The Tech Awards (expanded in 2016 to The Tech for Global Good[1]) is a program of The Tech Interactive (previously The Tech Museum of Innovation) wherein innovators from any country are recognized for technological contributions which benefit the greatest number of people.
The Tech Interactive created the award in response to The Millennium Project's State of the Future report, which recommends the granting of awards to accelerate technology to improve the human condition.[2] [3] [4]
The Tech has granted the awards yearly since 2001 to multiple recipients in each category, and as of 2011, one recipient in each category also gets a cash award of $50,000 from any of various award sponsors. Awards are granted in five categories - environment, economic development, equality, education, and health.
In 2012, the categories changed to environment, economic development, education, health, young innovator, and Sustainable Energy. The sustainable energy category will not return in 2013. Along with the changes in the categories, the number of laureates changed. Each category would have 2 laureates, one laureate will receive $25,000 and the other laureate would receive $75,000. Therefore, both laureates received a cash prize.[5]
In 2016, the Awards program was a retrospective celebrating the first 15 years, and announced that The Tech Awards would be expanded as The Tech for Global Good, making "the inspirational power of The Tech Awards a year-round presence at The Tech, including special exhibits, educational programs, and "new summits and events that celebrate innovation and inspire young people."[6]
The Global Humanitarian Award is given to individuals who displays leadership in using technology to benefit the world.[7]
| Year | Global Humanitarian Award recipient | |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Dean Kamen[8] | |
| 2012 | N.R. Narayana Murthy | |
| 2011 | Jeffrey Skoll | |
| 2010 | Queen Rania of Jordan | |
| 2009 | Al Gore | |
| 2008 | Muhammad Yunus | |
| 2007 | Gordon Moore | |
| 2006 | Bill Gates | |
| 2005 | Kristine Pearson | |
| 2004 | James C. Morgan |
The following organizations are currently sponsors of The Tech Awards:[9]
| Award Laureates | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| year | award | laureate | affiliation | contribution | region | notes |
| 2010 | environment | Peer Water Exchange | Blue Planet Network | water sustainability | India | award |
| 2010 | Economic Development | Alexis T. Belonio | Gasification system for rice husks | Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam | award | |
| 2010 | Education | BBC World Service Trust | Mobile application development to teach English | Bangladesh | award | |
| 2010 | Equality | A Single Drop for Safe Water | social entrepreneurship for drinking water | Philippines | award | |
| 2010 | Health | Venkatesh Mannar | promotion of double-fortified salt | India | award | |
| 2011 | Environment | Cornell University | inexpensive water treatment | Honduras | award | |
| 2011 | Education | PhET Interactive Simulations | free educational physics and math simulations | United States | award | |
| 2011 | Equality | Universal Subtitles | A simple, open, and collaborative way to subtitle videos | United States | award | |
| 2011 | Health | WE CARE Solar | A "solar suitcase" to provide emergency lighting and power for medical procedures | United States | award | |
| 2011 | Economic Development | Eko India Financial Services | Simple, instant, and safe banking and money-transfer services | India | award | |
| 2012 | Environment | Arup K. SenGupta | transform arsenic crisis into an economic enterprise while protecting human health | India | award | |
| 2012 | Education | Literacy Bridge | audio computer playing locally produced lessons that address the practical needs of people in oral cultures | Africa | award | |
| 2012 | Young Innovator | Angaza Design | Low-cost, embedded Pay-As-You-Go technology that allows customers to pay for energy use in small amounts | Africa | award | |
| 2012 | Health | BioLite | Global | award | ||
| 2012 | Economic Development | Pamela C. Ronald, David Mackill, Kenong Xu | U.C. Davis | Identification of a submergence tolerance gene and precise introduction of the gene into locally adapted varieties favored by farmers using modern molecular breeding | Global | award |
| 2012 | Sustainable Energy | Simpa Networks | Simple, affordable, pay-as-you-use pricing and mobile payment for off-grid solar energy solutions | India | award | |
| 2013[10] | Environment | Antrix Corp./ISRO: Sujala Project | Watershed development | India | award | |
| 2013 | Education | Enova | Created educational learning centers in areas determined by data | Mexico | award | |
| 2013 | Young Innovator | TOHL | Mobile piping infrastructure for post disaster areas | Chile | award | |
| 2013 | Health | Nazava Water Filters | Easy-to-use household water filters | Indonesia | award | |
| 2013 | Economic Development | The Darfur Stoves Project | An energy-saving metal cookstove adapted for local cooking traditions, and assembled from flat-kits that are easily stockpiled and deployed. | Sudan | award | |