Three companies have made the shortlist for the Hermes Award. An independent jury chaired by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer Society, nominated Festo, Schaeffler, and Ziehl-Abegg. The winner of the Hermes Award will be announced on April 19, 2026, during the opening ceremony of the Hannover Messe. The award will be presented by Dorothee Bär, Federal Minister for Research, Technology, and Space. The Hermes Award is considered one of the most prestigious international industry awards. Each year, the Hannover Messe uses it to honor technological innovations that combine a high degree of innovation with market readiness and economic potential.
Hermes Award Honors New Developments for Industry and Society
According to the jury, the nominated developments address key challenges facing the economy and society. Among other things, they tackle topics such as automation, robotics, and independence from critical raw materials. “The three nominees address societal challenges and demonstrate concrete solutions. The cost-effective production of medical devices, automation and robotics, as well as the replacement of critical materials, provide new impetus for growth and employment and strengthen our country’s visibility as a driver of innovation,” said jury chairman Holger Hanselka.
Festo Develops Highly Integrated Distribution Platform
The company Festo was nominated for a platform consisting of multi-layer plastic distribution plates. These so-called manifolds control, dispense, and mix liquids while simultaneously recording various process parameters. Unlike traditional channel plates, the system integrates numerous active functions within a compact footprint. These include optimized mixing channels, valve technologies with reduced dead volume, and sensor technology for measuring temperature, pressure, flow rate, or pH value. The combination of finely structured microchannels with integrated valve and sensor elements creates a compact platform for applications in biotechnology, medical technology, and semiconductor production.
Schaeffler presents actuator platform for humanoid robotics
Schaeffler was nominated for a platform of highly integrated actuators specifically developed for the joints of humanoid robots. The platform combines servo electric motors, power electronics, and encoders in a compact system. Depending on the application, the actuator can be configured with planetary gears or shaft gears. The goal of the development was to achieve the most compact design possible while maintaining high continuous torque.
Compared to current solutions, the installation space has been reduced by approximately 20 percent. An optimization of the copper fill factor in the motor also ensures that a stable temperature level is maintained even at high torques. The platform is intended to help reduce system costs and thereby accelerate the industrial scaling of service robotics.
Ziehl-Abegg Replaces Rare Earths in Elevator Drive
Ziehl-Abegg was nominated for an electric elevator synchronous machine that operates without rare earth magnets. Instead, the company uses ferrite magnets, which are available worldwide and require fewer critical raw materials. The innovation is based on a newly developed motor design. This maintains high torque density while ensuring smooth operation and energy efficiency remain on par with existing high-performance drives. The approach reduces dependence on materials such as neodymium or dysprosium, which have frequently been used in high-performance drives to date.
Hannover Messe as the Stage for the Hermes Award
The Hermes Award is traditionally presented during Hannover Messe. The event is considered the world’s most important industrial trade fair for production technologies.
Around 3,500 companies from the mechanical engineering, electrical, and energy sectors present their solutions for a competitive and sustainable industry there. Key topics include automation, digitalization, energy infrastructure, as well as research and technology transfer. The next Hannover Messe will take place from April 20 to 24, 2026, in Hannover. The partner country is Brazil.
