MILAN, Italy – Product and process innovation as an opportunity for resilience and growth, at a time when the horeca sector is facing major challenges in the international markets, which require increasing efficiency, originality and sustainability. This is the spirit that inspires Smart Label – Host Innovation Award, the recognition dedicated to innovation in professional hospitality promoted by HostMilano and Fiera Milano in partnership with POLI.design and sponsored by ADI – Association for Industrial Design.
Smart Label: a point of reference for fully-fledged innovation
Because of its distinctive traits in terms of marketing and consumption strategies, the out-of-home presents itself as a paradigm of incremental innovation: that is why the biennial Smart Label event has a systemic importance that makes it a worldwide reference point for the most “out of the box” innovative solutions.
In fact, the collaboration between HostMilano, Fiera Milano and POLI.design makes it possible to verify under field conditions the market expansion opportunities enabled by innovation, fostering innovative projects that meet the needs of an ever-evolving sector and that support Italian and international companies in enhancing new and different contexts. This is also evidenced by the high number of participants: in the previous five editions, more than 790 applications were submitted and 256 products received awards.
The awards given during HostMilano
A role that is reconfirmed again for this sixth edition, which will see the awards given during HostMilano 2023, the world’s leading event for professional hospitality and the out-of-home – at fieramilano from October 13 to 17 – to those products, services and projects that will emerge for their distinctive features in terms of functionality, technology, environmental sustainability, ethics or social impact.
Matteo Ingaramo, Chairman of Poli.design explains that “Never before as in complex economic and social contexts such as those of today, design can be transformed into a resource capable of orienting societies and production systems toward new models of development, becoming a strategic lever. This concept has been clear for years to all players operating in the horeca sector, and I am convinced that, even more so today, design will be their weapon to resurrect and compete, especially in international markets. I am sure the competition this year will be very fierce and we will be faced with a very high level of projects.”
“In the particular juncture we are experiencing, the return of the Smart Label – Host Innovation Award is even more significant. Advanced innovation, smart solutions and attention to sustainability, not only environmental but also social, have actually become indispensable factors to ensure the resilience and growth of companies,” comments Simona Greco, Exhibitions Director of Fiera Milano. “Due to its peculiar characteristics, the Ho.Re.Ca. sector often anticipates and foreshadows general trends; therefore, the ideal scenario for identifying and rewarding innovation is a leading international platform in professional hospitality such as HostMilano that, even in a phase like the current one, is capable of confirming itself as a global hub of innovation as well as a supply-demand match.”
Smart Label: how to participate
Three categories are provided. Smart Label will reward products with particularly distinctive innovative content.
Innovation Smart Label is the recognition for products with high innovation content that mark the overcoming of established trends, particularly through digital and Internet of Things.
Green Smart Label will be awarded to products with high innovation content and distinctive features with reference to energy conservation, environmental compatibility and eco-sustainability, particularly through the application of new materials that contribute to energy conservation or energy recovery.
Special Mentions will also be awarded to agribusiness products (food & beverage) that stand out because they are particularly innovative.
Until April 30, 2023, companies registered for Host Milano 2023 will be able to submit an application for one of their products or projects in the pipeline, according to the procedures indicated at: www.polidesign.net, through a special digital template (no other forms of application will be accepted). Each company may submit only one application.
Full regulations are available at www.host.fieramilano.it and www.polidesign.net.
How applications will be evaluated
A judging committee, comprising Milano Politecnico professors and field experts, will evaluate the applications and award to those proposals that demonstrate that they meet the innovation requirements according to each category. The committee will evaluate applications based on key elements such as functions efficiency, performance effectiveness or usability, mode of use and innovation technologies, and user benefits.
Candidate products, services and projects that will receive an award, will be displayed in the SMART Products area at HostMilano 2023 and will be published on a dedicated INDEX, sending a message of innovation and dynamism for their sector and for the entire economic system.
The rich schedule of events not to be missed also includes Design Talks, again in partnership with POLI.design, and under the patronage of NEWH – The Hospitality Industry Network: refresher seminars dedicated to architects and experts in the hospitality sector, who will delve into the themes of sustainable innovation declined in design, concepts and formats.
Application deadline: April 30, 2023
Method of participation and information www.polidesign.net and www.host.fieramilano.it.
