The Global Wellness Summit celebrated the 5th annual Global Wellness Awards and the winners of its Shark Tank of Wellness student competition.
More than 630 invitation-only delegates from 50 countries attended the 2018 Global Wellness Summit, held at Technology Gym in Cesena, Italy.
Among this year’s winners:
Leader in Innovation—Nerio Alessandri, founder and president, Technogym, recognized for utilizing the term “wellness” in the early ‘90s to define his technology and fitness company, before it became common parlance
Leader in Sustainability—Clodagh, head, Clodagh Design, recognized for being a “vanguard of wellness design” as evidenced by her use of approaches like feng shui, chromatherapy and aromatherapy, and her believe that good design supports wellbeing and can transform people’s lives
Leading Woman in Wellness—Sheila McCann, general manager, Lanserhof UK (formerly general manager, Chiva-Som), recognized for being a key industry figure supporting destination spas, integrated wellness resorts and wellness retreats
Leader in Workplace Wellness—Denise Bober, vice president of human resources, The Breakers Palm Beach, recognized for transforming the property’s culture into an ideal example of workplace wellness and “proving that a ‘return on wellness’ is a real measurement of success’
Leader in Social Impact— Rupert Schmid and Pierre-Louis Delapalme, co-presidents, Biologique Recherche, recognized for working to make it possible for more people to live happier, healthier lives; the duo partners with Wellness for Cancer to adapt facial and body treatment to meet the needs of cancer patients and those in remission
Debra Simon Award for Leader in Furthering Mental Wellness—John Stewart, a founding partner and key visionary behind the Kamalaya Koh Samui wellness resort, for creating projects that make a “measurable difference in people’s lives”
Additionally, the event featured the annual Shark Tank of Wellness competition, challenging university students from around the world to create new, viable concepts in wellness. Out of more than 150 submission from 39 countries, fifteen presented to the Wellness Sharks, who selected three finalists. The finalists, along with their professors, flew to Italy to present their ideas in front of a panel of real-world wellness experts and a live audience.
This year’s winners included:
- First Prize ($5,000)—Maria Mu, Cornell University, Bellumo
A sleep technology concept, Bellumo aims to help the hundreds of millions of people who have trouble falling asleep at night. The glowing, hanging mobile guides users through breathing exercises to help them fall asleep, serving as an alternative to medication. The form of the mobile was inspired by the bioluminescence of jellyfish, and the glowing and dimming of the soft LED lights assists users in inhaling and exhaling for set amounts of time.
- First runner-up ($2,500)—Ece Nur Temel, Istanbul Technical University, Yoga Lounge
A personal yoga space, Yoga Lounge is designed for use throughout airports, providing a private sanctuary in the stressful environment. Each module is divided into two small areas: one to place your baggage and change clothes, and another to doing yoga or meditation with essentially such as blocks and straps. The concept is also ideal for libraries, universities and more.
- Second runner-up ($2,500)—Niccolo Saltarelli, Les Roches Global Hospitality Education in Switzerland, CampWell
Campwell is an innovative health and wellbeing-focused summer camp which pairs young adults with experienced counselors from an older generation, aimed at forging human connection and intergenerational bonding with mental health education and experiences. Programming at the camp is designed to address loneliness and unhappiness among young adults.
