Guest Commentary | Southwest Florida makes bold statement at 2026 Edison Awards
The room at Caloosa Sound Convention Center was filled with the brightest minds in the world, including tech CEOs, engineers and entrepreneurs who traveled from 24 countries for the 2026 Edison Awards in Fort Myers.
Exhibitors showcased an electric flying vehicle, humanoid robots, AI-sensing yoga wear, augmented reality glasses, lab-grown chocolate and more. Distinguished guests included former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, NBA Ambassador Ahmad Rashad and pop icon Rihanna, who joined the event virtually.
This year’s Edison Awards, dubbed the “Oscars of Innovation,” was truly a global celebration of the biggest, boldest ideas that will redefine our future.
Yet, in a room overflowing with exceptional talent, Southwest Florida didn’t just hold its own… we stood shoulder to shoulder with the greatest thinkers of this generation. In fact, the 2026 Edison Awards may go down in history as the region’s coming out party as the next global hub for innovation. If these innovators didn’t know about Lee and Collier counties before the event, they know now.
An astounding five local companies- ADDMA, Arthrex, Digital Short Cutz, e2Companies and EmCyte — received gold, silver or bronze awards alongside international corporations like Dow Chemical, Cisco, DuPont, HP, Waymo, Mastercard and other household names.
Beyond the awards gala, attendees couldn’t help but be impressed with Southwest Florida’s show of force at the Edison Awards, which were held April 15-16. James Richmond, CEO of Bonita Springs-based e2Companies, sounded the alarm about the power grid as a featured panelist during the Innovators Forum. Kyrin Hall, founder of Naples-based Digital ShortCutz, moderated a panel exploring technologies shaping 2030. Both leaders also collected Edison Awards for their companies’ achievements.
Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson, Florida Gulf Coast University President Aysegul Timur, Collaboratory President and CEO Dawn Belamarich and Lee Health Chief Operating Officer Ben Spence were among those who addressed the 500-plus attendees at the awards gala. In answering questions, some panelists name-dropped local leaders, like Dunbar High School Principal Carl Burnside and Babcock Ranch visionary Syd Kitson. And then there was the Horizon Foundation’s Bill Johnson, Jr., executive director, and Shelby Baucom, chair of the STEM to Career Connection Committee, who presented winners of this year’s AI + HI Innovation Challenge, which recognized teams of outstanding students from Dunbar High School in Fort Myers and Island Coast High School in Cape Coral. In the room were local business leaders like Stevens Construction President Mark Stevens, Stilwell Enterprises CEO and Owner Sandy Stilwell Youngquist, Lee County Economic Development Director John Talmage and many others.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Innovators Showcase featured eight local businesses and organizations exhibiting their products, services and capabilities. Even the event’s sponsor list had a local flair with the Horizon Foundation, City of Fort Myers, Florida Gulf Coast University, Collaboratory, EmCyte, Babcock Ranch, U.S. Sugar and Blue Waters Development Group among those supporting the program.
The Edison Awards may have only been a two-day event, but it undoubtedly left a lasting impression on attendees. For decades, Southwest Florida has been a mecca for those seeking warmth and sunshine in the winter, but moving forward, our region is building momentum as a destination for innovation. That shouldn’t be a surprise for an area that welcomed Thomas Edison and Henry Ford many generations ago.
When we rolled out the red carpet at the Edison Awards, we essentially rolled out the welcome mat for researchers, scientists, entrepreneurs and corporate executives who see more than just beaches and blue skies. They see a region ripe for economic development and poised for success as a global hub for innovation.
Helen Edenfield is president of the Horizon Foundation, which raises private-sector money to support efforts of the Lee County Economic Development Office and the Horizon Council to improve the area’s business climate.