The Pacific Northwest has always been a place where people look at the world and ask, “Why not?” It is a region built by risk-takers, tinkerers, and stubborn optimists who refuse to accept that things have to stay the way they are. That spirit is exactly what GeekWire’s Uncommon Thinkers Awards are designed to celebrate. But if you have someone in mind, now is the time to act. The final call for nominations for the 2026 Uncommon Thinkers Awards is here, and the window closes this Friday, September 18, at 11 a.m. Pacific Time. This is not a casual reminder. It is the last chance to put forward the innovators, scientists, technologists, and entrepreneurs who are shaping the Seattle area and, in many cases, the entire world. The awards are meant for people who challenge conventional thinking, push boundaries, and make an impact that goes far beyond their own companies or labs. If you know someone like that, someone whose work makes you stop and say, “How did they even think of that?” then this is the moment to give them the recognition they deserve.
Now in its fourth year, the Uncommon Thinkers program has become one of the most meaningful honors in the region’s innovation community. It is presented in partnership with Greater Seattle Partners, an organization that understands how important it is to lift up the people who are turning bold ideas into real change. The program is not just about celebrating success stories after the fact. It is about identifying the inventors, scientists, technologists, and entrepreneurs who are actively transforming industries and driving positive change throughout the world. There is something deeply human about watching an innovator step onto a stage and receive recognition from their peers. It is a reminder that behind every breakthrough, every new company, every impossible-seeming idea, there is a person who stayed up late, failed, tried again, and refused to give up. The 2026 honorees will be celebrated on stage during a VIP reception at the annual GeekWire Gala on December 10. Early-bird tickets for the event are available now, and for anyone who cares about the future of the region, it is sure to be an evening full of inspiration, connection, and a genuine sense of possibility.
What makes someone an Uncommon Thinker? It is not simply about being smart, though intelligence certainly helps. It is not about having the most funding or the biggest team. The selection criteria for these awards are built around innovation, creativity, and leadership. Honorees should have a track record of introducing novel ideas, technologies, or solutions that challenge the status quo. They should be people who look at an old problem and see a new path forward, even when everyone else says it cannot be done. But creativity alone is not enough. Nominees should also demonstrate a measurable and meaningful impact on their respective fields or industries, contributing to the betterment of society. In other words, these are not just people with interesting ideas. They are people whose ideas have changed the way things work, who have created value, solved real problems, and made life better for others. Innovation without impact is just novelty. The Uncommon Thinkers Awards are about finding the people who take the leap from imagination to reality and bring the rest of us along with them.
To get a sense of what this looks like, you only need to look at last year’s honorees. The 2025 class was a remarkable group, each one representing a different kind of courage and curiosity. Anindya Roy, co-founder of Lila Biologics, is helping build a future where biology and technology work together in ways that could reshape medicine and materials. Kiana Ehsani, co-founder of Vercept, is inventing technology that once seemed confined to science fiction, pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Chet Kittleson, co-founder of Tin Can, was represented at the awards by Max Blumen, and together they are rethinking how things are made and built, bringing fresh thinking to industries that have been slow to change. Jeff Thornburg, co-founder of Portal Space Systems, is looking upward, working on ways to make space more accessible and open new pathways beyond Earth. Jay Graber of Bluesky is building a social media platform that puts more control in the hands of users, offering an alternative to the centralized systems that dominate the internet. And Brian Pinkard, co-founder of Aquagga, is tackling environmental contamination, working to destroy the so-called “forever chemicals” that threaten clean water and public health. These are very different people working in very different fields, but they share a common thread: the refusal to accept the world as it is.
The nomination process is open to everyone, and that is part of what makes these awards special. This is not a closed club where only insiders get to decide who matters. The GeekWire team and its partners rely on the community to surface the people who are doing extraordinary work, often without fanfare. A panel of judges will review the nominations and select the honorees, but the process starts with someone like you. Maybe you work alongside someone who always asks the right questions. Maybe you know a founder whose product makes you wonder how you ever lived without it. Maybe there is a scientist in your life whose research gives you hope for the future. Or maybe you know someone who does not fit the typical startup mold but whose work is quietly transforming an industry. This is your chance to make sure they get the recognition they deserve. Filling out the nomination form takes only a few minutes, but for the person you nominate, it could mean everything. It says: someone saw what you were doing, someone believes in what you are building, and someone thinks the world should know your name.
The GeekWire Gala on December 10 will be the culmination of all of this effort, and thanks to First Tech Federal Credit Union, the title sponsor of this year’s event, it promises to be an unforgettable evening. But the Gala is more than just an awards show. It is a chance for the Seattle area to come together and celebrate the people who are making the future happen. It is a room full of founders, researchers, investors, and curious minds, all there to honor the kind of thinking that does not happen by accident. If you want to be part of that energy, early-bird tickets are available now, and you can also check out a recap of last year’s event to get a sense of what to expect. The deadline is Friday, September 18, at 11 a.m. Pacific Time. After that, the nominations will be closed, and the judges will take over. So do not wait. If you know an Uncommon Thinker, nominate them today. And if you want to be in the room when they are celebrated, get your ticket now. The future is being built right here in the Pacific Northwest, and the people building it deserve to be seen.
