Twelve innovations from Thuringia have impressed the jury: They have been nominated for the 2026 Innovation Award Thuringia and are thus in the running for prize money totaling 100,000 euros. The winners will be announced on December 9 in Weimar.
From AI for critical infrastructure to new solutions for the plastics industry and thermal sand storage: The nominations showcase the diverse nature of innovation in Thuringia today.
Chaired by Prof. Dr. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h. c. Jivka Ovtcharova, the jury selected the most compelling entries in the four categories “Tradition & Future,” “Industry & Materials,” “Digital & Media,” and “Light & Life.”
The 2026 Nominees
- Adtran Networks SE | Distributed Sensing Engine (DSETM) – AI-based protection of critical infrastructure through the intelligent use of existing fiber-optic networks | Meiningen / Dreißigacker
- AMX Active Medical Xcellence GmbH | activeCut Morcellator – the morcellator for comprehensive treatment | Jena
- ATTB Antennentechnik Bad Blankenburg GmbH | 5G MIMO Multiband Vehicle Antenna | Rudolstadt
- EuroLam GmbH | cityCube | Wiegendorf
- fzmb GmbH | AFB – American Foulbrood Duplex Rapid Test: Simple, cost-effective detection of this highly infectious, deadly bee disease | Erfurt
- OPTO-MST Sensors and Systems GmbH | OPAL Product Family | Erfurt
- PACETEQ GmbH | PACETEQ ONE | Leinefelde-Worbis
- Pikes GmbH | Warehouse Anywhere | Großlöbichau
- Prinz Thermotechnik GmbH | Thermal Sand Storage | Walterhausen
- safetrek.ai | safetrek.ai – AI-powered real-time vision platform for anomaly detection and subsequent investigation | Tautenhain
- Eisenberg Plumbing Technology, LLC | Graywater Flushing | Eisenberg
- Thuringian Institute for Textile and Plastics Research, Inc. | World’s first cellulose-based CBD fiber | Rudolstadt
Jury Chair Prof. Dr. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h. c. Jivka Ovtcharova explains: “This year’s nominations once again demonstrate how broad and, at the same time, technologically sophisticated innovation in Thuringia is. What matters is not just a new idea, but the ability to develop solutions from it that offer concrete benefits and economic potential. The nominated projects exemplify this combination of inventive spirit, scientific and technological expertise, and the courage to break new ground. The Innovation Award Thuringia highlights this strength and demonstrates the future potential of Thuringia as a hub for innovation.”
Who will win the 2026 Innovation Award Thuringia?
The announcement will be made on December 9, 2026, at the Weimarhalle. The winners in the four categories will be honored at the awards ceremony. A total of 100,000 euros in prize money will be awarded.
Since 1994, the Innovation Award Thuringia has recognized outstanding innovations developed in Thuringia. Companies of all sizes, individuals, research institutions, and universities with headquarters or a place of business in Thuringia are eligible to participate.
The competition is held under the patronage of Colette Boos-John, Thuringia’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Agriculture, and Rural Development. The competition is sponsored by the Thuringian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture, and Rural Development, TÜV Thüringen e. V., the Ernst Abbe Foundation, and the Thuringian Foundation for Technology, Innovation, and Research. The foundation organizes the competition on behalf of the sponsoring organizations.