The 2025 MIDI Innovation Awards
What are the midi innovation awards?
The MIDI Innovation Awards, established in 2021, celebrate groundbreaking advancements in MIDI technology.
Organized collaboratively by The MIDI Association, NAMM, and Music Hackspace, the awards highlight innovative products and projects that utilize MIDI 1.0 and 2.0 in novel ways, emphasizing MIDI’s role in fostering musical creativity.
This year we had a record number of entries. The 121 entries are presented below.
The awards are open to individuals, artists, and companies working with MIDI to develop innovative products or interactive experiences. Categories include:
- Commercial Hardware Products
- Commercial Software Products
- Prototypes and Non-Commercial Hardware Products
- Prototypes and Non-Commercial Software Products
- Artistic/Visual Projects or Installations
- NEW: Best MIDI 2.0 product (across all categories)
Winners gain opportunities to present their innovations on a global stage, with prizes such as exhibition spaces at major events like the NAMM Show, and Music China. They also receive support from The MIDI Association for developing MIDI 2.0 prototypes.
The MIDI Innovation Awards are also proud to work with partners including Sound On Sound, the world’s leading music technology magazine, contributing prizes and press coverage for the competition.
- March 18th: Registrations opened
- July 08th, 2025: Registrations closed
- July 14th, 2025: Voting starts
- August 04th, 2025: Voting closes, Finalists announced,
- Judges rank the finalists as First Place, Second Place and Third Place
- September 25th, 2025: 10 am Pacific on Andrew Huang’s Youtube Channel – Winners revealed
The 2025 MIDI Innovation Award Winners
View All The 2025 MIDI Innovation Awards Entries by Category
The 2025 MIDI Innovation Award Judges
Michele Darling
Assistant chair of the Electronic Production and Design Department at Berklee College of Music.
Bian Liunian
Chinese Erhu musician, composer and musical director of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Closing Ceremony and the CCTV New Year’s Gala, one of the most watched television programs in the world.
Moldover
Musician and instrument designer and is widely recognized as the godfather of controllerism.
Lucas Cantor Santiago
Lucas Cantor Santiago is a composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and author.
He finished Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony with Artificial Intelligence, the ‘completed’ symphony is regularly performed around the world.
Michael Strickland
Specialized Faculty in Music Technology at Florida State University and an active member of both the MIDI In Music Education and the Music Accessibility Standard Special Interest Groups of The MIDI Association.