Fast Company has produced the Innovation by Design Awards since 2012. Now in its 14th year, the awards recognize the best design minds across industries and disciplines. The 2025 Innovation by Design Awards honor the designers and businesses solving the most crucial problems of today and anticipating the pressing issues of tomorrow. The competition features a range of blue-chip companies, emerging startups, and promising young talent. It is one of the most sought-after design awards in the industry. There are 31 categories that capture every facet of design.

A team of editors and experts judge the nearly 2,000 applications, taking into consideration the key ingredients of innovation: functionality, originality, beauty, sustainability, user insight, cultural impact, and business impact. Each winner is chosen after multiple rounds of judging and conversations about a design’s role in the current cultural moment. This monthlong process ensures that every project chosen to receive an Innovation by Design honor is representative of the best work in its respective field.