Innovation Awards

Category Spotlight: Energy Industry Innovation of the Year

Posted by Michael Gallagher on Wed, Jan 14, 2015 @ 06:47 PM

No Entry Fee for This Spotlight on Innovation in Energy Production, Storage, Delivery or Conservation

We've added a new category to The American Business Awards for 2015 called Energy Industry Innovation of the Year.  It's one of the Company/Organization categories, and there's no entry fee for nominations submitted to this category.  Later this month we'll open entries for The 2015 International Business Awards, and that competition will feature this new category as well.

All organizations in the U.S.A. are eligible to enter the ABAs.  All organizations worldwide are welcome to enter the IBAs.  See the master calendar on the Stevie Awards website for schedules and entry deadlines.

Clean_Energy_imageThe topics of energy production, usage, conservation and environmental impact are at the top of all sensible agenda these days.  Solutions may be portrayed as controversial, inconvenient, expensive, insufficient, or otherwise out of bounds, but the fact is that many organizations around the world are doing astonishing things to drive down the cost of energy, capture carbon and other pollutants, harness renewables, and exploit the power of nature.  This category will shine a spotlight on nominated endeavors that are working to meet energy needs while minimizing harm to our shared environment.

Both the ABAs and IBAs in 2015 will recognize achievements made since the beginning of 2014.  Projects nominated in this category need not have been initiated since that time, but entries submitted to the category should focus on achievements and activities since January 1, 2014.

Requirements for submissions to this category (for both the ABAs and IBAs) include the following:

a. An essay of up to 650 words describing the nominated organization's achievements since January 1 2014

b. In bullet-list form (up to 150 words), a brief summary of up to ten (10) of the nominated organization's chief achievements since January 1 2014

c. Optional (but highly recommended), a collection of supporting files and web addresses that you may upload to our server to support your entry and provide more background information to the judges

What type of entry is likely to do well in this category?  An example is that of Newlight Technologies of Irvine, California, which won the Gold Stevie Award in The 2013 American Business Awards for Tech Innovation of the Year. 

Put succinctly, Newlight captures carbon and turns it into usable plastic. 
Read our blog story about them here.
Read the full text of their Stevie-winning entry here.

Will only stories as extraordinary as capturing carbon and turning it into plastic score well with the judges?  Absolutely not.  Over the years many energy-industry stories have won Stevie Awards, and the majority of them simply have been about innovative, well-run companies.

As with any Stevie Awards entry, storytelling is a key to success.  Portraying your achievements in a succinct, compelling way, that will capture the imagination of the judges, is key.

If you're in the energy industries, represent clients in the energy industries, or otherwise work to meet the world's energy needs and environmental obligations, take a look at this new category if you're looking to win innovation awards.

ENTER THE ABAS NOW

Questions?  Contact us at help@stevieawards.com.

Tags: innovation award, innovation awards, innovative technology, most innovative company of the year

How Innovation Awards Winner Increased Revenue by 240%

Posted by Liz Dean on Thu, Mar 29, 2012 @ 05:06 PM

Mondial Assistance USA, of Richmond, VA won a Stevie® Award for Business Innovation of the Year in the company awards categories of The 2011 American Business Awards, the premiere business awards program in the U.S.A. (The final entry deadline for the 2012 ABAs is April 25; request your entry kit today.) Here we look at how Mondial Assistance used emerging technology to streamline their onboarding process.

Mondial AssistanceIn 2010, Mondial Assistance USA, a global leader in specialized insurance and assistance services, decided to revamp their outdated onboarding system by launching a new online system.  The organization awards winner had one objective: to design and implement a dynamic white glove experience that was well-designed, efficient, and exceeded the expectations of new clients. The new system had to combine technical innovation with user friendliness.

Project Goals
The innovation awards winner had three goals in mind for their new Agency Onboarding system:

  • Decrease Time to Sell
    By streamlining the onboarding process, Mondial Assistance employees would be able to begin selling products almost immediately.
  • Increase Customer Satisfaction
    By improving the onboarding process, Mondial Assistance would be able to create and strengthen relationships with customers.
  • Decrease Internal Management Costs
    By streamlining the process, Mondial would be able to eliminate the paper trail and leverage technology innovation resulting in better use of employees’ time.

Implementation
The innovation award winner implemented their new Agency Onboarding system in two phases.

In phase one, the company:

  • Reorganized past processes to reduce the number of departments needed,
  • Digitalized all documents, and
  • Began an email campaign for its' customers.

In phase two, the company centered their project on creating an easy onboarding experience for the customer. Phase two also allowed for account numbers, W9 tax forms, and customized brochures to be produced automatically.

Results
In less than three months, Mondial Assistance saw:

  • 24.7% growth in the number of agencies onboarded over the same timeframe from the prior year;
  • 200% growth in the number of agencies selling at least one policy; and
  • 240% growth in generated revenue.

About Mondial Assistance USA
Mondial Assistance USA is a global leader in specialty insurance and emergency assistance services and is part of the Allianz family of companies. Mondial Assistance offers a broad portfolio of insurance, retirement, assistance services and asset management products and services. Four percent of the world’s population are served by Mondial Assistance businesses around the globe. For more information please visit: www.mondialUSA.com.

Tags: American business awards, innovation award, innovation awards, Mondial Assistance USA, technical innovation, company awards, organization awards, technology innovation, emerging technology

6 Innovation Awards in The 2012 American Business Awards

Posted by Liz Dean on Mon, Mar 26, 2012 @ 12:43 PM

As the entry deadline for The 2012 American Business Awards approaches on Wednesday, March 28 we'd like to highlight several innovation awards categories that may be of interest to your organization. If you haven't already received your entry kit for The 2012 American Business Awards, the premier business awards program in the U.S.A., you can request your entry kit here and you will receive it right away.

Our innovation award categories include:The Stevie Awards

  1. Most Innovative Company of the Year
    Recognizing overall achievement in product and/or marketing, sales, manufacturing, management, etc. innovation.
  2. Most Innovative Tech Company of the Year
    Recognizing overall achievement in product and/or marketing, sales, manufacturing, management, etc. innovation.
  3. Best New Tech Company of the Year
    Recognizing companies that began operations since January 1 2010. 
  4. Fastest-Growing Tech Company of the Year
    Recognizing outstanding revenue growth since the beginning of 2011 over 2010.
  5. Business Innovation of the Year
    Recognizing singular innovations in product and/or marketing, sales, manufacturing, management, etc., by an organization or an individual.
  6. Tech Innovation of the Year
    Recognizing singular innovations in technology, new products, etc., by an organization or an individual.

All entries in these categories require an essay of up to 500 words describing the nominated organization's achievements since January 1 2011, a biography of the leader(s) of the nominated organization of up to 100 words, and an optional (but highly recommended) inclusion of a collection of supporting files and web addresses that you may upload to our server to support your entry and provide more background information to the judges.

If you want to showcase your organization's innovative technology, the 2012 ABAs also have several award categories that highlight emerging technology including:

Not going to make the March 28 deadline? Don't panic, entries can still be submitted through the final deadline of April 25 with a late fee of $35.00.

Tags: business awards, app awards, website awards, American business awards, innovation award, innovation awards, innovative technology, it awards, new product awards, tech awards, emerging technology

How Business Award-winner Touch Bionics Transforms Lives

Posted by Michael Gallagher on Thu, Jul 14, 2011 @ 09:00 PM

Touch Bionics of Livingston, Scotland and Hillard, Ohio USA won the Stevie Award for Most Innovative Company of the Year in Europe in The 2010 International Business Awards. Here we review the amazing accomplishments of this company’s bionic solutions.

Touch Bionics is the developer of the groundbreaking i-LIMB Hand, the
world’s first commercially available, fully articulating, bionic hand. This
product was launched to worldwide acclaim in 2007, but the company has
continued to expand its innovative product lines since then.

ProDigitsProDigits

In December 2009, Touch Bionics introduced ProDigits, the world’s first bionic finger solution. Extending the technology innovation behind the i-LIMB Hand, the ProDigits solution brings the life-changing technology to partial-hand patients, whose finger absence is due either to congenital anomalies or to amputation from a traumatic incident or medical condition. The amputee population that can benefit from ProDigits is considerable, estimated at around
40,000 in the U.S. and 1.2 million worldwide and, before ProDigits, such people had no commercially available powered prosthetic solution open to them.

i-LIMB Pulse

In May 2010, Touch Bionics introduced the new i-LIMB Pulse. This product is the latest evolution of the i-LIMB product line and a host of innovations have gone into the new product, including:
- Bluetooth-enabled software to allow the customization of the device for the
user;
- Automated grip patterns, allowing users to select the grips that are most
useful to them on a daily basis;
- Pulsing grip strength, allowing incremental additional grip force to be
applied when required;
- Low-profile design, achieved by miniaturizing many of the components of the
device and changing the design to cater almost all male and female users; and

- A new aluminum mechanical structure, for increased overall robustness.

ProDigits and the i-LIMB Pulse were the two most significant innovations from Touch Bionics in 2009-2010, but the company continues to be an innovator.

New Leadership

In June 2011, Touch Bionics appointed a new Chief Executive Officer, Ian Stevens.   With his background at medical devices companies Mpathy Medical and Optos, he will be leading the company through its next phase of growth.

 “I am very pleased to be joining Touch Bionics at such an important point in the company’s evolution and I am looking forward to working with the team at Touch Bionics to ensure that the company enjoys continued success,” said Stewart.

About Ian Stevens
Ian Stevens joined Touch Bionics from medical devices company, Mpathy Medical, where he had served as CEO since November 2007. Prior to that, Stevens worked for Optos, a medical technology company specializing in devices that image the retina, from 1999-2007. At Optos, he served as General Manager for North America, where he had responsibility for all operations in the United States and Canada. Stevens also served as Chief Financial Officer and Director of Operations during his time at Optos.

About Touch Bionics
Touch Bionics is a developer of advanced upper limb prosthetics designed to bring a greater return to form and function for amputees and people with congenitally missing limbs. Touch Bionics created the i-LIMB Hand, the world's first powered prosthetic hand with five articulating fingers, and was the first company to offer a powered prosthetic solution for patients with missing fingers, ProDigits. In addition to its powered prosthetic hand and partial-hand products, Touch Bionics offers a range of custom aesthetic restoration solutions through its LIVINGSKIN business, which are passive prosthetic devices designed to match exactly to a person's natural skin tone. For more information, visit www.touchbionics.com.

Tags: International business awards, innovation award, Touch Bionics, most innovative company, IBAs