Radical Innovation Award- Deadline Extended to April 30

Radical Innovation Awards Opens Call for Entries extends submission deadline to April 30

Organized by leading development services firm The Hardy Group, Radical Innovation challenges and empowers architects, designers, and creative thinkers to pioneer compelling ideas in travel and hospitality capable of disrupting the industry in ways we never thought possible.

In particular, the 14th edition of design + architecture competition is encouraging ongoing submissions to include ground-breaking proposals tied to health and wellness that will revolutionize post-pandemic travel -- no idea is too radical.

This year, the submission categories call for two types of entries: 

• Architectural and interior design concepts of any kind for the hospitality industry. 
• New in 2020: Innovative hospitality products - The product category aims for designers of any kind to submit product proposals (new or existing) to better the hospitality experience before, during, or after a stay. 

To alleviate constraints, pricing for professionals will be discounted from $250 to $150. Submission fees will be waived for professionals and others who are experiencing further financial difficulties or are currently furloughed/without a company affiliate at this time. Student submissions remain free. The Radical Innovation Award is supported by founding sponsor Global Allies.

Finalists in the Concept/Design category will  present their ideas in fall 2020. Audience members vote to determine the grand-prize winner, who takes home a $10,000 prize. The runner-up receives a $5,000 prize. The winner for the Product category will receive $1,500 (for either a student or professional). The specific location of this event will be announced later in 2020 (Virtual or otherwise)

The student winner, who is determined prior to the event by the jury, will earn a $1,500 prize and be invited to apply for a graduate assistantship in the Master of Architecture program at the University of Nevada Las Vegas or a Teaching Assistantship to the University of Illinois School of Architecture. The total two-year value is estimated at over $50,000. The awarding of funds will be based on certain prerequisites that must be carried out by the potential recipient. Radical Innovation has sent two students to this graduate program with one, Yasmine Soliman graduating in Spring of 2019. 

“Radical Innovation discovers and spotlights creative thinkers from around the world with the ideas to propel the hospitality industry forward,” explains John Hardy, Founder of Radical Innovation and CEO of The Hardy Group. “It’s our goal to connect them with experienced business leaders that have the connections and resources to bring those ideas to reality, while supporting their effort, through year- round marketing and PR verticals. We are thrilled to add products to this year’s competition.” 

A panel of jurors leading the fields of hospitality, design, and investment evaluate all entries based on their originality, creativity, design, and potential impact on the industry. Feasibility is key. While Radical Innovation seeks brave ideas, the program requires achievable visions with a clear, compelling brief accompanied by a high-level presentation that illustrates how the concept could be achieved in the next 3-5 years with design renderings and video pitch. 

Since its founding in 2006, Radical Innovation has awarded nearly $200,000 to its international network of creative talents who to push the boundaries of travel and hospitality. The 2019 winner, ‘Connectic’, by Cooper Carry Architects demonstrated this by citing the technological advances necessary for their idea to operate, detailing anticipated costs and logistics in addition to a clear timeline and the design process. 

The Radical Innovation Award is organized by leading development services firm The Hardy Group with support from founding sponsor Global Allies. 

Process: 

 Through a blind judging process, the jury will review all submissions entered online at RadicalInnovationAward.com. 

• All concepts will be judged on originality, creativity, design, feasibility, and quality of presentation. 

• Finalists will be shortlisted and the jury will mentor the concepts of their choosing. 

• Finalists will present their ideas at an event in fall 2020. 

Radical Innovation Jury: 

About Radical Innovation Radical Innovation works to empower creative thinkers across hospitality, travel and design. Through an annual competition, Radical Innovation mobilizes disruptors from around the world. The result is a creative community gathered by the same passion for innovation, introducing the dreamers to those equipped with the necessary resources to bring such concepts to life. The competition alone has awarded nearly $200,000 to pioneers in hospitality and design, but overall, Radical Innovation serves as a platform that connects and inspires. To learn more, please visit radicalinnovationaward.com. 

About The Hardy Group The Hardy Group is a strategic, transformational development services firm for investors and brands engaged in hospitality real estate. Leveraging its international expertise, the group delivers feasibility analysis, project management, development management, and construction management, as well as project accounting for capex, renovations, redevelopment, and new development for both individual deals and entire portfolios. 

The Hardy Group is recognized as the leader in providing creative solutions to complex building challenges, tapping its diverse team, using proprietary project research and planning, and specialized in-house software that tracks progress and budget conformance. The firm excels as a bridge between the ambition of its clients and project realization, having managed more than $7 billion in development- related assignments encompassing over 1200 hospitality projects in 37 countries. Offices are located in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, Paris and Honolulu.