Governor General's Innovation Awards - 2025
Governor General's Innovation Awards
The Innovation Awards recognize and celebrate outstanding Canadian individuals, teams and organizations trailblazers and creators who contribute to our country's success, who help shape our future and who inspire the next generation.
The Governor General's Innovation Awards are to celebrate excellence in innovation across all sectors of Canadian society and inspire Canadians, particularly Canadian youth, to be entrepreneurial innovators. The Awards are given to individuals, teams and/or organizations whose innovations are truly exceptional, transformative, and positive in their impact on quality of life in Canada. They recognize current innovators across the breadth of our economy and society and help foster and celebrate innovation that is having a meaningful impact on our lives.
Recipients from previous years can be found here
Eligibility
Eligible nominees for this award are:
- Citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
- Individuals, Teams, or Organizations for any sector.
- The nomination is for a specific innovation and the impact of the innovation is current.
Please note: The awards are not intended for lifetime achievement or innovations that have not yet demonstrated impact.
Nomination Process
Nominations are sought through a national network of organizations that have been designated as nominating partners.
Universities Canada is a 2025 nominating partner of the Governor General's Innovation Awards and will be submitting nominations on behalf of its member institutions.
Nominations must include:
- Contact details for the nominator, nominee or team members and the nominating partner
- Confirmation that the nominee(s) is/are aware of and accept(s) the nomination
- A summary explaining the nature, significance and impact of the nominee's innovation or innovative activities. (Maximum 500 characters, including spaces.)
- Specific evidence of how the nomination addresses each of the three selection criteria. Please address the following questions:
- Inspiration: How does the process leading to this innovation, its implementation and its developer(s) inspire future innovators in Canada? (Maximum 2000 characters, including spaces)
- Leadership: How did the innovator(s) demonstrate leadership in their work on this innovation? Discuss evidence of initiative, collaboration, risk-taking and problem-solving in the process of developing and implementing the innovation. (Maximum 2000 characters, including spaces)
- Impact: Does the innovation in question have a positive effect in the world? Describe the successful implementation of the innovation in the sector, economy, society or culture, and the role of the nominee(s) in that implementation. (maximum 2000 characters, including spaces)
- Inspiration: How does the process leading to this innovation, its implementation and its developer(s) inspire future innovators in Canada? (Maximum 2000 characters, including spaces)
If the innovation is not commercialized, or if impact is not easily quantifiable, please use qualitative data and/or storytelling to demonstrate the transformative impact.
Complete the nomination online using the Submission Portal
EDID Resources
Dedicated support and resources for Indigenous research and Equity Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization in research are available through the Inclusive Research Excellence and Impact team. You can complete a request for support form to receive more information or book a consultation. If you are unsure if your project involves Indigenous research we recommend that you contact the team early for determination and support.
Deadlines
Internal NOI - October 9, 2024
- Email rwprizes@uwo.ca if you intend to submit an innovation for consideration to Universities Canada
External - November 7, 2024
- Submit an innovation for consideration to Universities Canada using the Submission Portal.
Contact
Potential nominators and nominees are asked to contact Research Awards & Distinctions at rwprizes@uwo.ca regarding Western Research support and coordination of your nomination.