ECOC Exhibition Industry Awards 2026 open with new categories

Created May 12, 2026
News and Business

Optical communications innovations awards programme, the ECOC Exhibition Industry Awards 2026 has opened for nominations, with a new set of categories reflecting the emerging initiatives in the sector.

Taking place at ECOC Exhibition in Malaga from 21-23rd September, the awards celebrate the innovation, achievements, and industry milestones from the optical communications sector over the past year.

The original ten categories have been streamlined into six new ones, grouping related technologies into broader, cohesive innovation areas. The 2026 ECOC Exhibition Industry Awards categories are:

  • Optical Access Innovation Award
  • Best Optical Module Award
  • Optical Component Innovation Award
  • Fibre Infrastructure Innovation Award
  • Optical Communication Innovation Award
  • Best Optical T&M Process Award

The ECOC Exhibition Industry Awards provide an opportunity for innovators to place their achievements in front of one of the most technically engaged audiences in the sector.

“As a recipient of the 2025 Industry Award for Most Innovative Hybrid PIC/Optical Integration Platform, Avicena found the programme to be both highly credible and strategically valuable,” said Chris Pfistner, VP, Sales & Marketing at Avicena. “The recognition provided strong third-party validation of our technology and significantly increased visibility with customers and partners.”

“ECOC’s awards program plays an important role in spotlighting technologies that are shaping the future of connectivity,” said Helen Xenos, Senior Director, Portfolio Marketing at Ciena.

“The ECOC Industry Awards are widely respected for their strong technical focus and rigorous evaluation standards,” said Junjie Li, Vice President at China Telecom.

For organisations developing the technologies that will define the future of networks, data centres, AI connectivity and fibre infrastructure, this year’s programme offers not just recognition, but industry-wide visibility among peers, customers and partners.

Launched in 2020 to mark the ECOC Exhibition’s 25th anniversary, the awards have become a stapple of excellence across the sector, and a great opportunity to celebrate the companies and teams delivering real progress across the industry.

Find out more about each category and how to submit your nomination here: https://www.ecocexhibition.com/industry-awards/

ecoc-exhibition-industry-awards-2026-open-with-new-categories

This article was written
by Optical Connections News Team


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