AWARDS
36 independent industry leaders shortlisting and selecting the 2026 winners.
The panel
Showing 16 of 36 judges. Full panel published August 1.
How judging works
Every entry is reviewed against published criteria. The top six per category advance to the long-list.
A two-judge panel scores each long-list entry. Top three per category become the public shortlist on Sep 1.
The full panel meets in October. Winners revealed live at the gala on Oct 16.
What judges look for
Every entry is scored against the same published rubric. No surprises.
From the judges
"Show me numbers. I've read 240 entries this year and the ones that land all open with metrics."
"The best entries don't hide behind jargon. Explain what you built like I'm smart but in a different field."
"Video proof is the tiebreaker. 60 seconds of product working beats 1,500 words of prose."