Real Innovation Awards

Voting for the Real Innovation Awards is now live 

It's time for you to have your say in the first ever Deloitte Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Management Today Real Innovation Awards.

"Innovation is what gives companies the edge, says Ideo’s Luis Cilimingras, one of the judges. “It’s a volatile time to be in business, to say the least. But creativity – in organisations large and small – offers a way to create breakthrough products, services and experiences. Innovation is the defining and enduring competitive advantage for the modern era.” 

Innovation is widely misunderstood, however. We launched the Real Innovation Awards to highlight the reality of how innovation happens: it’s a far messier and more time-consuming process than most people imagine. “It involves serendipity, random discovery and people slaving away for months, if not years,” says Julian Birkinshaw, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship and Academic Director of the Deloitte Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 

“Innovation is not something that just happens,” adds Vimi Grewal-Carr, Managing Partner, Innovation and Delivery Models, Deloitte. “It comes from freedom to experiment – and fail – coupled with real determination and commitment. I am delighted to be a part of the Real Innovation Awards – a celebration of the diverse skills, hard work and sheer persistence needed to make innovation a success.”

We received more than 400 nominations for exciting companies and entrepreneurs, and we have shortlisted up to five finalists in each of the six categories:  

If At First You Don’t Succeed Award – for an invention that spectacularly failed but paved the way for a future success. 

Master of Reinvention Award – for the company that most successfully reinvented itself when faced with a major disruption to its traditional business. 

Best Beats First Award – for the company that moved quickly to dominate an emerging market category, typically with a different and better business model than the first mover. 

George Bernard Shaw Unreasonable Person Award – for the individual who most stubbornly insisted their idea would work, when everyone else thought they were mad. 

Alexander Fleming Serendipity Award – for an invention that was chanced upon and developed while its inventor was pursuing something completely different.

Harnessing the Winds of Change Award – for perfect timing in launching a radically new product or service. 

The awards will be judged by the following experts in the field of innovation: Luis Cilimingras, Managing Director at Ideo UK; Matthew Gwyther, editor of Management Today; Vimi Grewal-Carr, Managing Partner, Innovation and Delivery Models, Deloitte; Tim Brooks, CEO of BMJ; Charlie Dawson, Partner at The Foundation; Kathryn Parsons, Co-Founder/Co-CEO of Decoded; and Julian Birkinshaw, Professor of Strategy of Entrepreneurship at LBS and Director of the Deloitte Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 

The six winners will be announced at our awards ceremony at London Business School on 10 November. They will be featured and profiled by both Management Today and the Deloitte Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 

You have till the end of September to cast your People’s Choice vote for which nominee in each of these category stands out as the winner. 

So don’t waste any time – vote now!