The Cannes Yachting Festival has unveiled the finalists for the ‘2026 Innovation Route Awards’. From 120 submissions, a six-expert jury evaluated and selected 47 entries spanning boats, equipment, and services that stand out for their boldness, relevance, and industry-transforming potential.
The four winners of the ‘Innovation Route Awards’, alongside a ‘Special Jury Prize’ recognising a particularly daring or exemplary project, will be announced during the Exhibitor Cocktail on Tuesday, 8th September, marking the opening of the show. Winners will receive an exclusive trophy designed by France Hélice.
Throughout the exhibition—running from 8th to 13th September across the Vieux Port and Port Canto in Cannes—selected innovations will be identifiable via dedicated signage and featured across the festival’s digital and editorial platforms.
Selection and key industry trends
Launched in 2024, the initiative highlights technological advancements and eco-friendly solutions shaping the future of recreational boating. In just two editions, the ‘Innovation Route’ has earned its place as an essential rendezvous for discovering the innovations driving the industry forward.
“The role of the Cannes Yachting Festival is to enhance the appeal of boating and inspire our visitors,” says Constance Brément, Director of the Cannes Yachting Festival. “The 47 selected entries demonstrate the industry’s commitment to more responsible boating without compromising on performance or enjoyment.”
The 47 selected entries show the biggest trends in modern yachting. In the race toward electrification and clean energy, standout contenders include the 100 percent electro-solar catamaran WHISPER 52, Weenav’s KRONOS Plug & Play system featuring a 97 percent recyclable battery, and Joool’s OneBox hydro-generation platform.
On the performance and design front, engineering breakthroughs are driving projects like the SKAW A family foiling sailboat and the MIRAVA Smart Boat with its Hydroglide technology.
Meanwhile, advances in equipment, safety, and efficiency take shape through Bluenav’s smart mooring system, Facnor’s TACKFURL racing furler, TBS Marine’s custom VEEM propulsion—which reduces fuel consumption by 18 percent—and Spot Zero’s dual desalination and purification system.
Crucially, environmental responsibility extends beyond propulsion itself, with D-Marin Biohuts deploying artificial habitats beneath pontoons to actively restore local marine biodiversity within harbour waters.
Through these 47 innovations, the festival confirms the momentum of an industry committed to a more sustainable, high-performing, and connected future.
The expert jury
The six-member panel evaluating the submissions comprises Guillaume Arnaud des Lyons (Deputy General Delegate, Fédération des Industries Nautiques), Thierry Berest (Marine Surveyor, Boat & Sea Consulting), Rachel Goult (Managing Director, Yacht Carbon Offset), Jean-Christophe Guillaumin (Journalist, Figaro Nautisme), Geoffroy Langlade (Journalist and Entrepreneur), and Elena Patriarca (Director, Adzurra S.r.l.).
Most of the jurors have been present since the initiative’s launch, noting a clear acceleration in technology. “Participating in this jury again makes it possible to see just how fast technologies evolve from one year to the next, and to continue supporting the most daring aspects of our industry,” says Thierry Berest.
Geoffroy Langlade adds that innovations are focusing more than ever on sustainable technologies to reduce carbon footprints, while AI and automation make navigation safer and smoother.
While Rachel Goult says: “The ecological transition has become the true engine of our industry. I am joining this jury with a desire to highlight pragmatic advancements capable of combining climate respect with the preservation of an exceptional boating experience.”
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Cannes Yachting Festival 2025. Photo credit: C. Charpin – CYF 2025