The Maple Awards 2026
Awards & Achievements
Recognition Built on Merit, Not Ranking Alone.
The Maple Awards recognizes excellence through a structured, score-based evaluation system designed to reflect the quality, maturity, context, and potential of each project. Recognition extends beyond medals — connecting outstanding innovators with mentorship, publication, international visibility, investors, accelerators, professional networks, and future opportunities within the Maple ecosystem.
How Medals Are Awarded
A Score-Based Medal System
The Maple Awards does not award only one Gold, one Silver, and one Bronze Medal. Medals are earned based on the final scientific evaluation score achieved by each eligible project.
This means that multiple projects may receive Gold, Silver, or Bronze recognition if they independently meet the required evaluation standard. The objective is to recognize excellence according to merit — not to artificially restrict recognition to a fixed number of winners.
0–49
Certificate of Recognition
Projects within this range receive an official Certificate of Recognition. They may also remain eligible for selected Special Awards where appropriate.
50–69
Bronze Medal
Awarded to projects demonstrating a strong level of innovation, execution, relevance, and potential.
70–89
Silver Medal
Awarded to projects demonstrating a high standard of technical, scientific, innovative, and real-world merit.
90–100
Gold Medal
Awarded to projects demonstrating exceptional overall excellence across The Maple Awards evaluation framework.
There is no fixed quota for Gold, Silver, or Bronze Medals. Every eligible project has the opportunity to earn recognition based on its own final evaluation score.
Contextual Fairness
Every Project Is Evaluated in Its Own Context
The Maple Awards does not simply compare which team has the largest budget, the biggest company, or the greatest resources. Each project is assessed with consideration for its own context.
A student team is not judged by the same resource expectations as a mature technology company.
Our goal is to identify excellence relative to the team’s capabilities, stage, available resources, execution, and potential — while maintaining rigorous scientific and professional standards.
- Development Stage
- Team Profile
- Available Resources
- Technical Maturity
- Participant Category
- Age Category, where relevant
- Research or Commercial Stage
- Realistic Implementation Capacity
The Highest Distinction
The Maple Award of the Year
Recognizing the Outstanding AI & Robotics Innovation of the Year.
The Maple Award of the Year is the highest distinction presented by The Maple Awards. It is reserved for an exceptional project demonstrating outstanding innovation, technical or scientific excellence, real-world potential, responsible development, and the ability to represent the highest standard of the annual competition. The final distinction is selected from the strongest projects of the edition through an additional final assessment process involving the International Jury.
One Year. One Highest Distinction. One Outstanding Innovation.
The project receiving this distinction is recognized as the outstanding Artificial Intelligence or Robotics innovation of that Maple Awards edition.
Beyond the Medal Score
Special Jury Distinctions
Special Awards are separate from the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal scoring system. They recognize exceptional qualities, achievements, or contributions identified by the International Jury.
15+ Special Jury Awards
Best Innovation Award
Best Idea Award
Best Startup Award
Best Product Award
Best AI Model Award
Best Team Award
Best Robotics Project
Best Research Project
Social Impact Award
Young Innovator Award
Technical Excellence Award
Responsible Innovation Award
Emerging Talent Award
Jury Excellence Award
Outstanding Achievement Award
A project may receive a Special Jury Award independently of its medal category, subject to jury evaluation and award eligibility.
Global Recognition
Recognition Across Eight Countries
Beyond The Maple Awards medals and Special Jury Awards, eight additional international Special Awards will be presented by representatives from eight different countries. These distinctions introduce an additional international layer of recognition and highlight outstanding projects from a broader global perspective.
8
International Special Awards
8
Countries
8
International Representatives
Eight award markers · one international network
These awards are separate from
- Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals
- Special Jury Awards
- The Maple Award of the Year
- Other International Partner Awards
Representatives may recognize exceptional
Extended Ecosystem
International Recognition Beyond The Maple Awards
Selected projects may also be considered for additional international Special Awards, medals, certificates, and distinctions presented through organizations within the international Maple Awards ecosystem — innovation organizations, scientific institutions, invention associations, technology networks, and international communities across multiple countries and regions.
This structure enables selected projects to receive recognition at multiple levels within the same edition. A project may therefore earn its Maple medal based on scientific evaluation while also receiving additional distinctions from the Jury, international representatives, or partner organizations.
Selected projects may receive additional partner recognition, subject to partner criteria and final confirmation.
The Complete System
Multiple Pathways to Recognition
The Maple Award of the Year
Highest Annual Distinction
Gold • Silver • Bronze
Score-Based Medals
15+ Special Jury Awards
Exceptional Qualities & Achievements
8 International Country Representative Awards
Eight Countries • Eight International Distinctions
International Partner Awards
Additional Global Recognition
Outstanding projects may receive more than one form of recognition within the same Maple Awards edition.
Beyond the Medal
What Comes After Recognition?
Winning is designed to be the beginning of the next stage.
01
International Mentorship
Selected participants and winners may receive guidance from experts, mentors, researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals within the Maple network.
02
Publication & Project Features
Selected innovations may be featured through Maple publications, editorial content, official winner profiles, and Maple Magazine.
03
Investor Introductions
High-potential teams may be introduced to relevant investors, venture professionals, and members of the Maple Investor & Ecosystem Network.
04
Accelerator & Incubator Pathways
Selected teams may gain introductions or access opportunities involving accelerators, incubators, startup programs, venture studios, and innovation organizations.
05
International Visibility
Winning teams may be highlighted across Maple platforms, events, partner communications, publications, and international innovation networks.
06
Masterclasses & Expert Access
Participants may gain access to selected Maple Masterclasses, expert sessions, and professional learning opportunities.
07
Digital Recognition
Eligible recipients may receive official certificates, digital winner badges, unique certificate IDs, QR verification, and shareable digital credentials.
08
Partner Benefits
Selected winners may receive benefits, discounts, credits, invitations, awards, or opportunities provided by participating organizations.
09
Maple Innovation Community
Outstanding teams can remain connected to the Maple ecosystem for future programs, opportunities, events, introductions, international initiatives, and professional collaborations.
The Participant Journey
From Submission to Opportunity
Step 01
Submit
Step 02
Scientific Evaluation
Step 03
Final Score
Step 04
Medal / Recognition
Step 05
Special Awards
Step 06
International Recognition
Step 07
Publication & Visibility
Step 08
Mentorship
Step 09
Investor / Accelerator Connections
Step 10
Future Maple Opportunities
The Maple Awards is designed as a continuing innovation pathway — not simply a one-day award ceremony.
For Every Participant
Achievement Begins Before Winning
Participation itself is intended to provide meaningful value. Depending on eligibility and program structure, participants may benefit from:
Every project represents progress. Every strong idea deserves serious evaluation.
- Structured scientific evaluation
- International exposure
- Recognition of project development
- Access to selected educational content
- Connection with the Maple innovation community
- Opportunities for future programs and collaborations
- Official recognition documentation where applicable
Why the System Is Different
Merit Over Artificial Ranking
The Maple Awards is not designed around a traditional first-place, second-place, third-place structure. Instead, each project is independently evaluated against defined standards.
- Multiple projects can earn Gold.
- Multiple projects can earn Silver.
- Multiple projects can earn Bronze.
- A project does not lose its medal simply because another project scored higher.
- Recognition is earned by reaching the required level of excellence.
You are evaluated against the standard — not simply against another team.
Institutional Note
Recognition with Transparency
- Medals are determined by evaluation scores rather than fixed winner quotas.
- Special Jury Awards are evaluated separately.
- The Maple Award of the Year is determined through an additional final assessment process.
- The eight International Country Representative Awards are separate international distinctions.
- International partner awards are subject to the criteria and confirmation of the relevant organizations.
- Mentorship, investor introductions, acceleration pathways, publication opportunities, partner benefits, and ecosystem opportunities may vary by project, award category, eligibility, and availability.
- No investment, funding, accelerator admission, commercial outcome, or external partner award is guaranteed unless specifically confirmed.
- The purpose of The Maple Awards is to create credible recognition, meaningful visibility, and high-quality pathways for outstanding innovators.
Build. Be Evaluated. Be Recognized.
Your project’s next achievement may begin with The Maple Awards.
The Maple Awards — Artificial Intelligence • Robotics • Global Innovation