The 2021 R&D 100, the 59th iteration of the esteemed awards program, will open for submissions on February 1st, 2021.

Download a PDF of the Call for Nominations form here: 2021 R&D 100 Awards.

Established in 1963, the R&D 100 Awards is the only S&T (science and technology) awards competition that recognizes new commercial products, technologies and materials for their technological significance that are available for sale or license. The six main categories will remain the same as from 2020. One new Special Recognition category is being added, “Battling COVID-19.” Details follow:

Analytical/Test

• Analytical Instrumentation (chromatography, spectroscopy, analyzers, etc.)
• Electronic Instrumentation (oscilloscopes, VOMs, spectrum analyzers, digital multimeters, probes, etc.)
• Imaging Systems/Devices (microscopes, cameras, telescopes, binoculars, optics, etc.)
• Testing Systems (hardness, materials, tensile, physical, etc.)
• Laboratory Equipment (fume hoods, cabinets, casework, lab animals, lab automation, balances/scales, centrifuges, tubing/valves, mixers, etc.)
• Life Sciences (biopharmaceuticals, DNA/RNA systems, food & beverage, genomics, proteomics, GMO, medical devices, medicine, medical implants, etc.)

IT/Electrical

• Electrical Devices (motors, switches, lighting systems, etc.)
• Information Technologies (computers, cell phones, printers, storage systems, supercomputers, computer hardware, operating systems, cloud computing, big data, data mining, data security, etc.)
• Communication Systems/Devices (wireless, broadband, networking systems, routers, wearables, lidar/radar, space communications, etc.)
• Safety & Security (sensing, detecting, monitoring, alarm systems, access point/portals, isolation systems, barriers, etc.)
• Beam Instrumentation (x-ray, neutron, proton, gamma ray, etc.)
• Lasers & Photonics (CO2 lasers, solid-state lasers, LEDs, synchrotron items, etc.)

Mechanical/Materials

• Chemical & Gases (chemicals, powders, rare gases, reagents, etc.)
• Energy Systems/Components (energy modeling software, fuel cells,hybrid systems, IC engines, nuclear, PV, etc.)
• Environmental Systems/Instruments (carbon capture, filtering systems, mercury capture, pH meters, precipitators, etc.)
• Materials (adhesives, alloys, ceramics, composites, metals, paints, plastics, polymers, etc.)
• Mechanical Systems (air-handling systems, gears, heating and cooling systems, pumps robotics, structural components, thermal devices, transmissions, etc.)
• Thin Film & Vacuum (deposition systems, lithography, semiconductor processing, vacuum pumps/chambers, vacuum valves, etc.)

Process/Prototyping

• Process Systems (mixing, formulating, distilling, baking, coating, etc.)
• Additive Manufacturing (3-D printing, rapid prototyping)
• Supply Chain (management, operations, etc.)
• Process Improvement (design, production, distribution strategies)

Software/Services

• Military/Aerospace/Law Enforcement Devices (air traffic control tech, de-icing solutions, drones, flight simulators, forensic tools, weapons, etc.)
• Safety & Security (alarm systems, access point/portals, barriers, detecting, isolation systems, sensing, monitoring, etc.)
• Software (chemistry, process and analysis, reporting, simulation, visualization)

Other

• Any Products or Services that do NOT fall into the above stated categories. U.S. Universities / Medical Centers can apply under “Other.”

Special Recognition: Corporate Social Responsibility
This award honors organizational efforts to be a greater corporate member of society, from a local to global level. Good works criteria may include, but isn’t limited to, efforts to curb carbon footprint reduction, efforts in third-world countries, better prosthetics for wounded soldiers, LEED green building certification, local fundraising efforts, scholarship programs and involvement and/or contributions to the STEM community.

Special Recognition: Green Tech
From an engineering and societal perspective, efficiency and environmental factors play an increasingly important role in the world today. R&D World wants to recognize those innovations that help make our environment greener and our goal towards energy reduction closer.

Special Recognition: Market Disruptor – Products
This award is designed to highlight any product from any category as one that has changed the game in any industry. No matter what the specific product is, the focus should be on industry impact. Was your product a game changer in the last year?

Special Recognition: Market Disruptor – Services
This award is designed to highlight any service from any category as one that forever changed the R&D industry or a particular vertical within the industry. No matter what the specific service is, the focus should be on industry impact.

Special Recognition: Battling COVID-19
This award is designed to highlight any innovation that was employed do battle the worldwide COVID-19
pandemic. This is not limited to medical or pharmaceutical entries — newly developed products and services as diverse as software, safety equipment or AI that had an impact will be considered.

A given innovation can be entered in both a regular category and any of the special recognition categories — but please note that a separate entry fee is required for each nomination. Special recognition categories are awarded separately from the 100 winners that comprise the R&D 100. An innovation may not be entered in a special recognition category without first being entered into one of the six regular categories.

The entry fee is $450/submission, with nominations due on May 7, 2021. A special late deadline of June 21, 2021 will allow late nominations, but the entry fee increases to $550/submission.

For 2020 and earlier winners, the plaque reorder form is here: Plaque reorder form.

Enter at: https://rd100.secure-platform.com/a