By Ashley Reyes
SEMA is honoring eight up-and-coming changemakers whose achievements are driving progress across the automotive aftermarket for the returning Visionary 8 Awards. Last year's SEMA Visionary 8 Award recipients were honored at the 2024 SEMA Show.
The SEMA Visionary 8 Award presented at the 2025 SEMA Show will recognize eight rising stars age 35 and under who are on track to change and/or advance the automotive specialty-equipment industry. If you know of a young entrepreneur or professional who deserves to be recognized for their outstanding industry achievements, we would like to hear from you.
The SEMA Visionary 8 Award honors up-and-coming talent making significant achievements in their companies and driving progress for future generations. A “Visionary 8” recipient may have played a key role in improving product development, energizing marketing efforts, upgrading customer interaction, or leveraging new and emerging technologies to expand company reach. They could also be budding talents at an established company, entrepreneurs building their own brands, or innovators who have launched companies that might become big names in the future. No matter what their role is, each honoree is filled with fresh ideas, enthusiasm, and drive to succeed.
When reviewing applications, SEMA looks for candidates that have active industry involvement and the demonstrated talent, innovation, integrity, success, and leadership that is needed to become a driver of the industry. Visionary 8 recipients will be recognized at the 2025 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
SEMA is also accepting nominations for other prestigious SEMA Industry Awards at sema.org/awards until Friday, August 15. The SEMA Industry Awards are presented to individuals and companies that have made outstanding contributions to the automotive specialty-equipment industry during the past year. The program recognizes honorees in six different categories: Channel Partner of the Year, Content Creator of the Year, Gen-III Innovator of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year, Person of the Year and Visionary 8.
The 2025 SEMA Show festivities will shift into gear on Tuesday, November 4, with the Kickoff Breakfast, where 15 cutting-edge New Product Awards will be unveiled alongside top honors for Channel Partner of the Year and Manufacturer of the Year.
On Thursday, November 6, the Visionary 8 and SEMA's Best Engineered Vehicle of the Year winner will be announced live at SEMA Central. The momentum will continue the same day at the newly reimagined industry homecoming--SEMA Industry Honors--now staged at the iconic Fontainebleau. This red-carpet-style gathering brings together the industry's biggest names to spotlight standout achievements, including Content Creator of the Year, Gen-III Innovator of the Year and the coveted Person of the Year.
Learn more and submit your nominations at sema.org/awards.
