Applications are open for the Hermes Award and Hermes Startup Award, among the most prestigious international accolades for industrial innovation. All companies and institutions registered as exhibitors at Hannover Messe 2027 can apply until 5 February 2027 through the official awards webpage.

Following the submission deadline, an independent jury chaired by Fraunhofer President Prof. Dr. Holger Hanselka will nominate three innovations for each award before selecting the winners. Entries will be evaluated on technological innovation, contributions to industry, the environment and society, cost-effectiveness and market readiness.

The awards will be presented on 4 April 2027 during the official Hannover Messe opening ceremony.

Schaeffler received the Hermes Award 2026 for its platform of highly integrated actuators used in the articulation points of humanoid robots. The platform combines highly efficient servo motors, power electronics and encoders, and can be flexibly configured with two-stage planetary or shaft-mounted gear units.

The Hermes Startup Award 2026 went to young Swiss company BTRY for its ultra-thin, fully flexible solid-state batteries. The technology enables fast charging, high temperature resistance and maximum safety, significantly outperforming conventional lithium-ion cells.