SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 20, 2007--The deadline for the 2007 Tech Museum Award nominations is next Monday, March 26, and individuals, for-profit and non-profit organizations are all eligible to apply. The Tech Museum Awards: Technology Benefiting Humanity, presented by Applied Materials, Inc., is recognized internationally for honoring innovators from around the world who are using technology to benefit humanity. Nomination forms and Awards criteria can be found at The Tech Museum's Awards web site at www.techawards.org.

Eligible nominees will be invited to submit applications. 25 Laureates across five categories - Environment, Economic Development, Education, Health, and Equality - will be selected from among all of the nominees and applicants by an international panel of judges led by the Santa Clara University Center for Science, Technology, and Society. Five of the 25 Laureates will each receive a $50,000 prize at a gala event held on November 7, 2007, when Silicon Valley luminaries will gather to celebrate the ways in which these Laureates have used technology to address the world's most critical issues.

"The Tech Museum's Tech Awards Program gives visibility to some of the most creative and impactful uses of science and technology around the world," said Peter Friess, President of The Tech. "In addition, this Program can also help people and projects connect with new funding opportunities essential to continuing their work. We encourage participation from all over the world, and look forward once again to recognizing innovators who might otherwise go unheard of if not for the Tech Museum Awards."

The Awards program was launched in 2000, inspired in part by the "State of the Future" report published by the Millennium Project of the American Council of the United Nations University. The report recommends that award recognition is an effective way to accelerate scientific breakthrough and technological applications to improve the human condition. The Awards categories are based on the 15 Global Challenges identified in the report.

The Tech Museum Awards partners and sponsors include: Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara University Center for Science, Technology and Society, American Council for The United Nations University, United Nations Development Programme, World Bank Institute, Intel, Accenture, Microsoft, Agilent Technologies Foundation and The Swanson Foundation. A complete list of program sponsors and partners can be found at www.techawards.org/about/partners_sponsors/.

About The Tech Museum of Innovation

The Tech Museum of Innovation is a hands-on technology and science museum for people of all ages and backgrounds. Located in San Jose, California - the Capital of Silicon Valley - its mission, as a public-benefit corporation, is to inspire the innovator in everyone. Through hands-on exhibits, educational programs, the annual Tech Challenge team competition for youth, and the internationally recognized Tech Museum Awards, presented by Applied Materials, Inc., The Tech Museum of Innovation honors the past, celebrates the present, and encourages the development of innovative ideas for a more promising future. For more information about The Tech Museum of Innovation, visit www.thetech.org.

Copyright Business Wire 2007

Tech Museum of Innovation, The

Tech Museum of Innovation, The

Established in 2001, The Tech Museum Awards honor 25 Laureates (individuals, for-profit, public and not-for-profit organizations) from around the world who are developing innovative ways to use technology to solve global challenges. Five of these Laureates share a $250,000 cash prize. These individuals will be selected from 951 entries received this year. The cash prize winners will also be announced at the November 15 gala dinner. The black tie event will be hosted by NFL Legend Steve Young, a member of The Tech Museum's Board of Directors. The Tech Museum Awards represent a collaborative effort among educational institutions and businesses. Silicon Valley leaders supporting The Tech Museum Awards include presenting sponsor Applied Materials and Santa Clara University's Center for Science, Technology, and Society. Category sponsors include Intel, Accenture, Microsoft, Agilent Technologies Foundation, The Swanson Foundation and Applied Materials. Program sponsors include Wells Fargo, KPMG and Celerity.

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