## The Kong Innovator Awards celebrate the people actually doing the work — the builders, engineers, and teams using Kong to solve hard problems in ways we didn't expect.
### Who can submit a nomination?
The call for submissions closed on September 11, and the judges evaluated each submission to select winners and categories based on the use case, challenges faced, innovative solution, and unique differentiators.
Winners were notified in late September and announced at the awards ceremony at API + AI Summit on October 1, 2026. Check below for a recap of the event!
### What can winners expect?
All winners were recognized at the awards ceremony during API + AI Summit on October 1, 2026. Winners also received a trophy, recognition via social promotion and a press release, a promotional toolkit, and Kong swag.
## 2026 Winners
## Top Kong Innovator by region
_AMERICAS_
### Nordstrom
_EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST_
### Ericsson
_ASIA-PACIFIC_
### Hong Kong Jockey Club
## Top Kong Innovator by category
_DEVELOPER EXPERIENCE_
### TBC Bank
_BUSINESS IMPACT_
### Tel Aviv Stock Exchange
_OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE_
### Cox Automotive
_ENTERPRISE TRANSFORMATION_
### Latitude
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