The Tech Awards

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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.

Laureates honored at the 2016 annual Tech Awards.

History

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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][1]

Global Humanitarian Award

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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

Sponsors

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The following organizations are currently sponsors of The Tech Awards:[9]

Prize laureates

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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 AquaClara 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 A low-cost, highly efficient wood-burning stove that dramatically reduces smoke and harmful black carbon emissions 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

References

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  1. ^ a b "Press Release: Tech Museum of Innovation Announces Expansion of The Tech Awards". The Tech Interactive. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  2. ^ "About The Tech Awards". techawards.org. 2006. Archived from the original on 28 November 2006. Retrieved 28 November 2006.
  3. ^ "Technology and the Quality of Being Human (Award Origins)" (PDF). SCU Center for Science, Technology & Society. 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2004. Retrieved 11 March 2004.
  4. ^ "The Tech Awards: The First 15 Years". The Tech Interactive. 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  5. ^ "Press Release: Larger cash awards, new categories announced for The Tech Awards 2012". The Tech Museum of Innovation. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  6. ^ "The Tech Awards 2016". The Tech. 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  7. ^ "James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award". The Tech Interactive. 2023.
  8. ^ Krasny, Michael. "Inventor Dean Kamen Wins Global Humanitarian Award". KQED radio. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  9. ^ "The Tech Awards - Sponsors". The Tech Museum of Innovation. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  10. ^ May, Patrick (14 November 2013). "Tech Awards honor innovators seeking to change the world". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
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