Radical Innovation Awards Ceremony 2024
A distinguished assembly of 130 industry visionaries, designers, architects, and real estate moguls gathered at the stunning venue CURRENT at Chelsea Piers on the evening of October 24th for the 18th Annual Radical Innovation Award Ceremony. Dan Ryan, founder and host of defining hospitality, served as Master of Ceremonies for the evening.
Guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres against the backdrop of the Hudson River setting. The presentation commenced at 6:00 pm, featuring a special highlight: the event’s first-ever keynote speaker. Mike Scott of Thayer Investment Partners was interviewed by Hospitality Design Editor-in-Chief, Stacy Shoemaker Rauen, sharing unique insights into early-stage investments, the impact on technology in hospitality, and criteria for selecting impactful ventures. The ceremony kicked off with the the four student product finalists, whose products were introduced by the mentoring jurors. The Student Product winner was The H2O Loop, an innovative shower system that recycles water to reduce waste, submitted by Wu Yi-Chen and Prof. Li Kai-Chu of Ming Chi University of Technology.
Next, the project finalists took the stage, starting with the two student contenders. After showcasing their impressive videos, The Student Project award was presented to Cielo Colca Hotel, submitted by Jeroboam Amador Bernal Rivera, Ximena Berenice Valentina Mejia Sotelo, and Ana Maria Diaz Gonzalez at the Instituto Technologico Y De Estudios Superiores De Monterrey Campus Toluca. The team received $5,000 and the opportunity to apply for an assistantship and full scholarship with the Radical University Partners. As part of the ongoing commitment to fostering student growth, Radical Innovation’s commitment to fostering future talent was underscored by dedicating half of this year’s competition to student finalists.
Radical Innovation is produced by The Hardy Group with the incredible support from sponsoring companies, Archivism, DFL Legal, BermanFalk, Beyer Brown & Associates, Chartres Lodging Group, Continental Contractors, Cooper Carry, DLR Group, Ferguson, Global Allies, Heller, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Hospitality Design, Hospitality Logistics Intl., RIVUR, Dr. Bharat & Milan Shah, Shawmut, Studio11Design, SUMMA International, MarcPhillips, and Valley Forge Fabrics. Radical Innovation education partners are UNLV School of Architecture, UNLV Black Fire Innovation, the University of Illinois School of Architecture, NYUSPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality.
The main event featured professional finalists Mayte Idarraga from HKS Architects and Ryan Christensen & Enrique Greenwell from Leo A Daly. Following project video presentations, a “Shark Tank-style” Q&A session allowed jurors and the audience to explore each project’s creativity, feasibility, design, and industry impact. With a record-breaking 2,000+ combined jury and public votes, The BBBL3, presented by HKS Architects and Roam Interior Design, emerged as the winner. This fully immersive, multi-sensory experience blends cutting-edge technology with nature-inspired design, redefining our interactions with space, community, and self. The HKS team in attendance, having traveled from all parts of the USA, was overwhelmed with joy at the win. Click here to view the winners from each year.
