DEADLINE
August 16, 2026
Entry Fee
$350
Ceremony
October 7, 2026
Issue Feature
November Innovation issue of Soundings Trade Only
Recognition that holds weight in the trade. Three reasons B2B marine companies enter year after year.
Judged by Your Peers
A panel of senior B2B marine trade-media editors and recently retired marine industry C-suite or Senior level executives comprise the jury.
On-Stage Recognition
Category winners receive a plaque and the top winner receives a glass trophy, presented live at the close of the MIX (Marine Ideas Exchange) Event at the IBEX marine trade show.
A Credential You Can Use
The EPIC winner mark may be used in your marketing materials, packaging, and trade-show booth — a year-long sales asset, not just a moment.
A complete recognition package: Physical awards plus the marketing assets winners actually use after the show.
Glass Trophy
Presented to the Most EPIC (Exceptional, Purposeful, Innovative and Compassionate) Company of the Year.
Engraved Plaque
For each category winner, presented on stage at the awards ceremony.
EPIC Winner Mark
Digital badge kit (color, mono, horizontal, stacked) for use across marketing, sales, and packaging materials.
November Issue Feature
Editorial winner profiles will appear in the Soundings Trade Only Innovation issue.
Usage Rights
Permission to use “EPIC Award winner” language and symbol in ads, packaging, and collateral through the next cycle.
Enter one category — or several.
Companies of any size are eligible. Most winners enter two to three categories. Companies that reach the peak of the top 10 list, demonstrate capabilities and creativity in nearly all categories.
Development & Technology:
New materials, interfaces, designs, and user experiences pushing the marine industry forward.
Manufacturing & Supply Chain:
Process, production, supply-chain, virtual design, safety, efficiency and technological advances.
Sustainability:
Inventive design that meaningfully reduces environmental impact across the product lifecycle or manufacturing process.
Workforce & Culture:
Practices, programs, and environments that drive recruitment, retention, and worker wellbeing. Innovative approaches to collaboration and teamwork and transparency that promote a positive workplace.
Altruism & Social Impact:
Community-minded business practices that build trust and produce measurable social change locally, nationally or globally.
Training:
Inventive programs that develop talent inside the company and across the dealer, representative, and industry network, including initiatives that build the next generation of the marine workforce.
Start-ups:
Companies under five years old, demonstrating innovation and ambition out of the gate, or established companies entering the marine space with new offerings.
Judged by people who know the marine industry.
Every submission is evaluated by a panel of senior B2B marine trade-media editors, media leaders and recently retired marine industry C-suite or senior level executives. The 2026 panel will be announced on July 16, 2026.
In good company.
EPIC Award winners from 2025
Tied for 1st Place: Dometic, Garmin
Tied for 2nd Place: Brusnwick, Correct Craft
3rd Place: Volvo Penta
4th Place: Sharrow
5th Place: Boatyard
6th Place: Tiara Yachts
7th Place: AYBC
8th Place: Scout Boats
9th Place: Suzuki
10th Place: Groupe Beneteau
Honorable Mentions:
Roswell Marine
Wavve
DIS (Dealer Integrated Systems)
Altruism: Correct Craft
Development & Technology: Dometic, Scout Boats
Manufacturing Processes: Tiara Yachts
Sustainability: Suzuki
Training: ABYC, AkzoNobel
Work Culture: Garmin
Tied for 1st Place
Dometic
Garmin
Tied for 2nd Place
Brunswick
Correct Craft
3rd Place
Volvo Penta
4th Place
Sharrow
5th Place
Boatyard
6th Place
Tiara Yachts
7th Place
ABYC
8th Place
Scout Boats
9th Place
Suzuki
10th Place
Groupe Beneteau
Honorable Mentions
Roswell Marine
Wavve
DIS (Dealer Integrated Systems)
Altruism
Correct Craft
Development & Technology
Dometic
Scout Boats
Manufacturing Processes
Tiara Yachts
Sustainability
Suzuki
Training
ABYC
AkzoNobel
Work Culture
Garmin
“We are incredibly honored to be recognized by Soundings Trade Only as one of the Most EPIC Companies of 2025. This award reflects the passion and commitment of our team to pushing boundaries through cutting-edge technology and a workplace culture rooted in integrity and innovation. We’d like to thank Soundings Trade Only for creating a platform that celebrates innovation and progress in our industry, and we congratulate our entire team on this prestigious recognition.”
— Jarrod Seymour, Garmin Vice President and Marine Segment Leader
Key dates.
Six months from entry to on-stage recognition.
01
June 1
Entries Open
02
July 16
Judges Announced
03
August 21
Entries Close
04
September-October
Judging and winner notification
05
October 7
On-stage ceremony at the MIX Event at IBEX
06
November
Trade Only Innovation issue publishes
Straightforward pricing.
Pay once, $350, then submit and edit your entry until the deadline.
Can a company enter multiple categories?
Yes. Most winners enter two to three. The multi-category fee covers multiple categories per company.
Can a parent company and subsidiary both enter?
Yes, as separate entries with separate fees, provided the innovations are distinct.
What time period must innovations fall within?
Innovations implemented between August 16, 2025 and August 21, 2026 are eligible.
When are winners notified?
Winners are notified in early October ahead of the public announcement at the awards ceremony on
October 7, 2026.
Is the entry fee refundable if we don’t win?
No – the fee covers judging, editorial review, and program administration regardless of outcome.
Tell Your Story Your Way
The entry form gives the judges what they need to score your entry — but the most memorable submissions go further. Past entrants have sent in short videos, narrated presentations, photo essays, customer letters, and original artwork to bring their story to life. Get creative. Stand out. Show the judges why your company belongs on the list of the Top 10 most EPIC companies in the marine industry!
Entries close August 21. Submissions can be saved and edited until the deadline.
By submitting this entry form, the entrant and company represented confirm that the information provided is original, admissible, and truthful.
If an external person is entering on behalf of a company, by submitting this form they acknowledge that they have the permission and support of the entrant company. In the occurrence that an entrant without such permission submits an entry form, the entrant will not be eligible for the competition.
The competition is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of any entrant.
Submission of any entry provides permission for its use for exhibition, promotion, and publication purposes in any medium. Submissions received after the deadline timeframe will not be accepted. Submission time frame is as follows: 12:01am on June 1st – 11:59:59 on August 21st, 2026. There is an entry fee for the Most Innovative Marine Companies Awards. When you submit your entry form you will be prompted to pay the fee.
If an entrant is deemed a winner of an award, the manner of publicizing the nomination and award is strictly within the discretion of Soundings Trade Only.
Soundings Trade Only and Firecrown Media reserve the right to choose the members of the judging panel.
Soundings Trade Only’s Most Innovative Marine Companies competition is subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is not available to companies residing in places where such competitions are prohibited.
