Nominations are now open for EFF's 26th Annual Pioneer Awards, to be presented this fall in San Francisco. EFF established the Pioneer Awards in 1992 to recognize leaders who are extending freedom and innovation in the realm of technology. The nomination window will be open until 11:59pm PDT on May 23, 2017. You could nominate the next Pioneer Award winner today!

What does it take to be a Pioneer? Nominees must have contributed substantially to the health, growth, accessibility, or freedom of computer-based communications. Their contributions may be technical, social, legal, academic, economic or cultural. This year’s Pioneers will join an esteemed group of past award winners that includes the late visionary activist Aaron Swartz; open source pioneer Limor "Ladyada" Fried; and the documentarian and journalist Laura Poitras and Glenn Greenwald, among many remarkable activists, entrepreneurs, public interest attorneys, and others.

2016 Pioneer Award winners & EFF Executive Director Cindy Cohn. Photo by Alex Schoenfeldt.

2016 Pioneer Award winners & EFF Executive Director Cindy Cohn. Photo by Alex Schoenfeldt.

The Pioneer Award ceremony depends on the generous support of individuals and companies with passion for digital civil liberties. To learn about how you can sponsor the Pioneer Awards, please email nicole@eff.org.

Remember, nominations are due no later than 11:59pm PDT on Tuesday, May 23! After you nominate your favorite contenders, we hope you will consider joining us this fall in San Francisco to celebrate the work of the 2017 winners. If you have any questions or if you'd like to receive updates about the event, including ticket information, please email tiffany@eff.org.

Nominate your favorite digital rights hero now!