HONG KONG, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In April 2026, the Global Sources Best of Innovation Awards, organised by Global Sources, were announced live at the Global Sources Hong Kong Show. The Awards leverage the core platform of the exhibition to incentivise corporate innovation and build trade bridges. Their goal is to set industry benchmarks and drive enterprises to enhance product value through innovation upgrades. This year's edition continues its partnership with the European Product Design Award (EPDA)™, adding a "Best Product Design Award" to specifically recognise outstanding integration of aesthetic design and innovative functionality.

Diverse Innovation Across Seven Categories, Four Criteria Rooted in Trade Realities
This year's Best of Innovation Awards focus on seven core categories: Consumer Electronics, Gaming & eSports, Mobile Electronics, Batteries & Energy, Smart Home, Security & Home Appliances, and Quality Living. The evaluation system is built on four criteria highly relevant to the trade environment: Practicality, Cost-Effectiveness, Technological Maturity, and Market Demand Fit.

The judging panel comprises experts from industry associations, technology media and other fields. Of over 380 submitted products, 103 were shortlisted, and ultimately 58 products stood out to win honours. This year's winning products demonstrate multi-dimensional breakthroughs in trade innovation, with notable strengths in AI-hardware integration, functional adaptation for niche scenarios, and compliance-driven quality upgrades. These directions closely align with the core needs of current global trade: enhancing product premiums, mitigating market risks and meeting diverse consumer demands.

Dual Awards Lead Innovation; Selection Mechanism Highlights Industry Value
This year's Awards feature two parallel tracks: the "Innovation Award" and the "Best Product Design Award". The Innovation Award serves as the core pillar, focusing on commercial viability. Within this category, the jury also specially selected one product to receive the "AI Innovation Award", recognising its outstanding integration of AI technology. The "Best Product Design Award" serves as a vital complement, introducing international design standards and evaluating products across dimensions such as aesthetics, user experience and sustainability. Together, these awards provide clear guidance for companies seeking to uncover differentiated competitive advantages and achieve a leap in trade value.

John Kao, Vice President of Global Sources Hong Kong & Overseas Shows, stated: "The mission of the Best of Innovation Awards is not only to recognise outstanding achievements but also, through clear selection criteria, to help companies identify key points for differentiated competition. Products that balance technological applicability, design quality and compliance are increasingly favoured — and this represents the core competitiveness of the future global consumer electronics trade."

Laurent Devos, CEO of the European Product Design Award (EPDA), added: "In today's global trade environment, product design is not just about looking good. Great design quickly attracts consumers, builds differentiated recognition in commoditised markets, effectively lowers marketing costs, and directly drives product premiums and user loyalty through an enhanced user experience."

Industry Takeaway: Creating Great Products Starts with Innovation
The results of this year's Best of Innovation Awards further confirm the industry consensus that "creating great products starts with innovation".

The Global Sources Best of Innovation Awards serve as an important platform for bringing this philosophy to life. Winning companies not only gain authoritative industry recognition but also leverage the exhibition to achieve efficient alignment from innovation through to market promotion. The Awards will continue to act as a bridge, providing industry trend insights and resource matching, helping companies sustain growth momentum in global markets, and promoting the evolution and advancement of the industrial ecosystem.

About Global Sources
Based in Hong Kong, Global Sources is a globally recognized B2B sourcing platform. With 55 years of dedicated service in facilitating international trade, it has earned the trust and recognition of the global business community through its proven track record of connecting quality buyers worldwide with verified top-tier Asian manufacturers. As a sourcing hub for market-ready innovative consumer products, Global Sources provides efficient and convenient trade services to over 14 million registered buyers and users worldwide.