The ICA Trailblazer Award shines a spotlight on the innovators shaping the future of the domain name industry. It celebrates individuals and companies whose creativity, vision, and leadership are transforming how domains are developed, managed, and used. After honoring Darpan Munjal and Atom.com with the inaugural award last year, we’re thrilled to continue the tradition of recognizing groundbreaking contributions.
The 2026 Trailblazer Award winner will be revealed live at the ICA Member Meeting in Las Vegas.
We’re proud to share this year’s nominees and their nomination statements, some of which have been combined or edited for clarity.
Chad Folkening
Chad Folkening is a true pioneer in the domain name industry whose vision, innovation, and leadership have left a lasting impact on how digital assets are acquired, developed, and monetized. Beginning in the 1990s, Chad recognized the value of premium domain names long before they were widely understood. Over the years, he has built and exited multiple ventures, co-founded Domain Holdings, and continually helped push the industry forward through domain monetization strategies and new developments in blockchain and decentralized naming.
Chad is known not only for innovation, but for generosity and collaboration. He openly shares ideas, mentors others, and remains at the forefront of emerging technologies such as tokenization and putting names on-chain. He has persevered through personal challenges, including fighting and beating cancer, while continuing to support his family and build his businesses. His ability to anticipate the future of digital identity, combined with his openness and leadership, makes him the very definition of a trailblazer.
Matthew Gould / Unstoppable Domains
Under the leadership of Matthew Gould, Unstoppable Domains has taken a visionary role in redefining how digital identity and domain ownership can function in a decentralized world. UD is pioneering the integration of traditional DNS with on-chain naming systems, enabling domain ownership and management to exist in a more permanent, resilient, and censorship-resistant environment. Their work introduces new models for security, transparency, and user control while remaining interoperable with global internet infrastructure.
By becoming an ICANN-accredited registrar while driving innovation in on-chain naming, UD bridges two historically separate systems. Millions of registrations and integrations with browsers, wallets, and applications reflect a commitment to usability and real-world impact. UD is not theorizing about the future of infrastructure — they are actively building it, helping shape a more open, sovereign, and secure internet. This work exemplifies forward-looking innovation worthy of recognition.
Richard Kirkendall / Namecheap / Spaceship
Richard Kirkendall, through Namecheap and Spaceship, has introduced new levels of competitiveness, usability, and investor-focused tooling in the domain aftermarket. Spaceship in particular has helped streamline workflows and reduce friction for domain investors by offering clean, intuitive portfolio management, fast operations, competitive pricing, and continuous rollout of new features such as integrated landers, marketplace tools, and infrastructure apps.
By prioritizing user experience and efficiency, Richard has helped elevate the industry standard for what a modern registrar can be. His work continues to support and empower domain investors in practical, meaningful ways.
Sam Dennis /Domain Easy
DomainEasy, led by Sam, has introduced streamlined landers with built-in self-brokerage, simplifying the sales process for domain investors. By reducing friction and enabling domain owners to communicate and negotiate directly, DomainEasy provides a lightweight, efficient solution that supports independent sellers and portfolio owners. This practical innovation aligns with the core purpose of the Trailblazer Award: improving how domain investors operate and succeed.
Todd Han / Dynadot
Todd Han founded Dynadot over 20 years ago as a one-person company and has grown it into one of the most respected and investor-friendly registrars in the industry. Throughout this growth, Todd has remained humble, thoughtful, and committed to product quality. Dynadot has consistently listened to user feedback and delivered meaningful improvements that make managing large portfolios easier and more efficient.
Dynadot’s recent advancements — including the relaunch of its two-million-domain marketplace, broader TLD integrations, cross-marketplace connectivity, and new domain management tools — demonstrate ongoing innovation, not just legacy reputation. Dynadot’s long-standing leadership and continued forward momentum reflect the spirit of exploration and progress that defines the Trailblazer Award.