A Celebration of Innovation
The 3rd Annual Digital Engineering Awards, held on December 5, 2024, in Dallas, Texas, brought together over 100 global engineering leaders and individual pioneers who are pushing the boundaries of digital innovation.
Highlighting the event’s significance, Michael P. Connors, Chairman and CEO of ISG, remarked, “Digital engineering continues to redefine nearly every facet of modern life—from clean energy to healthcare innovations and beyond. This year’s Digital Engineering Awards spotlight the remarkable advancements driving progress globally. The jump in nominations is a further testament to how digital engineering increasingly anchors global industries and infrastructures.”
Recognising excellence in engineering
As a run up to the event, over 220 nominations poured in from diverse industries, such as automotive, industrial products, manufacturing, energy, aerospace, medtech, and telecommunications, from across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. From these, winners were selected in 11 distinct categories, recognizing excellence in sustainability, digital product innovation, and the application of emerging technologies.
Like the previous years, this year too, there were two key segments—‘Engineering the Change’, which were accolades for extraordinary achievements at the enterprise level and ‘Engineer at Heart’, which honoured individual engineers for their passion and innovation.
The awards honoured 50 leading organisations and exceptional individuals who have made ground-breaking contributions across areas like mobility, sustainability, and technology innovation. To reflect the transformative potential of rapidly evolving technologies, two new categories—focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI—were introduced. By embracing advancements in emerging technologies, these visionaries are shaping the future of engineering.
Rigorous evaluation process
The winners were chosen through a meticulous evaluation process led by a panel of prestigious global experts, including Prof. Jim Austin, Wharton Business School and Brown University; Prof. (Dr.) Marcos Kauffman, Coventry University, Neelu Sethi, Brinks Inc.; Vanessa Eriksson, GiTN (Girls in Tech Nordics) and Steve Hall, Prashant Kelkar, and Gaurav Gupta of ISG. The judging criteria spanned innovation, delivery precision, tangible business impact, and sustainable value creation, ensuring that only the most transformative projects were recognised.
Focus on sustainability, AI, and inclusion
A key highlight of the awards was their emphasis on sustainability and inclusion. Many of the recognized projects demonstrated a commitment to eco-friendly innovations and sustainable practices, addressing critical environmental challenges.
This year also showcased a growing representation of women in digital engineering, spotlighting their leadership in designing and implementing ground-breaking solutions. Their contributions were hailed as a positive trend, underscoring the need for greater diversity in the field. Amit Chadha, CEO & Managing Director of LTTS, emphasized the diversity in this year’s entries, noting, “This year’s entries showcased unparalleled innovation and a growing diversity within the engineering community. It is particularly uplifting to see more women designing, innovating, and leveraging cutting-edge technologies to solve today’s challenges and shape a better tomorrow. We remain steadfast in recognizing and celebrating the extraordinary organizations and the individual engineers at their core, who are tirelessly shaping a brighter future through their innovations.”
The introduction of award categories for AI and Generative AI further highlighted the importance of these technologies in shaping the future. By reimagining processes and creating new capabilities, AI continues to revolutionize industries, with the awards showcasing its transformative potential.
Inspiring the future
As the event concluded, the sentiment among attendees was clear: the future of engineering is bright, driven by the relentless pursuit of innovation and a shared commitment to creating sustainable, transformative solutions. S. Shivakumar, CEO of News18 Studios, remarked, “We are proud to partner on a platform that celebrates the exceptional talent shaping the future of digital engineering. These stories of innovation inspire industries to push boundaries and deliver impactful solutions. This partnership reflects our dedication to offering our audience insights into ground-breaking developments and celebrating the innovators driving industry transformation.”
Over the past three years, the Digital Engineering Awards have evolved into more than a recognition platform—they are a catalyst for innovation and inspiration. By celebrating the achievements of pioneers in engineering and technology, the event motivates others to push boundaries and explore new possibilities.
