Automotive Innovation Award selection procedure

Countless Dutch companies and organizations develop, test and improve products and services in and for the car. The Automotive Innovation Award Foundation aims to offer a platform for these innovations, and every two years presents a prestigious award to promising innovations developed in or closely linked to the Netherlands.
Are you working on a groundbreaking innovation in the automotive sector? An innovation that will greatly impact mobility, customers or society? Enter your innovation for the Automotive Innovation Award. Put your innovation in the spotlight, both in the sector and for the wider public. There are three categories: Technology, Services and Challenging Concepts. The winners receive a trophy and valuable publicity. The entry deadline was February 1, 2021.

Members of the jury

An expert and completely independent jury judges all entries, nominates at most 5 innovations per category, and picks the finalists and winners.

Jan Peter Balkenende

Professor of Governance, Institutions and Internationalisation at Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam - Jury chair

Dariu Gavrila

Professor Intelligent Vehicles at TU Delft

Marieke Martens

Director of Science Traffic and Transport TNO and Professor Automated Driving & Human Interaction TU/e

QUINTEN SELHORST

CEO / Co-founder Felyx

MARIËTTE VAN EMPEL

Director Sustainable Mobility at MinIenW

LOEK VAN SEETERS

Director Product & Services Planning at DAF Trucks

Selection procedure

Step 1: Application

Enter your innovation before February 1, 2021 via the application form on the website. In this application, you can choose from three categories:
• Technology: the innovation is a product, developed by an existing company
• Services: the innovation is a service, developed by an existing company (mobility solution)
• Challenging Concepts: the innovation is an idea or concept still in development

Step 2: Explanation of the innovation

After registering, you will receive an extensive questionnaire. We request that you complete this questionnaire and include images of the innovation. We will then contact you for a telephone interview, during which we will further clarify your answers in your application. Additional information may also be requested.
Period: Early February 2021 (depending on date of entry)

Step 3: Announcement of all innovations

In February, we will publish all entries on this website. You will have already provided a description and images for this in your application.
Period: mid-February 2021

Step 4: Assessment of innovations and announcement of nominees

The organization will then conduct an extensive analysis of the entries, looking particularly at innovative capacity, impact and implementation. See this PDF for details.

The jury will nominate a maximum of five innovations in each category. These innovations will go on to the next round. Nominees will be announced in early-March and will receive an invitation to meet the jury.
Period: end-February through early-March 2021

Step 5: Presentation to the jury and announcement of finalists

During the meeting with the jury, the nominees will have the opportunity to pitch their innovations. The jury will then have the opportunity to ask questions. The jury will judge nominated innovations based on the application form, additional documents that may have been received, the extensive analysis and the elevator pitch. For each category, the jury will then pick three innovations to go on the final round. The organization will announce the finalists in end of March.
Period: end of March 2021 (depending on availability jury)

Step 6: Production of films

As soon as the finalists are known, we will start making films for each of the innovations. During the award ceremony we will present these film to the audience.
Period: May 2021

Step 7: Announcement of the winners

The presentation of the Automotive Innovation Awards will take place during the exclusive automotive innovation dinner on Monday September 20th 2021. During this fantastic evening program, we will present the innovation finalists and the jury will announce the winners.
Date: Monday September 20th 2021