Stratos was selected as a finalist on the strength of its innovative, all-in-one payment solution, which combines all plastic cards into a single, smart, dynamic card. Credit, debit, loyalty, membership and gift cards can be loaded into one mobile-connected card, empowering people to make better, more informed payment decisions while simplifying transactions through a familiar, reliable form.

“Stratos’ all-in-one connected card was in good company at the International Design Excellence Awards, surrounded by peers who share our single-minded focus on good design and innovative excellence,” said Thiago Olson, co-founder and CEO of Stratos. “Stratos is the next generation in payment tech, and we will continue innovating, leading the charge into new and better payment technologies. Our next release will incorporate EMV and NFC technology, so consumers can use “wave and pay,” EMV, or magnetic strips—with zero compromise to the safety features.”

A panel of 24 international design experts from design consultancies, corporations and universities judged nearly 2,000 entries this year. Past winners of IDEA awards include Square’s Square Reader; HP’s Chromebook 11; Nokia’s 2520 tablet; and Nook’s GlowLight, among many others.

IDSA will formally award these honors at the 2015 International Conference in Seattle on the evening of August 22, 2015.

About IDEA

Now in its 34th year, the International Design Excellence Awards program (IDEA®), fosters business and public understanding about the impact of design excellence on the quality of life and the economy. The IDEA program is regarded as one of the most preeminent design competitions in the nation with its scope and influence reaching far beyond the US.

About IDSA

Founded in 1965, the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) is one of the world’s oldest, largest, member-driven societies for industrial design. IDSA represents current and aspiring professionals in product design, interaction design, human factors, ergonomics, design research, design management, universal design and other related design fields. The society organizes and conducts the renowned International Design Excellence Award (IDEA) competition annually; hosts the International Design Conference and five district conferences each year; and publishes INNOVATION, a quarterly journal on design, including the Yearbook of Design Excellence highlighting the IDEA winners. IDSA’s charitable arm, the Design Foundation, supports the dissemination of undergraduate and graduate scholarships annually to further industrial design education. The organization has more than 3,000 members in 28 professional chapters in the US and members internationally. For more information, visit idsa.org.

About Stratos, Inc.

Stratos is the creator of the award-winning Stratos Bluetooth Connected Card™, which empowers issuers with a new card offering that consolidates an unlimited number of loyalty, membership and gift cards into a single, smart, dynamic card -- digitizing the wallet. With patented security features and acceptance at more places than any other mobile payment offering, Stratos streamlines the payment experience and empowers cardholders to make better payment decisions. Merchants and issuers partnering with Stratos are able to strengthen loyalty and engagement with better data and improved communications to their customers without infrastructure change. Stratos was founded by Thiago Olson, Chris Bartenstein and Henry Balanon and is based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company is funded by Toba Capital Partners, Western Technology Investment, Resonant Venture Partners and Hyde Park Venture Partners. For more information, visit stratoscard.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.