Applications and nominations for the 2026 Wilt Hildenbrand Rising Leader Award are now being accepted!
The Wilt J. Hildenbrand Jr. Scholarship and Rising Leader Award honor the legacy of an industry visionary whose leadership, innovation, and mentorship shaped modern broadband. Wilt Hildenbrand spent four decades advancing cable telecommunications, pioneering digital video, Pay-Per-View, Video on Demand, and 100-Mbps broadband services. To celebrate his 40 years of service and lifelong commitment to innovation and mentorship, Rouzbeh Yassini, founder of the YAS Foundation, established a $200,000 founding grant in partnership with the SCTE Foundation. The scholarship supports the education of children of fallen soldiers, reflecting Wilt’s belief in technology’s power to uplift communities, while the Rising Leader Award recognizes exceptional broadband professionals under 40, presented annually at SCTE TechExpo. Together, these programs preserve Wilt’s legacy by empowering the next generation of innovators to carry forward his vision of a connected, compassionate world, honoring both his professional achievements and the enduring friendships that shaped the industry.