Behind the Scenes of Cannes Yachting Festival 2026

This year's epic experience of the 49th edition of the Cannes Yachting Festival proved again that the potential of the yachting industry is growing each year, and innovative brands in the industry are bringing new ideas into reality with their new inventions, shaping the ways of creating the modern yachting world. This year's highlight moment of the Cannes Yachting Festival was the 2026 Innovation Route Awards, where, out of 47 applicants, only 5 were selected and awarded exclusive custom-designed trophies created by FRANCE HELICES S.A.S. The Innovation Route project has been created to recognize and celebrate the innovations that shape the future of the yachting industry. The categories and winners of the Innovation Route Awards include: 

Best Equipment Improving Navigation

The Winner: BlueNav for its Smart Mooring technology. This technology simplifies docking by using electric motors and high-precision GPS to automatically guide a boat back to a saved position and hold it there within ±20 cm, continuously adjusting for wind, waves, and current. To learn more about this innovative technology, visit this link. 

Best Sustainable Product

The Winner: Suzuki Marine France for its advanced anodizing technology applied to outboard engine components, specifically designed to protect against corrosion and extend equipment life while minimizing environmental impact. For more information, visit this link.

Best Innovative Vessel

The Winner: Excess Catamarans for its Excess 11- an eco-efficient and progressive hybrid propulsion version designed to modernize the catamaran cruising experience. For more information, visit this link.

Best CSR Initiative 

The Winner: D-Marin | The Selection of Premium Marinas for its Biohuts Marine Biodiversity Restoration Initiative that was developed in partnership with ECOCEAN. This initiative installs artificial "Biohut" habitats under marina pontoons to protect juvenile fish populations and restore damaged coastal ecosystems. For more information, please visit this link.

Special Jury Award

The Winner: Azimut Yachts for its Azimut Grande 44M, a luxury superyacht honoured for its bold design, exceptional contribution to marine innovation, and improved hull efficiency. To learn more about this model, please visit this link.

We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to all the winners of this year's Innovation Route Awards. You are the true movers and shakers of the yachting industry and our YACHT HEROES.

This year, YACHT HEROES were honoured to officially cover and create a short documentary of the Cannes Yachting Festival as the press media, and we would love to share wonderful highlights of the show and the individual companies we were honoured to interview. 

Meet our YACHT HEROES of Cannes Yachting Festival 2026:

Deo Juvante Yachts - Deo Juvante's yacht models represent the possibilities of tomorrow — shaped by decades at sea, backed by naval architects LOMOcean, customizable to the owner's needs, and guided from first idea to final delivery. Explore our ready-to-build range and find the one shaped around your horizon. Mr. Thierry reveals his journey on YACHT HEROES. Don't miss out. Full show coming soon!

Ultra Marine Europe - Jocelyn Weber leads us through the anchoring conversation in depth to highlight why you should just "Drop it, Set it, Forget it". 

From high-volume production builders to the world’s most prestigious superyacht shipyards, Ultra Marine provides complete anchoring solutions trusted by 50+ leading OEM manufacturers across Europe, US and beyond. Stay tuned for the upcoming show to learn more about the journey of anchoring with Ultra Marine Team. 

SEABOB America - Robert Heiland shares the saga of the SEABOB: For nearly two decades, the SEABOB models have been setting new benchmarks in the maritime industry, performance and design. Watch the show to learn more about their products. Coming soon!

Volvo Penta - Its power solutions are present all over the world – in fertile farmlands and forests, in growing cities and deep mines, in giant harbors and on glimmering oceans. Volvo Penta collaborates with the customers to enhance the power of their products and add value to their brands. That’s what “Powered by Volvo Penta” means. 

Cornelius Kistler, passionate founder of breezeYachting.swiss, with his strong vision, and dedication, Cornelius created a community of the movers and shakers of yachting industry. Watch soon on YACHT HEROES.

At Cannes Yachting Festival 2026, we experienced the joy of community of yachting enthusiasts, over 56 000 visitors came to explore this epic event of the year, over 680 exhibitors presented their visionary projects, products and services, more than 700 boats were lucky to be anchored at the VIEUX PORT and PORT CANTO of Cannes and 680 journalists were honoured to capture the moments of lifestyle legends of the movers and shakers of yachting industry. If you were attending, please share with us, how did you like the experience, what was the best experience for you? If you did not make it to Cannes this year for the Festival this year, we invite you to join our social media channels to enjoy the highlights of the festival; and watch the full show that is coming soon on YACHT HEROES. At the end please enjoy the exceptional moments of the Cannes Yachting Festival 2026 through our camera and mind's lenses :) 

To explore more moments of Cannes Yachting Festival 2026, please visit our official website at www.yachtheroes.com 

We hope to see you again at 50th edition of the Cannes Yachting Festival to celebrate the movers and shakers of the yachting industry. 

This press release newsletter by Simona Okolicsanyiova. 

You are welcome to connect with editor in chief and the founder of LIFESTYLE LEGENDS PRODUCTIONS INC and the filmmaker, documentarian and show host of YACHT HEROES and HAPPY iDEA SHOW, Happy Bains. 

To share your thoughts, ideas & story, please visit www.LifestyleLegends.eu

Book us today for your upcoming yacht or boat show to promote your lifestyle or brand story, please email you@yachtheroes.com or you@happyideashow.com

YACHT HEROES - The Movers and Shakers of the Yachting Industry

LIFESTYLE LEGENDS - Connecting you with lifestyle and yachting opportunities.

DISCLAIMER: The information provided in this article/press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional, financial, legal, or medical advice.