Best of NeoCon 2026 Opens for Submissions March 1

Chicago, IL, February 26, 2026-Best of NeoCon is open for product submissions on March 1. Since 1990, the competition has served as a cornerstone of design excellence, honoring holistic, leading-edge solutions that advance performance, sustainability, innovation and user experience within the built environment. Adding to its robust roster of 46 categories across the workplace, healthcare, hospitality and education sectors, this year’s competition will feature expanded lighting categories aligned with the debut of Illuminate at NeoCon––a show-within-a-show that’s dedicated to lighting innovation. 

Before NeoCon, all entries are reviewed in person at The Mart by a multidisciplinary jury composed of approximately 50 architects, designers, facility managers and industry decision-makers. Jurors are selected for their expertise in specification, design leadership, and operational performance across commercial design sectors. Jurors for the 2026 program will be announced in April. 

The Best of NeoCon Awards Ceremony takes place on the morning of June 8 at The Mart in Chicago and officially kicks off NeoCon 2026, which runs June 8 to 10 (with a new Preview Day on June 7). Competing for Gold, Silver and Best of Competition honors, alongside distinctions for Innovation, Sustainability and Business Impact, 2026 winners will join an esteemed lineup of past honorees. 

Entrants may also opt into the Business Impact Awards, which recognize products with the potential to drive measurable business outcomes-enhancing workflows, reducing costs, and/or optimizing space. Submissions are vetted by facility managers, end users, real estate planners, and specifiers and the finalists are evaluated on-site by a panel of leading business journalists. 

Best of NeoCon submissions are open exclusively to NeoCon 2026 exhibitors via the online awards portal. Eligible products must have entered the U.S. market since June 2025, be on display at NeoCon 2026, and must not have been submitted to Best of NeoCon 2025. Entry submission deadlines and fees are as follows:

March 1-31 (early): $900 per entry

April 1-30 (standard): $1,000 per entry

May 1-20 (late): $1,100 per entry

Business Impact Opt-In: $500 per entry

More information on categories, criteria, and the submission process is available at neocon.com/awards/best-of-neocon.