2026 Bayh-Dole Coalition American Innovator Award Nomination

Submissions close Friday, January 30, 2026.

The Bayh-Dole Coalition’s American Innovator Award recognizes individuals whose achievements exemplify the personal commitment, sacrifice, risk, and determination required to move a federally-funded invention from the laboratory into the marketplace where it can benefit the public. The stories of these individuals give policymakers, the media, and the general public a better appreciation for the Bayh-Dole system — including what is required to make the system work and why it must be appreciated and protected.

We are looking to honor inventors, academic researchers, national lab scientists, tech transfer professionals, civil servants, those who invest in Bayh-Dole inventions, and the like. It is preferable, but not required, that the relevant invention has been commercialized to qualify for the award.

Recipients will be profiled in the Bayh-Dole Coalition’s annual “Faces of American Innovation” report and celebrated during an award ceremony and advocacy conference in Washington, D.C. You can learn more about previous recipients at the links below:

About the Bayh-Dole Coalition: The Bayh-Dole Coalition is a diverse group of innovation-oriented organizations and individuals committed to celebrating and protecting the Bayh-Dole Act, as well as informing policymakers and the public of its many benefits.

Your First Name(Required)

Your Last Name(Required)

Your Email(Required)

Your Employer/Institution(Required)

Nominee's First Name(Required)

Nominee's Last Name(Required)

Nominee's Email(Required)

Nominee's Employer/Institution(Required)

What is the research or technology that the nominee is connected to? What was the nominee's role in developing and/or commercializing it?(Required)

How did the nominee's work benefit from federal funding? Please identify the specific agency(ies) that provided funding, if known.(Required)

Who has the nominee's work impacted, and how?(Required)

What do you find most inspiring about the nominee's story?(Required)

Are there specific articles, interviews, videos, or other media that we should review in order to fully understand and appreciate the nominee's work? Please provide hyperlinks, if applicable.

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