Every year, the CES Innovation Awards® spotlight groundbreaking achievements in consumer technology. This prestigious program honors excellence in design and engineering across a wide range of product categories including smart home devices, wearables, robotics, automotive tech and more. With a record-breaking 3600+ applications, 2026 is bigger than ever and setting new standards for innovation.
For decades, the CES Innovation Awards® have recognized products that redefine what’s possible. Past honorees include game-changing innovations like Ford’s F-150 Pro Trailer Backup Assist, Toshiba’s DVD Player and iRobot’s Scooba floor-cleaning robot. These milestones in tech reflect the program’s commitment to celebrating ideas that shape the way we live, work and play.
What’s New in 2026?
The awards program spans 36 product categories, including five new areas this year: EdTech; Enterprise Tech; Filmmaking & Distribution, in partnership with Cannes Next; Supply & Logistics; and Travel & Tourism. The categories of AI, Digital Health, and Sustainability & Energy received the most submissions, underscoring the role of tech in building a smarter and more productive and inclusive future.
Below are some highlights of this year’s Best of Innovation Award recipients:
2026 Best of Innovation in EdTech
Toniebox 2 is a kid-friendly, screen-free audio player designed for children ages 1–9+. It encourages independence and confidence through interactive storytelling, music and games. Kids can use Tonie characters to access content or unlock Tonieplay for engaging activities like quizzes and challenges. It’s durable, safe and ad-free, with new features like a Sleep Timer, Light and Sunrise Alarm to support healthy sleep routines — all manageable via the tonies® app.
2026 Best of Innovation in Enterprise Tech
Sixfab’s ALPON X5 AI Edge Computer is a compact, on-device AI computer designed for video and sensor analytics across businesses of any size. It runs on Raspberry Pi CM5 and DEEPX DX-M1 NPU, keeping raw data local and sharing only anonymized events. At scale, it supports centralized management with features like zero-touch onboarding, OTA updates, and security controls. Built for unreliable networks, it offers multi-level connectivity with Ethernet/Wi-Fi and automatic LTE failover via eSIM, which allows remote provisioning and carrier switching. Open and flexible, it supports custom AI models and protocols, making it ideal for teams without large R&D resources to deploy edge AI quickly, securely and cost-effectively — without relying on the cloud.
2026 Best of Innovation in Filmmaking & Distribution (in partnership with Cannes Next)
STORYSYNC: A Real-Time Interactive Media Facade of Mythic Stories is an AI-powered media facade system that transforms visitors’ social media photos into real-time storytelling experiences. Using computer vision and natural language processing, it creates immersive, projection-mapped displays that blend personal memories with traditional narratives. Unlike typical photo displays, STORYSYNC turns each visitor into part of a living myth, offering an emotional and visually rich cultural tourism experience tailored for the social media generation.
2026 Best of Innovation in Travel & Tourism
LBS Tech’s MaaS-Bridge: Accessible MaaS (Mobility-as-a-Services) Connectivity is an AI-powered system that enhances Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) by creating safe, accessible connection points between vehicles and pedestrian paths. It supports inclusive transportation for users with diverse needs — such as seniors, wheelchair users and visually impaired individuals — by analyzing traffic, infrastructure and user profiles to recommend optimal Mobility Points. Unlike standard navigation tools, it ensures physical accessibility and operational feasibility for pick-up and drop-off locations, helping service providers deliver more inclusive, efficient and reliable mobility experiences.
The Oshkosh Striker Volterra Electric ARFF Vehicle is a hybrid electric-diesel Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Vehicle (ARFF) designed to meet growing airport safety demands. It offers zero-emissions operation in terminals and 28% faster acceleration to emergencies than traditional diesel models. Certified to meet global fire response standards, it ensures airports maintain uninterrupted emergency readiness. With features like verified boot, signed software and hardware cryptography, it supports secure, reliable operations while promoting cleaner, quieter travel environments as global air traffic expands.
Tech Touches Every Industry
From beauty tech to construction, sports and robotics, the CES Innovation Awards® highlight how technology is transforming every corner of our lives. Find out more about the 2026 honorees on the CES website.
Honorees will be featured at the CES Innovation Awards Showcase, located at the Venetian Expo during CES — the world’s most powerful tech event. It’s a chance for innovators to connect with media, investors and industry leaders from around the globe. And attendees will be able to explore some of the winning products in person.
Innovation starts here. Whether you’re a startup or a global brand, CES 2026 is your stage to show the world what’s next.
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