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Private company

Award Software

Logo: Award Software, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

American software company

Award Software International Inc. was a BIOS manufacturer founded in 1983 by Rene Vishney and Bob Stillman in San Jose, California. In 1984, the company moved its international headquarters to Los Gatos, California, United States.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1983Founded1
  • Industrycomputer hardware industry1
  • HeadquartersMountain View1

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Award Software International Inc. was a BIOS manufacturer founded in 1983 by Rene Vishney and Bob Stillman in San Jose, California. In 1984, the company moved its international headquarters to Los Gatos, California, United States.2

The story

In 1988, Bob Stillman left the company. The company was held privately by Rene Vishney (chairman of the board) and his wife, Deborah Lee (Marlow) Vishney (Chief Executive Officer).

By 1990 Award BIOS reportedly led among Asian PC clone makers, ahead of Phoenix Technologies's Phoenix BIOS. In 1993, Award was sold to Taiwan company GCH Systems Ltd. (now defunct).

On 24 October 1996, Award Software International Inc. announced its initial public offering.

On 16 June 1997, Award Software International Inc. announced the acquisition of BIOS upgrades provider Unicore Software, Inc. making it a subsidiary of Award.

On 16 April 1998, Phoenix Technologies and Award Software International Inc. announced the completion of a definitive merger agreement where Phoenix Technologies Ltd. would become the surviving corporate entity following the merger completion on 30 June 1998. The merger was completed on 28 September 1998.

From Wikipedia’s article on Award Software, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Products and brands

  • BIOS
  • software

Listed on Wikidata.1

Subsidiaries

Award Software Europe

Award Software Hong Kong, Ltd

Award Software Japan, KK: Established in 1997-06-03.

Award Software International, Inc.

Read the full text

Unicore Software, Inc.

Products

AwardBIOS: It is a series of BIOSes developed by Award Software, and later Phoenix Technologies. Includes BIOSes labeled as Award Modular BIOS and Award Medallion BIOS.

Note: After the completion of the merger in 1998, the copyright holder remained as Award Software, Inc. for some time until 2001–2002 when it changed to Phoenix Technologies Ltd. Likewise, BIOSes and UEFIs for Gigabyte Technology motherboards still attributed copyright to Award Software (and as AWRDACPI in Phoenix UEFIs) until the end of 2012 when it switched to AMI's Aptivo line of UEFI solutions.

CardWare: It is a PC Card software product.

EliteBIOS: It is the system management software product that Award Software designs, develops and markets to the manufacturers of desktop, server, mobile and embedded systems.

PC DIAG: Diagnostic software

CheckIt POSTcard: Power On Self Test system diagnostic board

ISA POSTcard: ISA Diagnostic hardware

PCI POSTcard: PCI Diagnostic hardware

Preboot Manager

SMSAccess: System management software suite

DMIAccess: Desktop Management Interface utilities

LMAccess: Microsoft Windows NT and Windows 95-based hardware status monitoring and alarm application

MPCAccess

RPBAccess: Remote, preboot diagnostic and repair software

USBAccess: It is a USB-host software targeted for consumer electronics and embedded device manufacturers.

WWWAccess: Product suite for Internet appliance applications using Intel x86 embedded design.

APIAccess: Integrates Win32 applications into real-time systems. Formerly Willows Toolkit for UNIX and Willows RT for Embedded Systems from Willows Software.

From Wikipedia’s article on Award Software, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 1983Founded Founded1

Sources

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