DEADLINE: WA Innovators of the Year Awards 2026
Western Australia’s (WA) Innovators of the Year awards program recognises local businesses, government entities and young people that have developed an outstanding innovative product, technology or service.
Administered by the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification, the program has also raised the profile of WA’s innovation ecosystem, helped to spotlight local talent and supported the growth of the State’s innovation-based industries. In 2026, the program will recognise WA innovators across eight award categories:
- Emerging Innovation Award
- Growth Innovation Award
- Advanced Manufacturing Award
- Community Benefit and Wellbeing Award
- Energy Innovation Award
- Government Innovation Award
- Great for the State Award
- Young Innovators Award
This includes a new category, Advanced Manufacturing, awarded to a WA applicant who has used advanced technology and knowledge inputs as an integral part of their manufacturing process to create efficient, higher value-add and more complex manufacturing goods across the manufacturing value chain.
All finalists will receive a professional video of their innovation and photography session, as well as an invitation to an Accelerator program, aimed at upskilling early and growth-stage innovators and entrepreneurs. Winners will share in a prize pool of up to $310,000 to support the commercialisation development of their innovation.
To be eligible, the innovative product, technology or service must be at the emerging or growth phase of development and demonstrate an economic, social, and/or environmental benefit to WA.