- Applications for WA Innovators of the Year now open
- New award category titled Advanced Manufacturing Innovators of the Year Award
- 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of the awards
Applications have once again opened for the annual Western Australian Innovators of the Year (WAIOTY).
This year marks 20 years of the State supporting and celebrating innovators through the awards ceremony. The awards continue to grow, with the introduction of an additional category and the largest prize pool to date of over $300,000.
The awards serve as chance to recognise and celebrate outstanding local innovators who have created a highquality, innovative product, technology, or service that is at an early or scaling stage of development.
For the first time the Advanced Manufacturing Innovators of the Year Award will be presented, it will be open to those who use advanced technology and knowledge inputs as an integral part of their manufacturing process.
Applications for the following six award categories close on Wednesday, 27 May at 11am:
- Emerging Innovation Award
- Growth Innovation Award
- Advanced Manufacturing Award
- Community Benefit and Wellbeing Award
- Energy Innovation Award
- Great for the State Award
Finalists of these categories will participate in an accelerator program commencing in July and which concludes with final pitches and judging.
The following two award categories, which do not involve accelerator programs, close on Friday, 24 July at 1pm:
- Government Innovation Award
- Young Innovators Award
Last year's awards set two new records of participation with 40 per cent of all applications coming from female founders and 17 per cent of the applications from those based in regional WA.
Finalists will be announced later in the year, while all winners and runners-up will be celebrated at the WAIOTY Awards Ceremony on Monday, 2 November 2026.
For more information visit Western Australia's Innovators of the Year
As stated by Science and Innovation Minister Stephen Dawson:
"Celebrating two decades of local innovators is a remarkable achievement, and the 2026 Innovators of the Year event is set to be one of the largest ever.
"With applications now open, we are representing an even greater share of the Western Australian innovation scene through the introduction of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovators of the Year Award. This is a field that consistently creates jobs and offers practical solutions to real-world issues.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for local innovators, and I encourage them to start preparing their applications now to make sure they have every chance to be a part of this celebration.
"The Cook Labor Government is proud to support the WA Innovators of the Year Awards through our New Industries and Innovation Fund."
