Innovation Awards

Innovation Awards

1. What are the EnerGaïa Innovation Awards?

1. What are the EnerGaïa Innovation Awards?

The EnerGaïa Innovation Awards are a competition designed to promote innovative French and international companies in the renewable energy sector. They shine a spotlight on the latest innovations and companies in the industry by rewarding the best new products and technological advances across renewable energy sectors. 
Through their unique and cross-disciplinary categories, the EnerGaïa Innovation Awards offer exhibiting companies a unique opportunity to showcase their distinctiveness, expertise, and skills. 

2. Who can participate?

All exhibitors and co-exhibitors at the EnerGaïa Forum with a product or service, or a company initiative, that is less than two years old and represents a notable advance in its sector. 

I would like to apply, so I go to my Exhibitor Area: 
 Application deadline: Thursday, October 8 at 6:00 p.m.
My Exhibitor Area

EnerGaïa Innovation Awards: a unique strategic and business-oriented gathering

THEVEN - Circularity Award 2024 
“This distinction immediately strengthened our credibility and brought added confidence to our discussions with prospects and partners. From the trade show onward, it generated meetings and qualified contacts that are now turning into concrete opportunities, particularly around several sales projects.” 
Vincent Theven, founder of Theven Energy.

SERENYSUN - Ecosystem Award 2024 
"Being recognized by a leading trade show like EnerGaïa was a real endorsement of our model. This distinction strengthened the project's credibility among local stakeholders, who were very proud to see their region highlighted, while also giving our approach significant media visibility." 
Alice Gaubert, development director at SerenySun Energies

3. Categories, descriptions and evaluation criteria

For all four categories, the selection committee and the jury will assess the genuinely innovative nature of the proposed solution or service, as well as its business model.

INTERNATIONAL

What is the global scalability of the solution or service developed? To what extent has your solution or service been designed for international deployment, taking into account:
- standards and regulations, 
- environmental challenges and opportunities, 
- appropriate business models? 
You will demonstrate this international dimension in the design, implementation and/or marketing of your innovation.

DEPLOYABILITY

How simple and quick is it to implement the solution and/or service you have developed? In what ways is your solution (technology, services or organisation) more innovative, faster and less costly to deploy than that of your competitors or your previous products? 
You will present factual arguments demonstrating the actual gains in ease and speed of implementation compared to implementation prior to the invention of your solution.

ECOSYSTEM

What approach have you adopted in collaborating with local stakeholders or your ecosystem (businesses, universities, incubators, etc.) to develop and commercialise your innovation? In what way is this partnership unique, and what added value has it brought? 
Please describe the collaborative initiatives you have implemented and their concrete results.

CIRCULARITY

What resource savings does your innovation deliver? What recycling and reuse measures does your innovation enable, or have you adopted to promote them? 
You should support your argument with factual comparisons of the situation before (without this solution) and after (following the implementation of this solution). You should provide specific indicators and metrics to objectively assess your performance in this area.

4. Why take part in the EnerGaïa Innovation Awards?

By participating, you benefit from unique visibility before, during, and after the Forum among all EnerGaïa visitors, buyers, and private and public decision-makers, as well as journalists and expert influencers, through: 
  • A dedicated exhibition space during the two days of the Forum : Innovation Gallery, hall B3.
  • Detailed presentation in the event press kit, a dedicated press release, and a dedicated page on the EnerGaïa website and mobile app. 
  • A live pitch presentation before a panel of experts. 
  • The announcement of the winners and presentation of the trophies during an awards ceremony, followed by a cocktail reception at the event. 
  • A dedicated communication kit and dedicated signage at the event. 
  • A uniquely designed, eco-designed, locally made trophy. 
  • A financial prize for the winners to support their participation in the next edition of EnerGaïa.
  • A national media plan with our partners La Tribune and Actu-Environnement. 
 One winner is awarded in each category. Among all 12 nominated projects, the Occitanie Region awards its Jury’s Favorite Prize.

5. The 2026 selection committee

The role of the EnerGaïa Innovation Awards Selection Committee is to review all application files received and select three nominees per category according to a predefined set of criteria. 

The first members of the 2026 Selection Committee are: 
  • Amel ABBASSI GUENDOUZ, Innovation and energy transition sectors project manager - AD'OCC Agency
  • Sophie FABREGAT, Energy section editor - ACTU-ENVIRONNEMENT
  • Caroline GIGNON, Head of the EnerGaïa Forum - SPL OCCITANIE EVENTS
  • Stéfan LOUILLAT, Head of Renewable Electricity and Grids Department - ADEME 
  • Carine SEBI, Professor and Director of the Energy for Society Institute at Grenoble Ecole de Management

6. The 2026 jury

The Jury’s role is to select, from among the nominees shortlisted by the Selection Committee, the winner of each category. It evaluates each innovation according to a predefined set of criteria, supplemented by the pitch session and discussions taking place on Thursday, December 10, during the Forum. 

 The first members of the 2026 Jury are: 
  • Mohamed BOUSSETA, Chief Executive Officer of Green Energy Park (GEP) 
  • Isabelle PREVOT, Director at the Business and Innovation Centre Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole (BIC) 
  • Jérémy SIMON, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the Renewable Energy Association (SER)

7. Visibility and promotion

For the 12 nominated finalists

For the 12 nominated finalists

  • Announcement of their appointment in a press release prior to the show and in the show press kit. 
  • Announcement on website, social networks and e-mailing of the EnerGaïa Forum. 
  • Prominence in a dedicated exhibition during the 2 days of the show. 
  • A dossier describing the innovation and the company is sent to all members of the jury. 
  • Use of the ” Nominated for the 2026 Innovation Awards ” badge in your communications. 
  • Invitation to the post-awards networking cocktail. 
  • Post-show: presence on the press release, website and social networks.

In addition, for the 5 winners

  • A cash prize for their participation in EnerGaïa 2027.

  • Use of the ” Winner of the 2026 Innovation Awards ” badge in their communications. 

  • Targeted press relations for the EnerGaïa Forum (press release, publication of winners on website, etc.).
  • An interview and a specific communications plan by La Tribune (details in the rules).