2026 Innovation Award

Submission Qualifications

• Implementation of an innovative test-related initiative, process, or service within the past two years
• The product, service, or initiative must demonstrate value to stakeholders in the IT certification and testing industry, such as, but not limited to:
  • Increased security of a test
  • Resulted in a new method for evaluating competencies
  • Improved convenience or market access
  • Enhanced the respect and demand for certified professionals
  • Improved accessibility and inclusivity
• Open to companies and individuals in the IT certification industry (ITCC membership is not required)

Submission Dates

Submissions will be accepted Monday, October 13, 2025 through Friday, December 5, 2025. The award will be presented during the Spring Member Meeting.

Fee to Submit

There is no fee associated with submissions.

How and What to Submit

Please complete this submission form to submit your innovation. The form includes the below information:

• Company
• Contact name
• Contact title
• Contact phone
• Contact email
• Contact’s role or relationship to the innovation
• Innovation name
• Innovation abstract
  Participants must respond to each point:
  • Description of the innovation
  • Description of the genesis of the innovation
  • Describe the value or benefits from the innovation to the various stakeholders
  • Provide the measurable results
  • What lessons were learned as a result of the innovation
    

Finalists will be invited to a 30-minute session where they will be asked to deliver a 15-minute presentation with 15 minutes set aside for Q&A from the judges.

Panel of Judges

Selected from the ITCC members, past winners, past finalists, and the ITCC Board of Directors. An individual may not serve as a judge if the organization to which they represent submits for this award.

Judges Criteria

• Level of Innovation: 
  • Novelty: The innovation improved an existing process/product/service or created a new one. It applied existing technology in a new way or introduced new technology.
  • Risk Level: The innovation involved high-risk exploration.

• Value or Benefits to Stakeholders: 

• • Stakeholder Impact: The innovation brings value to stakeholders who influence the certifications and benefits the stakeholders and individual certified professionals. 

• • Benefit Realization: Tangible and intangible benefits were realized by the stakeholders. 

• Strategic Genesis of the Innovation: 
  • Alignment with Strategic Goals: The innovation addresses a known weakness of threat, expanded on a strength or opportunity, expanded market share, was a new product, or serviced a new client base.
  • Strategic Impact: The potential long-term impact of the innovation had a significant impact on the organization’s strategic objectives.
• Measurable Results and Impact: 
• • Quantitative Data: Data was provided demonstrating the impact of the innovation. This could include the number of certified professionals improved, time or effort saved, and other specific metrics. 

• • Effectiveness: The innovation achieved its intended outcomes based on the provided data. 

• • Scalability & Maintenance: The innovation is scalable across the industry as a whole and is reasonable for the innovator to maintain. 

• Lessons Learned for the Industry: 

• • Industry Impact: The value of the lessons learned apply to the broader industry rather than just the organization or individuals involved. 

• • Knowledge Sharing: The lessons learned can be/have been shared and applied across the industry. 

Judging Process

1. Written Submission: All submissions will be distributed to the judging panel for the first phase of judging. Judges will score the applications based on how well the written submission addresses each of the Judging Criteria Questions. The scores from each judge will be totaled to get the submission scores. The top finalists will be selected for the presentation and interview phase of judging.
2. Finalist Presentations & Interview: Each finalist will be asked to present a 15-minute presentation explaining the innovation. Emphasis should be placed on clearly defining the innovation, the reason the innovation was developed, the benefits to the different stakeholders, the measurable results, and the lessons learned. Following the presentation, the judges will be given 15 minutes to ask questions of the innovation representative. (These presentations/conference calls will be recorded for any judge unable to attend the scheduled call.)
3. Judges Meeting: The judges will schedule a conference call to discuss their evaluation of each of the finalists and will then come to a consensus on the winning submission.

Award Winner Details

• Award presentation at the ITCC Spring Member Meeting
• A featured story in the ITCC member communications and recognition ad in industry press outlets

• Quotes from ITCC leadership for winner and finalists for press releases and internal newsletters
• Presentation opportunity at an ITCC member meeting webinar for winner and finalists