IBC unveils Innovation Awards finalists for 2026
July 30, 2026 12.20 Europe/London By Julian Clover


IBC has announced the finalists for its 2026 Innovation Awards, with projects spanning AI, cloud production, open standards, accessibility and next-generation broadcast distribution shortlisted across four categories.

More than 120 projects were submitted for this year’s awards, which recognise collaborations between broadcasters, media companies and technology partners that have been deployed in real-world environments.

Among the finalists in Content Creation are the BBC’s multilingual production workflow for BBC India, developed with nxtedition and a number of technology partners; the European Broadcasting Union’s open-source Media eXchange Layer (MXL), hosted by the Linux Foundation; and Formula E’s AI-powered Strategy Agent, developed with Google Cloud to provide real-time race strategy analysis.

The Content Distribution category includes Reuters’ cloud-native MediaMesh deployment with TVU Networks, Radio Televisyen Malaysia’s broadcast transformation project with Ideal Systems, and RTBF Belgium’s standards-based server-guided ad insertion platform, launched for the FIFA World Cup.

In Content Everywhere, Globo has been recognised for its implementation of Brazil’s DTV+ hybrid broadcast broadband television platform, while the Premier League and Microsoft have been shortlisted for their Copilot-powered AI companion experience. Also nominated is AI-generated virtual performer Tilly Norwood, developed by Particle 6.

The Social Impact finalists include the International Telecommunication Union’s AI for Good initiative, the International Olympic Committee’s Cyber Abuse Protection Service, and an AI-powered sign language service developed by G&L Systemhaus, Signapse, Norsk/id3as and Akamai.

The shortlist highlights several themes shaping this year’s awards, including the growing use of AI in production and audience engagement, software-defined and cloud-native broadcast workflows, hybrid broadcast-broadband delivery, and accessibility technologies.

The winners will be announced during IBC2026 on 13 September in Amsterdam.