The ELIAS (European Leadership in Innovation with AI and Science) Alliance invites nominations for the FROntier AI Award, recognizing outstanding AI leaders of Focused Research Organizations—including startups, nonprofits, and open-source consortia—who are building private or public frontier AI systems for meaningful value creation.
Purpose of the Award
The purpose of the FROntier AI Award is to identify role models who inspire mentors and students in academia intellectually to pursue value creation through AI. It highlights AI leaders who successfully link academia with real-world impact, demonstrating that frontier research and practical value creation can go hand in hand.
The inaugural ELIAS Alliance award was presented to Max Welling for founding Cusp AI at the AI Summit AIS25 in Copenhagen under the Danish EU Presidency, marking a commitment to strengthening the connection between academic excellence and societal impact in Europe’s AI ecosystem.
Read more about AI Summit here: AI in Science Summit 2025: Europe Signals Ambition, Urgency, and Unity in AI for Science
Who Should Be Nominated
We seek individuals who:
Lead (Individuals or Team) a Focused Research Project (FROntier AI)
Demonstrate exceptional vision and execution in advancing frontier AI
Act as role models for translating research into meaningful value creation
Evaluation Criteria
Nominations will be assessed based on:
- Value Creation & Frontier Impact – demonstrated potential for meaningful and sustainable real-world impact, while advancing the frontier of AI research, technology, or application.
- Integrity & Responsibility – commitment to trustworthy AI development and to creating a positive and healthy societal impact.
- Inspirational Leadership – ability to inspire, mentor, and motivate the next generation of researchers, founders, and innovators.
Nomination Process
Submissions should include:
- 1 Page description of (1) the FRO and its mission and (2) the leading team or individual who can serve as role model for academic value creation
- Supporting materials (e.g. systems, publications, impact evidence)
- Short bio of the nominee(s)
Timeline
- Submission Deadline: August 31st, 2026
- Award Announcement & Award Ceremony: ELIAS Alliance FROntier AI Summit 2026 (Stuttgart Fair/Airport, October 7-8th)
About ELIAS Alliance
The ELIAS Alliance is dedicated to strengthening the European AI ecosystem by connecting research, industry, and society, and by promoting innovative organizational models that accelerate impactful AI development.
Submit nominations to:
elias-coordination@tuebingen.ai, ELIAS Alliance Coordinator, Lisa Schoellhammer
We encourage nominations that reflect bold thinking, strong execution, and a deep commitment to using AI for meaningful impact.