The 39th annual Edison Awards ceremony returns to downtown Fort Myers April 15-16, the sixth year for “The Oscars of Innovation” in the City of Palms. Like the Academy Awards, the Edisons’ signature black-tie gala features an international competition that also serves as an industry bellwether, but for human ingenuity.
Blue-chip corporations and emerging entrepreneurs alike are selected by their peers for developing the most innovative products and services of the year in their respective categories; and like so many Oscar-winning films, their creations must also have a presence in the commercial marketplace.
A 3D-printed component from Fort Myers-based ADDMAN highlights the company’s ADDCAAM technology, a finalist in advanced manufacturing at the Edison Awards.
Brian Tietz
“We’re looking at true game-changing [products and services] that can make the human race better,” says Frank Bonafilia, the Edisons’ executive director.
Finalists for the 2026 Best New Product Award have created solutions for living longer, healthier lives and managing energy needs in the age of artificial intelligence, among many endeavors.
Health, medical and biotech innovations account for the largest share, 30%, of award nominations this year, followed by materials science, energy and climate resiliency categories.
A technician handles medical equipment developed by Fort Myers-based EmCyte Corp., a finalist for its platelet-rich plasma technology used to treat musculoskeletal injuries.
Brian Tietz
Out of thousands of nominated companies from more than 20 countries, about 150 finalists made the cut for a gold, silver or bronze Edison Award this year.
They include five Southwest Florida-based businesses: Arthrex Inc., e2Companies, Digital ShortCutz Marketing Agency, EmCyte Corp. and ADDMAN.
Surgical instruments developed by Naples-based Arthrex Inc. are finalists in two Edison Awards categories, including orthopedic repair and surgical robotics.
Brian Tietz
Just a few of the others up for an award include well-known names such as Cisco Systems, Dell, HP, Samsung, Dow and DuPont.
“That speaks volumes about the culture of innovation and entrepreneurialism we are fostering in Southwest Florida,” says Guido Minaya, president of the nonprofit Horizon Foundation, an Edison Awards sponsor along with Lee County and the city of Fort Myers.
Each year, companies and their representatives submit nominations for products that went on the market in the past two years.
The Edison Awards Steering Committee oversees the process, complemented by a judging panel of roughly 3,000 experts from across industry and academia who select finalists based on the viability of their ideas in the world at large.
Team members at Naples-based Arthrex Inc. are helping develop cutting-edge orthopedic and surgical technologies recognized by the Edison Awards.
Brian Tietz
The Edisons play out over two days at Luminary Hotel & Co. and Caloosa Sound Convention Center in downtown, where the Best New Product finalists will discover April 16 whether they won a gold, silver or bronze prize in their respective categories.
The festivities include a daytime Meet the Innovators forum where companies get a chance to show off their work to attendees. Hundreds of business leaders are expected to be among the ticket holders, along with Florida Gulf Coast University students and faculty who attend as guests.
Too, Adam Silver will be among the 2026 Achievement Award recipients, reserved for one or two individuals each year. Silver is recognized for his ability to “unite players, owners, broadcasters, cities and fans around a common mission to inspire and connect people through basketball.”
Last year, Jensen Huang of NVIDIA and Michael Crow of Arizona State University arrived to accept the honor. In years past, it has gone to Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Martha Stewart, Ted Turner and Herb Baum — uncommon friends all, Bonafilia says:
“At the end of the day, we’re all uncommon friends. We’re humans trying to do our best, and we believe innovation is the driving force of humanity’s future.”
James Richmond of Bonita Springs-based e2Companies leads development of its Virtual Utility system, a finalist for providing reliable, independent energy solutions.
Brian Tietz
Southwest Florida trailblazers
Bonita Springs-based e2Companies is a finalist for its Virtual Utility in the Critical Human Infrastructure, Predictive and Real-Time products category. E2’s patented R3Di (pronounced “ready”) System along with Grove 365 intelligent software eliminates clients’ need for an electrical grid or utility infrastructure. End users can harness all available forms of energy, store it and control it without being reliant on a utility provider.
The Virtual Utility is now used by large organizations, but founder and CEO James Richmond plans to lower costs in the coming years, delivering cheaper, more reliable energy for commercial and residential use than any large utility provider could offer. It would also provide a resilient power source to rural, impoverished communities across the world.
“I think the overall goal here is that this product isn’t just good for the United States,” Richmond says. “A third of the world doesn’t have reliable power at all.”
Patrick Pennie of EmCyte Corp. leads development of regenerative medical technologies designed to improve patient outcomes and reduce the need for surgery.
Brian Tietz
SWFL innovators earn Edison recognition
Fort Myers-based EmCyte Corp. is a finalist in Health, Medical & Biotech, Precision Health Technologies for its Pure SupraPhysiologic Concentrating System with AspiraDome Technology. Developed by founder, President and CEO Patrick Pennie, the technology uses high concentrations of platelet-rich plasma to treat musculoskeletal conditions such as joint injuries. In many cases, a simple injection can replace surgery, Pennie says. “That’s what keeps me going after all these years — because we’re making a significant difference in patients’ lives.”
Kyrin Hall of Naples-based Digital ShortCutz Marketing Agency developed an AI-powered platform that converts leads into customers, earning Edison Awards recognition.
Brian Tietz
Naples-based Digital ShortCutz Marketing Agency is a finalist in the Software Solutions, AI-Enhanced Workflow category for its Conversion Velocity Engine.
Founder and Chief Marketing Officer Kyrin Hall developed an AI-powered, 24/7 receptionist that engages with inquiries, converting leads into potential customers. Hall found that many small and medium-sized businesses excelled at generating leads but lacked the staff or other resources to answer quickly and route responses with enterprise-level efficiency.
“It was the time between when a potential client reached out and the company’s ability to respond,” she says.
Team members at Naples-based Arthrex Inc. are helping develop cutting-edge orthopedic and surgical technologies recognized by the Edison Awards.
Brian Tietz
Naples-based Arthrex Inc. is a finalist in two categories. In Health, Medical & Biotech, Orthopedic & Soft Tissue Repair, it is a finalist for its Percutaneous Pars Fracture Compression Screw, a minimally invasive solution to repair pars fractures; and in Surgical Robotics & Precision Therapy for its Synergy Power System, an orthopedic surgical tool.
ADDMAN is recognized as an Edison Awards finalist for its advanced manufacturing technology.
Brian Tietz
Fort Myers-based ADDMAN is a finalist in the Manufacturing & Logistics, Advanced Manufacturing Processes category for ADDCAAM, a refined 3D printing method that strengthens parts, rendering previous industry standards obsolete. The manufacturer provides parts for a wide range of industries, including automotive, government, aerospace and medicine.