TechConnect and National Safety Council Announce Finalists for Safety Innovation Challenge: Heat Stress

January 17, 2025

TechConnect, in collaboration with the National Safety Council (NSC), today announced finalists for the Safety Innovation Challenge: Heat Stress. This challenge uncovered innovative technologies designed to mitigate heat stress risks in the workplace, reducing injuries, illnesses, and fatalities caused by extreme heat exposure.

Out of nearly 100 global submissions, NSC selected these top-ranked finalists for their groundbreaking solutions to this critical workplace safety issue. The following innovators will present their technologies at the Future of EHS Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, from February 18-20, 2025, showcasing their solutions in the Technology Pavilion and pitching to an audience of business leaders, EHS professionals, researchers, and innovators.

  • Apex Cool Labs
  • Bodytrak
  • Critical Ops
  • Cryogenx
  • MakuSafe Wearable Tech
  • Wright Brothers Institute


The selected solutions address heat stress prevention, including but not limited to:

  • Wearable devices providing real-time thermal stress data
  • Active and passive thermal management systems for individuals and environments
  • Advanced insulative and thermally reflective materials
  • Software platforms delivering heat stress alerts and insights to safety supervisors
  • Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) training systems for heat stress education
  • First-response technologies to rapidly lower body temperature in emergencies

“At the National Safety Council, we are committed to leveraging innovation to tackle critical workplace safety challenges. Heat stress is a growing and preventable hazard that puts thousands of workers at risk every year,” said Riley Schoenborn, Program Manager, National Safety Council “Through the Safety Innovation Challenge, we aim to spotlight and support groundbreaking technologies that will protect workers, prevent heat-related injuries and illnesses, and ultimately save lives.”

All finalists will receive recognition through the TechHub Marketplace insights page, part of the NSC directory of safety technology solutions. Additionally:

  • The winner will receive a complimentary one-year TechHub subscription.
  • Finalists may collaborate with NSC on webinars, technical papers, and other initiatives to advance their safety missions.
  • Select technologies may qualify for pilot-scale funding from NSC to support their development and deployment.

The winner of the challenge will be announced during the Future of EHS Conference. To learn more about the Challenge, visit https://heatstress.techconnect.org/. 

Funded by the McElhattan Foundation, the Work to Zero initiative aims to eliminate workplace fatalities through the use of technology. To learn more about creating a safer workplace, visit nsc.org/worktozero.