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Babbage International Policy Forum
Industrial Innovation Policy Award

This award is supported by generous funding from the Babbage International Policy Forum (UK) under the leadership of Professor Sir Mike Gregory. It recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of industrial innovation policy and policymaking. Winning papers are expected to demonstrate deep engagement with the theoretical and practical elements of industrial innovation policy. Papers will exhibit a substantial commitment to understanding the interplay between policy interventions and industrial dynamics to shed light on the challenges and opportunities for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and society. We encourage submissions that embrace a cross-disciplinary approach, drawing on diverse methodologies and perspectives across economics, science and technology, and management. Submissions that not only advance theoretical knowledge, but also offer insights and recommendations for policymakers and industry leaders are encouraged.

The award includes a $750 honorarium for first prize and a $250 honorarium for runner-up. Papers not chosen as winners will still be considered for inclusion in the regular Industry Studies Association Annual Conference program. Paper submissions to any of the research streams are eligible for this award. Self-nominations are accepted.

Submission Process

To be considered for the award, each candidate must:

  1. Submit a conference paper proposal (click here). Submissions will be processed only through Microsoft's Academic Conference Management Toolkit (CMT), not your ISA account. Click here to create a new CMT account or login to your existing CMT account. 
  2. In your CMT submission form, upload an extended abstract, then scroll to the bottom of the form and select "Babbage International Policy Forum Industrial Innovation Policy Award" to be eligible.
  3. Register for the conference by early March and commit to attend.  

Failure to fulfill any of these steps will lead to disqualification. 

Submission deadline is January 23, 2026.

Past Winners