This year The Tech Awards, presented by Applied Materials honors the best of the best. We are recognizing six laureates and one impact laureate who have made a tremendous global imapct. A panel of judges reviewed previous Tech Awards laureates and selected this group to represent the program's 15 years of change making around the world. 

Intel Environment Award: Source International

What they do: Source International provides on-the-ground technical and scientific support to allow local communities to hold mining and oil extraction companies accountable for pollution and illness. Source International was named a Tech Awards laureate in 2014.

Read more about how Source International defends polluted communities with science.

Microsoft Education Award: Equal Access International

What they do: Equal Access International reaches 67 million households in nine countries across Asia, Africa and the Middle East with informative and educational media programs that address critical challenges, especially those focused on women’s rights and education. Equal Access International was named a Tech Awards laureate in 2003.

Equal Access is giving communities around the world a voice. Learn how here.

PayPal Equality Award: Souktel

What they do: Souktel helps reduce unemployment by connecting employers and job seekers with a matchmaking platform that works on basic phones, reaching 1 million users in 30 emerging markets around the world. Souktel was named a Tech Awards laureate in 2010.

Read more about how Souktel battles unemployment.

Katherine M. Swanson Young Innovator Award: Angaza

What they do: Angaza removes the upfront price barrier of solar energy products, enabling off-grid customers to prepay for clean energy in affordable amounts. Angaza was named a Tech Awards laureate in 2012.

Read more about Angaza and the pivot that changed how it's bringing solar power to the world.

Sobrato Organization Economic Development Award: IDE-India

What they do: IDE-India invented a low-cost drip irrigation system and foot-powered water pump, which currently reach 1.38 million households and 7.4 million people in India, leading to cumulative additional net income generation exceeding $1.4 billion. IDE-India was named a Tech Awards laureate in 2004 and 2010.

IDE-India created a whole new way for people to farm in India. Read about this revolution here.

Sutter Health Award: D-Rev

What they do: D-Rev designs and delivers medical technologies for underserved populations, treating more than 100,000 babies with severe jaundice in 2015. D-Rev was named a Tech Awards laureate in 2013.

Read more about D-Rev and the lamp it created to treat infant jaundice.