Innovation Excellence Awards
Celebrating the UK’s Communications
& Content Innovators
This year’s Innovation Excellence Awards – the “Award of Awards” for the UK’s communications and content industries – returned to a sell-out audience at the historic Stationers’ Hall on 23 October 2026.
The top honour of Innovator of the Year 2026 was awarded to Woolcool. Woolcool has fundamentally reimagined what insulated packaging can be. It is a beautifully executed example of design solving complex commercial and environmental challenges simultaneously.”
The award was presented by our Guest of Honour, Prof Dr Kanani MBE, who emphasised the vital role of creativity and courage in shaping our industries.
Now in its 12th year, the Awards was open to all sectors across communications and content – from packaging, paper-making and print to publishing, stationery, digital-born businesses and beyond.
The judging panel assessed entries on originality, commercial impact, sustainability and positive social or environmental benefit.
Winners 2026
Business Process
WINNER : Koenig & Bauer Vision & Protection – protected at print
Highly Commended: Romax Marketing & Distribution Ltd – Romax Digital Card Platform
Merit: Bakers: BakPac: Re-engineering Flexible Packaging Manufacturing for Speed, Scale and Sustainability
Merit: Hahnemühle – My Art Registry
Short Listed:
Fantom Factory: Fast Food needs Fast Answers
Rebel Stationery – Textile Collection 2026 – in partnership with Handmade Palestine
Shachihata EU – Xstamper QuiX Pre-Inked Stamp Making System
Westchester Publishing Services – Westchester Publishing Services’ approach to AI generated Alt Text
Communications, including Marketing
WINNER: Barley Communications – “Fighting AI cloning scams for National Trading Standards”
Highly Commended: Brainz Digital – Brainz AI
Merit: Inkara.io – Inkara Marketing Studio — including ISBN Emporium, & Meta-Ink
Merit: Thomas’s London Day Schools – TomCom
Shortlisted:
Publishers Association – Publishers Association Insight series
The Mills Fabrica – Fabrica X: A Platform for Accelerating Sustainable Innovation in Fashion and Textiles
Customer Experience
WINNER: Kids Invent Stuff – The Invention Shed
Highly Commended: OMG Center Ltd – Orca
Merit: Circular Box Solutions (PTY LTD S.A. Trading & LTD (U.K) – CircularBox Solutions™ – The Waterproof, Tear Proof, Collapsible, Ultra Durable Reusable Digital Packaging System
Merit: Thomas’s London Day Schools – TomCom
Shortlisted:
Class Professional – Ambulance Driving
Eat with Mabel Limited trading as Mabel – Mabel
Romax Marketing & Distribution Ltd – Romax Digital Card Platform
Shachihata EU – Xstamper QuiX Pre-Inked Stamp Making System
Viktrs LTD – Viktrs: Building a Better Business Model for the Future of Video
Education Technology
WINNER: Habitat Learn Group Limited – Podium – an AI-enabled infrastructure solution for Higher Education
Highly Commended: Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited – AgNetZero
Merit: Enterprise Ski ls Ltd – Human Skills Index
Shortlisted:
Class Professional – Ambulance Driving
More Handwriting – More Handwriting
Oodlü – oodlü Worlds
Manufacturing
WINNER: Woolcool – LifeGuardian
Highly Commended: PulpaTronics – PulpaTronics
Merit: Circular Box Solutions (PTY LTD S.A. Trading & LTD (U.K) – CircularBox Solutions™ – The Waterproof, Tear Proof, Collapsible, Ultra Durable Reusable Digital Packaging System
Merit: Koenig & Bauer Vision & Protection – protected at print
Shortlisted:
Clifton Packaging – The British Crisp
Vivid Laminating Technologies – Razar
Product Design
WINNER: Woolcool – LifeGuardian
Highly Commended:PulpaTronics – PulpaTronics
Merit: Circular Box Solutions (PTY LTD S.A. Trading & LTD (U.K) – CircularBox Solutions™ – The Waterproof, Tear Proof, Collapsible, Ultra Durable Reusable Digital Packaging System
Merit: Chespa – ‘Give Them a Chance’
Shortlisted:
ACCO Brands – Leitz IQ OptiMax Shredder
Clifton Packaging – The British Crisp
Koenig & Bauer Vision & Protection – protected at print
Start UP
WINNER: PulpaTronics – PulpaTronics
Highly Commended: Circular Box Solutions (PTY LTD S.A. Trading & LTD (U.K) – CircularBox Solutions™ – The Waterproof, Tear Proof, Collapsible, Ultra Durable Reusable Digital Packaging System
Merit: Enterprise Ski ls Ltd – Human Skills Index
Shortlisted:
Eat with Mabel Limited trading as Mabel – Mabel
TheNeverPress – Various Sorrows & Joys
Viktrs LTD – Viktrs: Building a Better Business Model for the Future of Video
Wingbinder Limited – The Wingbinder
Co Chairs Special Commendation Award: Rebel Stationery -Textile Collection 2026 – in partnership with Handmade Palestine
Our innovator of the year for 2026
Woolcool
Product Design & Manufacturing
Created using two ancient natural materials, paper and sheep’s’ wool, LifeGuardian insulated packaging by Woolcool represents a paradigm shift in the cold-chain logistics sector, proving that high-performance engineering, sustainability and ecological responsibility can coexist. Designed specifica ly for the rigorous demands of the pharmaceutical and life science industries, LifeGuardian is an advanced thermal packaging solution that replaces traditional synthetic insulators such as polystyrene with the incredible natural properties of 100% pure sheep’s wool.
The Awards Winners
Take a look at the individuals and organisations recognised for their outstanding achievements.
Explore the winners below and discover the work, ideas and impact that set them apart.
Business process: Koenig & Bauer
Protected at Print
‘protected at print’ from Koenig & Bauer is a holistic security solution for safeguarding print and brand security. Comprising a framework of advanced protection technologies that together form a brand protection ecosystem, it is made available and easy to use via a downloadable iOS or android app.
Customer Experience
Kids invent stuff
The Invention Shed is an immersive invention experience created by Kids Invent Stuff that combines hands-on engineering, digital storyte ling, interactive exhibits, curriculum-linked learning and real-world invention chalenges to inspire children aged 4-11 to engage with STEM in creative and accessible ways.
Education Technology
Habitat Learn
Podium is an AI-powered classroom infrastructure platform that enables higher education institutions to deploy accessibility and AI securely within real teaching environments.
Start UP
Pulpatronics
PulpaTronics utilises laser technology to directly engrave carbon-based antennas onto paper substrates eliminating plastic, metal parts and adhesives. Consequently, the RFID tags are paper recyclable, produce 60% less CO2, no e-waste and are 30% cheaper.
Product Design & Manufacturing
Woolcool
LifeGuardian uses paper and sheep’s wool for sustainable, high-performance pharmaceutical packaging.
Comms and Engagement
Barley Communications
City of London Leaden hall Market & Barley Communications, for Revitalising a Heritage Brand.
Innovation Excellence Awards
The Innovation Excellence Awards are supported by lead sponsors Picon and Pearson, and backed by industry partners including Hobbs the Printers, Enbecom, Castelnau, FIA and Innovate UK.
Through these Awards, The Stationers’ Company champions innovation in a UK sector worth over £65 billion annually, recognising and connecting the people and ideas at its heart.
