The 2025 GInI GDI Awards Program

The Global Innovation Institute (GInI) proudly presents the Global Distinguished Innovator Awards — the GDI Awards. A global recognition honoring individuals, organizations, and teams demonstrating exceptional leadership in advancing innovation.

Established to spotlight those shaping the future through purposeful impact, the GDI Awards reflect GInI’s enduring commitment to recognizing excellence at the highest level of innovation practice.

Applications close December 31, 2025. For inquiries, contact gdi@gini.org

The Awards:

Spanning multiple categories, the GDI Awards distinguish a wide range of innovation excellence — from individual and team achievements to organizational initiatives and institutional enablers.

Each award recognizes a specific form of contribution, celebrating those who lead with intention, drive meaningful innovation, and deliver lasting impact across industries, markets, and communities worldwide.

An individual or organization may be recognized across multiple award categories, with each category open to honoring more than one distinguished recipient.

Distinguished Innovator

Honors individuals who have played a leading role in driving impactful innovations over the past two years — from conception to execution — resulting in measurable external outcomes across any sector.

Distinguished Chief Innovation Officer

For senior leaders who have driven major innovation, strategy, or technology initiatives over the past two years—demonstrating visionary leadership, enterprise-wide impact, and a disciplined approach to delivering sustained organizational results.

Distinguished GInI Ambassador

This award recognizes individuals or organizations that have made meaningful and measurable contributions to advancing GInI’s mission through advocacy and regional influence over the past year.

Distinguished Innovation by Private Sector

Honors a private sector organization for conceiving, developing, and launching a high-impact innovation that demonstrates measurable external results and strategic innovation execution.

Distinguished Innovation by Public Sector

Recognizes a public sector organization that has successfully introduced an impactful innovation, advancing public value through effective innovation processes and meaningful societal outcomes.

Distinguished Private Sector Organization

Honors private sector organizations that have launched at least three impactful innovations over the past five years through a structured innovation program—showcasing measurable positive impacts.

Distinguished Public Sector Organization

For public-sector organizations that have built a sustained innovation program and launched at least three high-impact initiatives within the past five years—delivering measurable public value and advancing institutional excellence.

Distinguished Innovation Enabler

This award does not recognize individuals or teams; it is exclusively conferred upon the asset itself. It honors a formalized innovation enabler—be it a lab, incubator, or program—that has demonstrably empowered others to deliver at least two high-impact innovations over the past two years through sustained engagement and a structured innovation framework.

Distinguished GInI Chapter

Recognizes a GInI-chartered chapter that, over the past year, has demonstrated sustained activity, strong council engagement, and meaningful regional impact through programming and outreach, and that is officially chartered, registered, and actively supported by a committed team of GInI Council Members.

Distinguished Authorized Provider

For Authorized Providers that have consistently delivered high-quality GInI training and accreditation services over the past year, creating measurable regional impact and advancing GInI’s global mission.