It’s your last chance to enter the Startup Daily 2020 Startup of the Year Awards

2020 feels like a year where everyone should get a prize simply for making it to the end.

From parents who found themselves juggling work and children during lockdowns, to founders who saw their carefully nurtured idea vanish as Covid-19 hit, and investors who doubled-down on their portfolio companies to keep the runway long enough, it’s been a tough and challenging year. And that’s an important reason to recognise the many who also survived and thrived in difficult circumstances.

We’re going to celebrate the best in the Australian and New Zealand startup and tech ecosystems with the 2020 Startup of the Year awards.

There are eight awards, covering startups, investors, raising, resilience and changing the world for the better.

Nominations are now open and run for two weeks, closing on November 30.

Entering is free and simple: all you have to do is tell us in 200 words of less why you think your startup or a special person should be in the running to receive the award. To enter you have to be a business registered in Australia or New Zealand, or a resident of one of those countries.

We want everyone in the ANZ startup and tech ecosystem to feel like they’re in the running for a gong, not just founders. So if you helped organise a cool event in 2020, or done something amazing, don’t miss out on entering awards such as leader of the year, our special Invictus award, or greatest impact.

We’ll narrow the entries down to five finalists in each category, which we’ll announce on December 3.

We’ll then be in touch to ask some further questions before the winners are announced on December 10.

*EDITOR’S NOTE: Entries are now closed. 

Here are the eight categories in the 2020 Startup of the Year awards:

Startup of the Year

A startup of any age or size that has demonstrated remarkable transformation and achievements in 2020.

Best New Startup

For a startup launched between July 1, 2019, and now which has also demonstrated remarkable transformation and achievements in the last 17 months.

Startup Daily Leader of the Year

A person from the startup ecosystem who has exhibited exceptional leadership in 2020. They don’t have to be a founder, and could come from the investment sector, policy and lobbying, or some other key leadership role. Nominees should be able to demonstrate the impact their leadership has had on others and the ecosystem.

Investor of the Year

Whether it’s a VC firm, an individual, angel investor or fund manager, this award recognises outstanding effort in not just allocating capital, but also support for the raise recipient and the people involved.

Capital raise of 2020

This is not simply about the size of the raise, but also the circumstances surrounding it.

Examples could include an innovative approach to raising, or the crazy circumstances of 1000 zoom meetings with people who’ve never met, to providing an impressive exit for early investors.

Best Pivot of 2020

This award recognises the twists and turns delivered by 2020 and how a startup, organisation or person adapted and evolved to deal with those curve balls.

The Invictus Award

Invictus is Latin for unconquered and the title of a poem much-loved by the late Nelson Mandela.

It’s about strength and courage in the face of adversity, of never surrendering despite the odds. This award will recognise a person, startup or organisation that has demonstrated those qualities in 2020.

Greatest Impact Award

This category recognises the impact a business, individual or organisation has had more broadly, rather than a startup working directly in the social impact space.

Nominees should demonstrate clear and compelling efforts to support their community beyond personal success. Examples could include offering a product for free to customers during 2020, B-Corp certification, a commitment to Pledge 1%, helping teams through some tough times, a transformative event and/or all those things.

HOW TO ENTER

Click here to fill in your entry. Entry is free. Nominations close Monday, November 30, 2020, at 11:59pm.

Winners will be announced on Thursday, December 10.

See Terms and Conditions.

Any questions? Send an email to: startupdaily [at] pinstripemedia.com.au