The Airport Technology Excellence Awards winners have been announced! Download our full 50+ page report to find out more
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The Excellence Awards celebrate the most outstanding achievements and innovations in the airport industry. Our prestigious programme recognises the individuals and companies driving transformative change, honouring excellence across a wide spectrum of corporate activities, from strategic investments and groundbreaking projects to impactful company initiatives.
Featured Winners
ADB SAFEGATE is a category award winner for Strategic Storytelling, Intelligent Infrastructure R&D, and Community Innovation, recognized for its compelling marketing of Airside 4.0®, pioneering 5G-enabled runway monitoring technology, and strong commitment to sustainability through STEM engagement.
Aerosimple, a US-based leader in airport management systems, is a Business Expansion category award winner, rapidly scaling its AWS-powered, aviation-specific platform from 0 to 150+ airports across 14 countries while proving enterprise readiness at major hubs and driving measurable operational, safety, and compliance gains through a 30+ module suite and robust training and enablement programs.
Kloudspot, a Physical AI leader for intelligent airport spaces, is a Triple Category Award winner for Business Expansion, Innovation, and Safety, with its LISA platform using digital twins, ICCC, and real-time physical AI to boost capacity and non-aero revenues without new infrastructure, enable predictive total airport management, and deliver proactive situational awareness and threat detection across terminals, airside, and landside.
D-Fend Solutions, a leader in RF cyber-based counter-drone technology, is the Innovation Award winner for Airspace Security, with its EnforceAir2 system enabling airports to safely detect, take control of, and land rogue drones without jamming or disruption, while providing real-time situational awareness and flexible, regulation-aligned protection for increasingly complex airspace.
Klayo, a specialist in airport-focused talent and workforce planning, is the Innovation Award winner in the Workforce Digitalization category, transforming how airports manage compliance, staffing, and career development with a sector-specific platform that centralizes real-time qualifications, automates regulatory oversight, and unlocks data-driven internal mobility and succession planning at scale.
HID, a global leader in trusted identity solutions, is the Innovation Award winner in the Biometric Gate category, with its BG100 Speedgate combining HID® Facepod™ facial recognition, document reading, and ASSA ABLOY Speedgate hardware to deliver fast, contactless, and inclusive passenger processing that boosts throughput, reduces staffing pressure, and enhances the end-to-end travel experience.
TADERA, a US-based software and integrated technology provider for airports, is a Product Launches award winner in the Safety and Efficiency category, with its new OPS1 platform unifying GIS-driven operations, inspections, maintenance, and FAA-aligned SMS into a configurable, map-centric system that boosts situational awareness, streamlines compliance, and turns operational data into actionable safety and performance insights.
Key Trends and Themes
Our research for the 2025 Airport Technology Excellence Awards indicates that aviation has moved beyond recovery into a phase of structural redesign, with leading airports, airlines and technology providers embedding competitive advantage through integrated growth, ESG alignment and digital infrastructure.
A defining theme across the shortlists is the shift from linear capacity growth to system-level expansion. Major terminal and airfield programmes are increasingly planned alongside cargo, MRO, logistics and renewable-energy assets, positioning airports as multi-purpose economic platforms, while airlines are pursuing selective, partnership-led network growth that reinforces home hubs and extends into broader travel ecosystems through loyalty and intermodal connectivity.
Sustainability is no longer a parallel agenda-it is shaping both strategy and capital allocation. Organizations are accelerating net-zero Scope 1 and 2 pathways, electrifying ground operations, scaling renewable-powered fixed ground power and on-site solar, and broadening the environmental lens to include “nature positive” actions such as biodiversity and restoration initiatives. Investment is also flowing toward transition assets, including Sustainable Aviation Fuel production, supported by green and sustainability-linked finance structures.
Digitalization and AI are emerging as core infrastructure, not optional add-ons. The awards highlight a move from isolated pilots to operating-model change through airport digital twins, predictive operations centers, next-generation airline retailing (including Offers & Orders), and a strong pipeline of interoperable, analytics-led solutions-ranging from AI-enhanced CT and walkthrough screening to biometric and digital ID platforms, electric ground-support equipment and unified airport commerce systems.
Safety, security and cybersecurity are being reframed as a single operational-continuity priority. Innovations in airside operations and air traffic management are delivering simultaneous safety and capacity gains, while security screening becomes more AI-assisted and open-architecture. At the same time, aviation-specific cybersecurity capabilities are increasingly designed to protect converged IT/OT environments and ensure resilient day-to-day operations.
Social excellence and inclusion are also more structured and outcomes-focused than in prior cycles. Shortlisted/won initiatives show deeper commitments to accessibility and inclusive design-including for passengers with disabilities and neurodivergence-alongside more accountable approaches to diversity, workforce development and community partnerships that deliver measurable benefits.
The 2025 Airport Technology Excellence Awards reflect an industry redesigning itself for the next era of growth-treating data as infrastructure, sustainability and inclusion as hard constraints, and investment and collaboration as tools to rewire the value chain.
Congratulations to all the winners.
Awards Report
Our Awards Report contains:
- Introduction and Themes
- All Category Winners
- Featured Winner Profiles
- Country-Wise Winner Breakdown
You can download the full 50+ page report from the following link
If you wish to participate in our programme by submitting your case, contact Sindy Chen at Sindy.Chen@globaldata.com.
