2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards open for nominations

By Steve Crowe | October 30, 2024

The Robot Report is seeking nominations for its 2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards. The RBR50 has recognized the most innovative and influential organizations in robotics for the past dozen years. Here are the winners from 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021.

Each year, a team of experts selects the most interesting and important robotics innovations from around the world. The deadline for submissions is Friday, December 20, 2024. Submit your nomination below.

The RBR50 winners will be celebrated at an awards gala during the Robotics Summit & Expo, which will be held on April 30-May 1, 2025 in Boston. Some of the winners will also be demoing their robots on the Robotics Summit expo floor in the RBR50 Pavilion.

Awards categories

To be eligible, all nominations must be for innovations that were initiated, released, or executed between Jan. 1, 2024 and Dec. 31, 2024. The RBR50 is looking for submissions in the following categories:

Startup of the Year: The nominee must be less than five years, and it must be already testing its innovation with customers. In 2024, Electric won the inaugural RBR50 Startup of the Year Award. 

Application of the Year: The winner will be a use case that has previously been difficult to automate and where robotics and automation have demonstrated a clear benefit over previous processes. In 2024, Brightpick won the inaugural RBR50 Application of the Year Award. 

Robot of the Year: The RBR50 awards are seeking a complete system that is a game-changer in terms of technology innovation, use case, and industry influence. In 2024, Agility Robotics’ Digit humanoid won the inaugural Robot of the Year Award.

Technologies, products, and services: This category includes primary or applied research focusing on robotics and supporting technologies such as motion control, vision, or machine learning. It also includes new products and business, engineering, or technology services. Examples range from design, manufacturing, and legal services to new Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) offerings.

Business and management: This category covers initiatives positioning a company as a market leader or an organization as an important thought leader in the robotics ecosystem. Significant mergers and acquisitions are relevant, as are supplier, partner, and integrator relationships.

Applications and markets: The RBR50 will also recognize innovations that improve productivity, quality, and cost-effectiveness, as well as those that automate new tasks.

New Robots for Good Award

This year, the RBR50 has added the Robots for Good Award. This celebrates a robot that make a positive impact on society by addressing social challenges, improving quality of life or work, or promoting sustainability. 

Benefits for RBR50 winners

Past RBR50 winners have proudly displayed their status in their RoboBusiness and Robotics Summit booths, as well as at their headquarters, on their websites, and in marketing campaigns. The 2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award winners will receive the following:

• A press release listing the winners will be distributed to major newswires, as well as through WTWH Media’s extensive social media channels.
• The winners will be celebrated at the annual gala dinner at the Robotics Summit and some will be on display on the showfloor in the RBR50 Pavilion
• WTWH’s Robotics Group will list and profile each of the winners, and its sites will cover any of their announcements throughout the year.

For any questions related to the 2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards, please contact Steve Crowe. For sponsorship information, contact Courtney Nagle.