From a solution to repurpose cold plasma to treat seeds to 3D printed living seawalls, the eighth annual awards honor new and inspiring solutions to the most daunting challenges of today.
Austin, Texas, May 14, 2024 — The winners of Fast Company’s 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards were announced today, highlighting fresh sustainability initiatives, cutting-edge AI developments, ambitious pursuits of social equity, and other creative projects that are helping mold the world.
Apollo, the world’s most capable humanoid robot, has been named a finalist within the experimental category of Fast Company’s 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards, being publicly recognized as a just-launched idea that has the potential to change how we think. By supplementing workers with humanoid robots powered by AI technology, Apollo is currently helping to fill holes in the labor market by taking on dangerous tasks in industrial settings. In the years to come, Apptronik envisions a future where Apollo is integrated into society, executing virtually unlimited tasks and filling roles in construction, oil and gas, retail, home delivery, and even elder care.
This year’s World Changing Ideas Awards showcase 50 winners, 127 finalists, and 172 honorable mentions—with health, education, energy, and AI among the most popular categories. A panel of Fast Company editors and reporters selected winners from a pool of more than 1,300 entries across climate, social justice, wellness, politics, technology, corporate social responsibility, and more. Several new categories were added this year, including beauty and fashion, health products, health services, materials, and science and technology. The 2024 awards feature entries from across the globe, including the Republic of Korea, Brazil, and Madagascar.
Fast Company’s Spring 2024 issue (on newsstands May 21, 2024) will unveil some of the world’s most creative minds and pioneering organizations that are seeking to disrupt the status quo. The solutions cover everything from renewable energy storage and waste in the fashion industry to a building made entirely from recycled concrete and a fridge that’s solar-powered and designed to run off the grid.
“The launch of Apollo was a significant milestone for Apptronik because Apollo is more than a product; it’s a symbol of a future where human potential is augmented by robotics. Our vision is to use humanoid robots to ease the burdens of daily life and open new avenues for human innovation and exploration,” said Jeff Cardenas, co-founder and CEO at Apptronik. “We truly believe Apollo has the power to change the world, and we’re honored that Fast Company agrees.”
“I was struck this year by the global sweep of the honorees,” says Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. “It’s endlessly inspiring to see how the world is coming together to devise inventive solutions to our most challenging problems. We need ideas from everywhere, and this year’s World Changing Ideas Awards are an extraordinary encapsulation of the innovation and creativity that is so abundant around the globe.”
ABOUT APPTRONIK
Apptronik is the leader in next-generation general purpose robots designed to change the way we live and work. Apollo, a humanoid robot built to work alongside people in environments designed for people, culminated from the design and development of over 10 general purpose robots including extensive work on NASA Valkyrie. The company was founded in 2016 out of the Human Centered Robotics Lab at the University of Texas at Austin, with a mission to leverage innovative technology for the betterment of society. Apptronik’s goal is to introduce the next generation of robots that will change the way people live and work, while tackling some of our world’s largest challenges. To learn more about Apptronik, please visit https://apptronik.com.
ABOUT THE WORLD CHANGING IDEAS AWARDS:
World Changing Ideas is one of Fast Company’s major annual awards programs and is focused on social good, seeking to elevate finished products and bold concepts that make the world better. Judges choose winners, finalists, and honorable mentions based on feasibility and the potential for impact. With the goals of awarding ingenuity and fostering innovation, Fast Company draws attention to ideas with great potential and helps them expand their reach to inspire more people to work on solving the problems that affect us all.
ABOUT FAST COMPANY
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.