Revolution Through Innovation: R&D Council Announces 2026 Edison Patent Awards Honorees

CoreWeave Co-Founders and Audible CEO Bob Carrigan Among Innovation Leaders to Receive Top Honors

Chatham, N.J. – The Research & Development Council of New Jersey (Council) today announced the honorees of the 2026 Edison Patent Awards, New Jersey’s highest distinction for invention and innovation. This year’s awards recognize 15 award-winning patents from 13 organizations, along with five distinguished individual honors presented to eight leaders whose vision, leadership, and groundbreaking work continue to strengthen New Jersey’s innovation economy.

The honorees will be recognized during the 47th Annual Edison Patent Awards Ceremony and Reception on Thursday, November 19, 2026, at Bell Works in Holmdel, New Jersey.

This year’s theme, “Revolution Through Innovation,” pays tribute to the spirit Thomas Edison made famous: the belief that relentless invention changes the world. As the nation commemorates its 250th anniversary, the theme celebrates the inventors, entrepreneurs, researchers, and educators who continue that legacy by transforming bold ideas into discoveries that improve lives, strengthen industries, and shape the future.

“Every revolution begins with curiosity,” said Virginie Maillard, Chair of the Research & Development Council of New Jersey and Head of Global Research in Simulation and Digital Twin and Head of Research in the U.S. for Siemens Foundational Technologies. “The inventors and leaders we recognize this year saw possibilities where others saw obstacles and imagined better solutions. Their work reminds us that innovation isn’t a single moment of inspiration. It’s the persistence to keep asking questions, testing ideas, and turning bold thinking into real-world impact. That spirit has defined New Jersey for generations, and it continues to shape our future.”

In addition to recognizing outstanding inventors, the Council will honor eight individuals whose vision, leadership, and impact have helped strengthen New Jersey’s innovation ecosystem.

Science & Technology Medal – Mike Intrator, Brian Venturo, Brannin McBee, and Peter Salanki, Co-Founders of CoreWeave, will receive the Science & Technology Medal, the Council’s highest individual honor. This prestigious award honors New Jersey leaders whose extraordinary performance has led to an impactful innovation reaching the marketplace. From its New Jersey roots, CoreWeave has grown into the world’s leading AI Cloud, demonstrating the bold, commercially successful innovation this award was created to recognize.

Visionary Award – Bob Carrigan, Chief Executive Officer of Audible, will receive the Visionary Award, for his exceptional and transformational leadership in aligning industry, academia, and government in the pursuit of building a research-driven economy in New Jersey. Under Carrigan’s leadership, Audible has become a driving force in Newark’s innovation ecosystem, investing in technology, talent, and community to create a model for inclusive, innovation-driven growth.

Educator of the Year – Dr. Lamont O. Repollet, President of Kean University will receive the Educator of Year Award for his outstanding achievement in advancing science and technology education and workforce development across the Garden State. Repollet is recognized for leading a remarkable institutional rise rooted in access, research, and workforce development, culminating in Kean’s designation as one of the nation’s newest research universities.

Catalyst Award – Atam P. Dhawan, Ph.D., Chief Strategic Innovation Officer and Senior Vice Provost for Research at New Jersey Institute of Technology, will receive the Catalyst Award, for making a significant impact in strengthening New Jersey’s innovation ecosystem. Dhawan has built the connections that turn New Jersey’s research strength into shared progress, convening universities, government, and industry around challenges no single institution could solve alone.

Emerging Tech Award – Kathryn Carpenter, Founder & CEO of Cecilia Materials, will receive the Emerging Tech Award. This award is presented to a New Jersey individual, team, or organization whose early-stage innovation shows exceptional potential to make a significant impact on the marketplace. Cecilia Materials’ technology transforms industrial plastic waste into high-value advanced carbons, a promising answer to one of the most persistent challenges in the global plastics economy.

“Thomas Edison believed that relentless invention could change the world, and this year’s honorees carry that spirit forward,” said Kim Case, Executive Director of the R&D Council. “Their work spans medicine, energy, artificial intelligence, and the environment, but the through line is the same: a revolution driven by innovation, right here in New Jersey. We are proud to recognize the people leading it.”

The Council will also recognize 15 award-winning patents from 13 organizations representing innovations across a broad range of industries. This year’s winning technologies include new methods for detecting vulnerable coronary plaque before heart attacks occur, improving hurricane prediction, strengthening optical communications systems, producing more resilient shellfish through controlled breeding, advancing pharmaceutical manufacturing, and creating technologies that reduce environmental impacts while improving industrial performance.

The 2026 Edison Patent Awards will honor patents from the following organizations: 13 Mari Ltd., 911inform, Acustrip Company, Chiral Photonics, Inc., Innerstill, Merck & Co., Inc., NEC Laboratories America, Inc., Nokia Bell Labs, Princeton University (two awards), Rowan University, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (two awards), Siemens, and Siemens Healthineers.

Winning patents were selected by a team of Council board members who evaluated patents for the significance of the problem it solves, its utility and socio-economic value, its novelty, and its commercial impact. Every winning patent must have at least part of its technical or scientific work completed in New Jersey.

The 47th annual Edison Patent Awards Ceremony and Reception will take place on Thursday, November 19, 2026 at Bell Works. During the ceremony, each award recipient will be honored with the premiere of a tribute film celebrating their achievements.

For information on sponsorships, ads, and tickets, please visit www.rdnj.org/2026patentawards. 

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As the Research & Development Council of New Jersey, we foster collaboration among industry, academia, and government to strengthen New Jersey’s innovation economy. The R&D Council is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose membership includes representatives from academia, government, and industry. More information can be found at the R&D Council’s website: www.rdnj.org. 

Advancing Innovation. Improving the World. 

2026 Edison Patent Award Winners