Chinese firms lead CES Innovation Award honorees amid record submissions

Chinese companies have received prestigious Innovation Awards at CES 2026, including Best of Innovation designations, as the world's largest technology show witnessed record-breaking submissions with over 3,600 entries across 36 product categories.

The Consumer Technology Association announced the CES Innovation Awards 2026 honorees ahead of the show on Jan 6-9 in Las Vegas, Nevada where Chinese companies maintain a strong presence and are poised to impress global audiences with innovative products and solutions.

Among the Chinese winners, Shenzhen-based Yingling Co earned the Best of Innovation award in the drones category for its 8K 360 drone. Netvue Technologies Co, another Shenzhen-founded company specializing in smart bird feeders, claimed the same honor in pet and animal tech for its smart birdbath. Zettlab Innovation Technology Co, also based in Shenzhen, received the award in computer peripherals and accessories for its AI-powered storage solution.

The awards program saw unprecedented growth this year, with the robotics category experiencing 32 percent more submissions compared to 2025, while AI and drones categories each grew by 29 percent and 32 percent respectively, according to the Consumer Technology Association.

Chris Pereira, a CES Innovation Awards judge for 2026 and president and CEO of iMpact, told China Daily that Chinese participation reflects a significant evolution in the country's technology sector.

"What distinguishes many of the China-based entries today is less 'low-cost manufacturing' and more end-to-end execution: tight integration of hardware and software, mature industrial design, and faster iteration cycles that turn emerging components into polished consumer-ready products," Pereira said.

The strong showing by Chinese companies at CES 2026 continues a trend of growing influence at the global technology showcase. At CES 2025, China was reported as the largest foreign participant with more than 1,300 companies attending.

"Chinese participation has been consistently strong in recent years, and this year's honoree mix reflects that momentum," Pereira said. "The public 2026 honoree list itself includes many China-based brands across categories, including multiple Shenzhen-based firms, which reflects both scale and breadth of innovation."

Beyond the Best of Innovation winners, Chinese companies secured a substantial share of the CES Innovation Awards this year. An analysis of the honorees directory, based on company locations and recognized Chinese brands, reveals that more than 100 of the 247 total entries are from China.

Among the recognition are EcoFlow for its DELTA Pro Ultra X Whole Home Power Solution in the sustainability and energy transition category, and Anker Innovations for its Anker Prime Charger in computer hardware and components.

"These are good illustrations of where Chinese brands are combining engineering, manufacturability and user-centric design into globally competitive products," Pereira said.

According to Pereira, Chinese companies are excelling in three areas at CES 2026.

"In robotics and smart home automation, China-based companies are pushing practical robotics forward. This includes better perception, better navigation and better 'whole-system' reliability in real homes," he explained.

He also highlighted Chinese advances in "energy and power solutions". "There's clear progress in battery ecosystems, energy management and resilience. This includes smarter systems that integrate with apps and the home," he said.

The third standout area is user experience and industrial design, where "products are increasingly designed for global users, with a cleaner UI, better onboarding and more consistent cross-device experiences", Pereira said.

The evolution of AI technology marked a significant shift in this year's submissions across all participating countries.

"The biggest shift I'm seeing is AI moving from a 'feature' to the product's foundation. AI itself is no longer the primary selling point for leading brands," Pereira said. "At the same time, we're seeing robotics become more practical and mainstream, not just demos but systems designed for real environments."

The Consumer Technology Association added new award categories this year spanning EdTech, Enterprise Tech, Supply and Logistics, and Travel and Tourism.

"CES is becoming even more cross-industry," Pereira said, noting this "signals how broadly 'consumer technology' is now shaping every sector".

The rising competition also means higher standards for all participants. "The bar is rising fast, so simply being 'AI-powered' isn't enough. Products need to show real utility, thoughtful design, and credible execution," he said.