One thing is clear: innovation needs a stage. The ISPO Award creates precisely this platform for the best products, brands and ideas in the industry and will continue to develop consistently in 2025. With a revised structure and a realigned appearance at ISPO 2025 from 30 NOV. – 2 DEC., the award will not only be more efficient and transparent, but above all more visible, exclusive and emotional. What’s changing and why it’s now particularly worthwhile for brands to take part.
The ISPO Award creates precisely this platform for the best products (photo: Messe München)
Division of the winners into categories
The ISPO Award is being launched with a significant innovation: winner categories are now being introduced. The innovation will not change the established structure of the jury meeting. The jury will continue to evaluate the submissions in four meetings, each in detail and individually, and determine the winning products on the basis of defined criteria. Only after the final jury meeting in the fourth quarter, when all the award-winning products have been determined, will the categories be formed. The categorization is flexible, based on the results of the evaluations and the submissions that actually emerge as winners. This adjustment ensures an even distribution of awards and reflects the diversity of innovative products in the various sports and outdoor sectors.
Possible categories that could emerge from the submissions and awarded products include:
- Bike / Commuting
- Camping / Vanlife / Watersports
- Fitness / Health / Yoga
- Lifestyle / Athleisure
- Mountaineering / Climbing
- Hiking, Multisport
- Running / Trailrunning
- Snowsports Hardgoods
- Snowsports Softgoods
This categorization allows brands to position their winning products more precisely and makes the award even more meaningful for consumers, retailers, and the media. ISPO also reserves the flexibility to adjust the categories depending on the number and quality of submissions – ensuring a fair and balanced distribution of the winning products.
> These are the ISPO Award Winners 2024 – here
New: Only the top 5 winners will get exclusive presence at ISPO 2025 and only the Gold Winners of each category will be announced live and exclusively during the ISPO Award Gathering (photo: Messe München)
Top 5, Gold Winner & Special Awards: How the new award structure works
The five products with the highest scores in each category form the Top 5 – they represent the best innovations and solutions within their respective segments. But that’s not all: within these five, the product with the highest score receives an additional distinction – the Gold Winner, the highest individual honor within the ISPO Award.
New this year: Only the Top 5 winners will receive exclusive visibility at ISPO 2025 and only the Gold Winners of each category will be announced live and exclusively during the ISPO Award Gathering. A clear focus on true excellence. This ensures maximum visibility, emotional impact, and a memorable presence. More spotlight, more exclusivity, more impact — for brands that truly stand out.
The new concept is complemented by three Special Recognitions, awarded across all categories:
- The Public Choice Award is determined by a public vote among all Top 5 winners, the ISPO Collaborators Club community chooses the product that impresses them most.
- The Retail Choice Award honors the product with the greatest potential from a retail perspective, selected by experts from the sports retail industry.
- The Jury Choice Award is selected by the ISPO Award jury and recognizes the product that stands out most in terms of innovation, functionality, and overall concept, and that received the highest score among all submissions during the jury meetings.
Transparent packages, strong benefits: This is what the ISPO Award offers
The ISPO Award 2025 is more than just a seal – it’s a powerful tool for brand communication. Honored brands not only receive one of the most prestigious awards in the industry, but also benefit from extensive visibility, strong media presence, and a high-profile stage at ISPO Munich.
The packages? Clearly structured, transparent, and tailored to what brands need today to stand out – and make a lasting impression.
The ISPO Award provides a platform for brands to put their latest and most innovative products in the spotlight (photo: Messe München)
For Winner (ISPO Award Winner as before, without Top 5 ranking)
Products that are honored with the ISPO Award as winners receive a comprehensive basic package for €5,500 per submission. This includes the use of the Winner label, an editorial article on ISPO.com, integration into the ISPO Award exhibition, and initial visibility through ISPO channels. An ideal starting point for brands that prioritize quality and innovation.
For Top 5 Winners – two options for maximum flexibility
Top 5 products can choose between two packages.
- For ISPO 2025 exhibitors who have already booked an individual stand space, the communication package costs €6,250 per submission.
- Alternatively, for €7,250 per entry, the package offers a small exhibition space or branded space within the central ISPO Award Exhibition Area and 100 ticket codes for winners who have not booked an individual stand space at ISPO but still want to be approachable and present for their customers and retailers.
Both variants include extensive communication and PR services: including social media features, editorial coverage on ISPO.com, participation in the ISPO Award Gathering and interviews in the Content Lounge.
For Gold Winners – all top 5 benefits plus exclusivity
Gold Winners benefit from all the services of the Top 5 and also receive exclusive advantages – at no extra cost: their own Gold Winner label, a high-quality additional trophy, special product labeling in the exhibition and an extended social media presence. They will also be the only winners to be honored live on stage at ISPO Munich, ensuring maximum visibility and exclusivity.
Apply now and benefit from maximum visibility
The ISPO Award will once again be presented to the best innovations in 2025. If you want to be part of it, make sure to keep an eye on the submission deadlines:
- Q1 / Q2 Deadline: May 03, 2025
- Q3 Deadline: September 06, 2025
- Q4 Deadline: October 04, 2025
Now is the perfect time to put innovations in the spotlight – Apply now and become part of the ISPO Award community!
The grand finale: a gathering for everyone
Another central component of the new award concept is the ISPO Award Gathering, which will continue to take place as part of ISPO Munich starting in 2025. While several smaller ISPO Award Gatherings were held last year, the new format brings all winners and industry representatives together in one place — on the main stage at ISPO Munich.
Not only will the Gold Winners be honored here, but the three Special Recognition Awards will also be presented: the Public Choice Award, the Retail Choice Award, and the Jury Choice Award.
The new Gathering brings together consumers, retailers, and the jury in a meaningful setting — creating a true highlight on the trade fair calendar.
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