We are delighted to announce the launch of the Benchmark Innovation Awards 2025, an esteemed event dedicated to recognising and celebrating groundbreaking advancements within the security industry. These awards honour companies and individuals who have demonstrated exceptional innovation, contributing significantly to the evolution of security technologies and practices. This year, we have a new category: Innovator (Distributor) Company of the Year.
1- Video Management Software Innovation: Recognises innovations in software that manage and analyse video feeds efficiently, enhancing situational awareness and analytics tools for security professionals.
2- Surveillance CCTV Innovation: Acknowledges advancements in CCTV technology, particularly devices that incorporate artificial intelligence for more intelligent monitoring and surveillance.
3- Visitors’ Management Innovation: Highlights solutions facilitating secure entry, mainly through mobile devices and practical intercom solutions, addressing access control challenges.
4- Alarm/Detection Innovation: Recognises excellence in alarm and detection systems, emphasising reliability and advanced features crucial for early threat detection.
5- Analytics and Software Innovation: Acknowledges advancements in video analytics and cloud-based storage solutions, essential for data-driven security strategies.
6- Cloud and SaaS Innovation: Celebrates innovations in cloud-based security solutions, offering enhanced management and accessibility for security systems.
7- Network and Connectivity Innovation: Recognises innovations in networking solutions crucial for security systems, emphasising robustness and adaptability in a connected world.
8- Innovator Company of the Year Award: Honours a company’s continuous dedication to pushing the boundaries of innovation in the security industry, recognising its significant contributions to advancing security technologies.
9- NEW! Introducing the Innovator (Distributor) Company of the Year category to the Benchmark Innovation Awards acknowledges the distributors’ pivotal role in the security industry. This award is designed to honour a distribution company that has demonstrated exceptional innovation, leadership, and commitment to advancing security solutions over the past year.
Role of Distributors in the Security Industry:
Distributors serve as the vital link between manufacturers and end-users, ensuring that cutting-edge security products and technologies are accessible to integrators, installers, and consumers. Their contributions include:
Market Education: Keeping abreast of emerging trends and technologies, and educating the market about innovative security solutions.
Supply Chain Optimisation: Efficiently managing the flow of products from manufacturers to the market, ensuring timely availability of security solutions.
Technical Support and Training: Providing essential technical assistance and training to integrators and installers, ensuring the effective deployment of security systems.
Nominate now!
BIA 2024 Winners:
Video Management Software Innovation Award
Winner: Cathexis Technologies – CathexisVision 2024
Cathexis Technologies takes home the award for its advanced video management software, CathexisVision 2024. This solution offers seamless high-resolution video management with powerful AI-driven object tracking and activity trails in live footage, enabling operators to monitor and respond in real time. By leveraging Qt6 and Visual Studio 2022, CathexisVision ensures optimal performance, even in the most demanding environments.
Surveillance CCTV Innovation Award
Winner: i-PRO – X-Series
i-PRO’s X-Series stands out with its groundbreaking AI capabilities, including on-site learning that allows the system to teach custom objects. With its ability to upgrade non-AI cameras and integration with the Active Guard plug-in for forensic search, the X-Series delivers a powerful and future-proof surveillance solution.
Runner-up: Hikvision – TandemVu PTZ Cameras
Hikvision’s TandemVu PTZ cameras showcase impressive multi-lens technology, enabling seamless coverage of large areas while capturing fine details, making them a powerful tool for surveillance.
Visitor Management Innovator Award
Winner: IDIS – DC-I6212WRX
IDIS takes the prize in this category with its DC-I6212WRX video intercom, featuring superior durability and an impressive NEMA 4X, IK10, and IP66 rating. The system delivers secure face-to-face access control and high-quality video and audio, offering a modern, robust solution for visitor management.
Runner-up: ACRE
ACRE’s solutions stand out for their flexibility and scalability. They provide secure visitor management systems that can be tailored to fit a wide range of environments.
Alarm/Detection Innovation Award
Winner: Webeye – Vigileyez
Webeye’s Vigileyez secures the top spot with its versatile battery-powered RF video alarm system, designed for mobile and permanent security applications. With a 5-megapixel outdoor camera, over 700 days of battery life, and integration of PIR and microwave technology, Vigileyez sets a new benchmark for alarm and detection systems.
Runner-up: Texecom
Texecom continues to set industry standards with its advanced alarm and detection technologies, delivering reliable security solutions for both residential and commercial sectors.
Analytics and Software Innovation Award
Winner: Hanwha Vision
Hanwha Vision takes this category with its advanced video analytics platform, which provides real-time insights and forensic capabilities to elevate system performance, making it a top choice for users needing comprehensive video intelligence.
Runner-up: i-PRO Active Guard
i-PRO Active Guard integrates seamlessly with i-PRO’s AI-driven cameras, providing users with enhanced forensic search capabilities for more intelligent video surveillance.
Cloud and SaaS Innovation Award
Winner: HID Global
HID emerges as the leader in the Cloud and SaaS category, recognised for their innovative cloud-based access control solutions. HID’s offerings provide scalability and secure data management, making them ideal for organisations looking for robust, remote security systems.
Runner-up: Texecom
Texecom’s cloud-based offerings streamline security management, providing robust and user-friendly solutions that cater to a broad range of customer needs.
Network and Connectivity Innovation Award
Winner: barox – RY-LGSO38-10
In the Network and Connectivity category, barox earns the top spot with its RY-LGSO38-10 10Gb SFP Light Core Ethernet switch. Built for handling high data loads, particularly in video surveillance applications, this switch offers reliable, high-speed data transmission and extensive security features.
Runner-up: IDIS
IDIS delivers resilient and high-performance network solutions that ensure seamless connectivity, supporting the growing demands of IP-based video surveillance systems.
Innovator Company of the Year Award
Winner: Hikvision
Hikvision secures the prestigious Innovator Company of the Year title, recognised for its continuous advancements in security technology. From the TandemVu PTZ cameras to AI-driven analytics, Hikvision remains at the forefront of the industry, delivering solutions that enhance security across multiple sectors.
Runner-up: i-PRO
i-PRO’s commitment to innovation, particularly in AI-driven surveillance solutions, continues to position it as a leader in the security industry.
The 2024 Benchmark Innovation Awards have again highlighted the innovative spirit driving the security industry forward. With a wide array of cutting-edge products, these companies are pushing the envelope, offering powerful and practical solutions. Congratulations to the winners and runners-up, and a big thank you to all who participated by casting their votes. The future of security looks bright with such exciting developments on the horizon.
Bellow is the list of companies that were shortlisted for the BIA 2024:
Video Management Software Innovation Award
This award recognises groundbreaking advances in video management and analysis software designed to enhance situational awareness and provide security professionals with robust analytics tools.
Finalists:
- CathexisVision by Cathexis – READ MORE
- COSMO MUST by COSMO SOFTWARE
- ONLINE AI PLATFORM by EET PORTUGAL
- EchoPoint by OPTEX
Surveillance CCTV Innovation Award
This category acknowledges CCTV technology advancements, particularly in devices incorporating artificial intelligence for more intelligent monitoring and surveillance.
Finalists:
- COSMO MUST by COSMO SOFTWARE
- SolidEDGE AI Camera – Serverless VMS by Hanwha Vision Europe
- Tandem Vu by Hikvision – READ MORE
- Lamp by Hitachi
- 2MP Video Intercom by IDIS Europe – READ MORE
- X-Series by i-PRO – READ MORE
- Sentinel by PropertySec
- Television by Sanyo
Visitors’ Management Innovation Award
Highlighting solutions that facilitate secure entry, particularly through mobile devices and practical intercom solutions, effectively addressing access control challenges.
Finalists:
- acre Enterprise Visitor Management by acre Security
- Mobile & Wallet (including Google Wallet) by HID
- 2MP Video Intercom by IDIS Europe – READ MORE
- Borealis – Cloud Access Control by Keri Systems Inc
Alarm/Detection Innovation Award
This award recognises excellence in alarm and detection systems that emphasise reliability and advanced features crucial to the early detection of threats.
Finalists:
- Unii Control Panel by Alphatronics
- CSL Connected with Orisec by CSL Group
- MaxPro Cloud by Honeywell
- Qolsys IQ4 Panel by Johnson Controls
- REDSCAN mini-Pro by OPTEX
- Cardefender by Pyronix – READ MORE
- Detector, Bridge, Cloud, Integration by Reconeyez UK
- PB-60TX by TAKEX EUROPE LTD – READ MORE
- Premier Elite by Texecom
- Vigileyez by Webeye Limited – READ MORE
Analytics and Software Innovation Award
Video analytics and cloud-based storage solutions have come a long way and are essential for implementing data-driven security strategies today. This award will recognise who is leading the way.
Finalists:
- AI-RAIL by A.I. Tech
- COSMO MUST by COSMO SOFTWARE
- P series AI camera analytics by Hanwha Vision Europe
- Active Guard by i-PRO – READ MORE
- Texecom Monitor by Texecom
Cloud and SaaS Innovation Award
Celebrates innovations in cloud-based security solutions and recognises systems offering enhanced management and accessibility for security professionals.
Finalists:
- acre Access Control by acre Security
- COSMO MUST by COSMO SOFTWARE
- Origo by HID
- Texecom Cloud by Texecom
Network and Connectivity Innovation Award
This award recognises innovations in networking solutions crucial for security systems, emphasising robustness and adaptability in a connected world.
Finalists:
- RY-LGSO38-10 by Barox – READ MORE
- VoiceLink by CSL Group
- HDMI/VGA Video Encoder by IDIS Europe
- SmartCom by Texecom
Innovator Company of the Year Award
This prestigious award honours a company’s continuous dedication to pushing the boundaries of innovation in the security industry. It recognises significant contributions to advancing security technologies.
Finalists:
- Hikvision
- CSL Group
- EET PORTUGAL
- HID
- i-PRO
- Johnson Controls
- OPTEX
- Pyronix
- Webeye Limited
The recipients of the Benchmark Innovation Awards, unveiled on October 7th, celebrate excellence and innovation in the security industry.
Read the results for the BIA 2023 here