Badge Wins Multiple 2026 BIG Innovation Awards for Breakthroughs in Privacy‑Preserving Authentication

Badge Inc. and Co‑Founder Dr. Tina Srivastava honored for redefining digital identity in the age of AI

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Badge Inc., the market leader in privacy‑preserving identity solutions, has been named a winner of the prestigious 2026 BIG Innovation Awards in the Technology and Internet category. In addition, Badge Co‑Founder Dr. Tina Srivastava has been honored individually as one of the year's most innovative leaders. These awards follow Badge's recent recognition as Fast Company's "Innovation Team of the Year" for 2025.

The BIG Innovation Awards celebrate organizations and individuals transforming industries through applied innovation and intelligent platforms. This year's winners underscored a defining shift: in the age of AI, innovation demands trust, privacy, and security at the core.

Badge's recognition reflects its pioneering work in eliminating stored identity credentials — one of the most exploited vulnerabilities in modern cyberattacks — and Badge's delivery of Identity Without Secrets™ through zero knowledge authentication.

"Badge proves that real‑world cybersecurity problems demand real‑world solutions. Badge didn't just rise to the top – it redefined the standard. Badge is a 2026 BIG Innovation Award winner and a Top 10 Enterprise Innovator. Badge's zero‑knowledge biometric technology is a breakthrough that strikes directly at the heart of cyber threats and identity theft. Badge delivers innovation with the utmost purpose— practical, original, and urgently necessary." — Russ Fordyce, Chief Recognition Officer, Business Intelligence Group

Dr. Srivastava was named a BIG Innovative Individual. Her leadership and technical vision were recognized as instrumental to Badge's impact. The winners "are not just riding the AI wave, they are architecting the operating models that will define the next decade of global business performance."

"Dr. Tina Srivastava is redefining cybersecurity. Her vision behind Badge's identity without secrets technology is solving one of cybersecurity's most fundamental challenges -- eliminating stored credentials and sensitive information – with rare technical courage and precision. Recognizing her as a Top 10 Innovator affirms the profound impact of her work on how the world protects its identity."— Russ Fordyce, Chief Recognition Officer, Business Intelligence Group

In an era where AI accelerates both innovation and cyber risk, Badge's approach stands apart. By removing stored identity credentials from authentication, Badge closes one of the largest gaps exploited in data breaches. As The Privacy Company for Identity, Badge is redefining how organizations think about security, trust, and digital protection.

"This recognition underscores the importance of protecting identity for both humans and the intelligent agents that now act on our behalf. In a world where people and AI systems must authenticate securely, identity without secrets is essential. Badge removes the risks of stored credentials so humans and machines can operate with trust, privacy, and confidence."
— Dr. Tina Srivastava, Co‑Founder, Badge Inc.

To learn more about the BIG Innovation Awards visit www.bintelligence.com/posts/2026-big-innovation-awards-159-trailblazers-prove-where-innovation-is-really-happening.

About Badge

Badge enables privacy-preserving authentication to every application, on any device, without storing user secrets or PII. Badge's patented technology allows users to derive private keys on the fly using their biometrics and factors of choice without the need for hardware tokens or secrets. Badge was founded by field-tested cryptography PhDs from MIT and is venture-backed by tier 1 investors. Customers and partners include top Fortune companies across healthcare, banking, retail, and services. Learn more at www.badgeinc.com.

About Business Intelligence Group

The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in business. Unlike many recognition programs, these awards are evaluated by business leaders and practitioners who reward programs, products, and people that deliver real, quantifiable excellence rather than marketing narratives.

Media Contact
Kyle Kilcoyne
Badge Inc
[email protected]

Eliana Starbird
Chief Nominations Officer
Business Intelligence Group
+1 909-529-2737
[email protected]

SOURCE Badge