CEA can make no guarantees or assume any liability regarding the announcement dates.

If a company does not wish to have their product announced for any reason other than stated above, CEA has the right to remove the award designation. The product will be considered as a non-entry. The company will have the right to submit the product as a new entry at the next year's Call for Entries provided it still meets the initial entry submission qualifications.

Are there sponsorship opportunities for Innovations?
Yes. Please contact us at Innovations@ce.org