The Cannes Yachting Festival is returning with its Innovation Route for its 49th edition, running from 8 to 13 September 2026, alongside the second edition of the Innovation Route Awards.
Launched last year, the Innovation Route is a dedicated trail running through both the Vieux Port and Port Canto, designed to identify and highlight the most innovative and sustainable solutions on display from exhibitors. Selected projects receive specific signage along the route, allowing the show’s 56,000 visitors to easily spot, follow and compare these innovations as they move through the show. The initiative is backed by dedicated digital communication before, during and after the Festival, giving selected exhibitors increased visibility well beyond the event itself. This year’s edition also adds a TV studio to the setup, further amplifying the showcase.
The route comes at a time of major transformation for the boating sector, driven by electrification, emission reduction and the search for new ways to get people on the water. Yachting remains a popular leisure activity, with nearly 90,000 boating licences issued each year in France, and newer formats such as boat clubs are growing quickly. Electric and hybrid engines are opening fresh opportunities for manufacturers and recreational boaters alike. While electric boats still make up less than 8% of the world market, they are becoming one of the sector’s main drivers of growth and innovation.
Running alongside the route, the Innovation Route Awards are free to enter for all exhibitors, with applications open until 17 July. Entries are judged across four categories: Best Equipment Enhancing Navigation, Best Sustainable Product, Best Innovative Boat and Best CSR Initiative, with a Special Jury Prize also available. Winners will be announced on the opening day of the show, 8 September.
The inaugural 2025 edition set a high bar, with judges selecting from 40 shortlisted innovations. Winners included SEA.AI’s WATCHKEEPER, an AI-driven system designed to help prevent collisions on the water, and the MODX 70, a fully electric 70-foot catamaran combining inflatable wing technology with hydrogen power. Millikan’s M.10, an autonomous solar-electric catamaran, and the VAAN R5, an aluminium sailboat that is 95% recyclable, were also recognised. The Special Jury Prize went to Benetti’s B.YOND 37M, a hybrid superyacht capable of cutting NOx emissions by 85%.
As Europe’s leading in-water boat show and the opening event of the global yachting season, Cannes brings together more than 680 exhibitors, from boat builders and engine manufacturers to brokers and marina operators, alongside a fleet of 700 boats ranging from 5 to 50 metres. With nearly 150 world premieres taking place on the water and more on shore, the Innovation Route offers visitors a focused way to navigate the show’s scale and zero in on the technologies set to shape yachting’s future.
