The international NextWave Awards (NWA) has announced its 2026 winners. Following a multi-stage evaluation process that included expert screening, shortlist formation, public project defenses, and final voting by an international jury, the laureates of this year’s edition have been determined.
In just two years, NextWave Awards has established itself as one of the most notable international initiatives recognizing professionals whose ideas, solutions, and projects deliver measurable impact across industries and help define new standards of professional excellence. The award focuses on proven, real-world results confirmed by implementation and scale.
NextWave Awards 2026 Winners:
- Sustainable Business Model — Serhii Levchenko
- Choreographer of the Year — Pavlo Yevtushenko
- Data Analytics and Trustworthy Experimentation — Ivan Petrov
- Digital Marketer of the Year — Rauf Bakhshiev
- Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning — Pranay Raj Kanakala
- International Project Legal Support — Anastasiia Milchakova
- Concept Artist of the Year — Andrei Skorseze
- Innovative Event Producer — Anna Chapek
- Scale-up of the Year — Nikita Berezutski
- Fintech Revolution — Mikhail Kashurin and other outstanding professionals.
The full list of winners is available on the official website: https://nwa-award.com/laureates/laureaty-2026.html
In 2026, the competition received 765 applications from around the world. The expert council brought together recognized professionals from Mexico, the United States, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, the UAE, Israel, India, and other countries, ensuring a high level of independence, objectivity, and international expertise.
Expert Council of the NextWave Awards 2026
The Expert Council included the following specialists:
- Leonel Clemente — an operations and engineering leader specializing in critical power systems, grid infrastructure, and large-scale renewable energy and industrial transformation projects.
- Borys Zhalilo — an internationally recognized expert in sales, negotiation, and business performance systems, advising companies across multiple countries on scalable growth and strategy.
- Mister Alok Kumar — a senior technocrat and global business leader focused on digital transformation, international cooperation, and advanced technologies.
- Lubarto Sartoyo Sanvirya — a leader in ASEAN industrial cooperation initiatives and international business development.
- Elsarwy Osama Elsayed Mahmoud Mohamed — an internationally recognized sculptor, professor, and cultural diplomat working at the intersection of art, academia, and international cultural relations.
- Manish Kumar — an international entrepreneur active in cross-border trade, industrial cooperation, and energy-related business development.
- Grigorii Palamarchuk — an internationally awarded pianist and performer in the classical music field.
- Natalia Pin — a business leader in international trade and textile manufacturing with export operations across multiple countries.
- Artur Glebov — a strategic marketing expert specializing in premium design, architecture, and luxury branding markets.
- Ivan Isaev — a specialist in machine learning, data science, and applied statistical modeling with extensive research and industry experience.
- Kantemir Vologirov — a mobile engineering specialist focused on iOS development, architecture, and product scaling, also a startup co-founder.
- Aivar Zherdem — an architect and concept designer working on integrated visual systems and contemporary architectural projects.
- Elena Garcia Benitez — a professional ballerina of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia and representative of the classical Russian ballet tradition.
- Bunescu Natalia — an attorney specializing in commercial law, cross-border disputes, and international arbitration.
- Ilya Levin — an investment professional specializing in corporate finance, M&A, and international investment structuring.
- Galyna Kaliuk — a senior marketing executive responsible for scaling international brands and driving market expansion strategies.
- Ekaterina Marinenko — a live performer and event producer focused on immersive shows and professional event production systems. And other outstanding professionals.
According to the jury, the winning works demonstrated the qualities increasingly defining the global professional landscape: strategic thinking, innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the ability to create solutions with long-term industry impact.
The organizers emphasize that the mission of NextWave Awards is to identify and support professionals whose work contributes to the development of industries on a global scale. The award continues to build a worldwide community of change-makers, bringing together experts, entrepreneurs, researchers, creators, and executives who are already shaping the practices of the future.
“Season 2026 marked an important milestone in the development of NextWave Awards. We saw a high level of competition, strong international representation, and projects that truly demonstrate measurable industry impact. We thank all participants, finalists, and members of the expert council for their trust and contribution to the professional community. This fall, NextWave Awards will open applications for the 2027 cycle, and we are confident that the next edition will reveal new names and new success stories,” said the organizing committee of NextWave Awards.
The international status of NextWave Awards is confirmed not only by the geographical diversity of participants and experts but also by strong media partnerships. The project is also supported by specialized media in business, finance, arts, and creative industries, including Melon Rich, FINANCE-TIMES, and other international platforms.
