Nominations for the 3rd annual Startup Daily Best in Tech Awards are now open.
The 2025 Best in Tech awards are once again feature AWS Startups as the major sponsor, with Vanta as supporting partner.
This year there are 14 awards, including the always-popular Most Innovative Startup, as well as Startup of the Year.
Several awards, including the AI gamechanger, best startup event, startup investor of the year, future leader, and the GSD Award – for someone who gets sh*t done – celebrate parts of the ecosystem that make it succeed and more fun to be a part of.
Startup Daily editor Simon Thomsen said that in just two years, the Best in Tech awards have grown to become a highlight of the startup year
“We launched the Best in Tech awards in 2023 to celebrate and honour the daily grind, determination and sheer bloody brilliance of people in the startup sector,” he said.
“Over the past two years we’ve had more than 500 entries, which says something about the size and enthusiasm of everyone in the ANZ startup sector, and recognised some incredible startups. In our first year, the judges declared Wollongong green hydrogen startup Hysata Startup of The Year. Less than 12 months later they’d raised a record $172 millio Series B.”
The judging panels will choose four finalists for each category, announced on Monday, August 11.
The winners will be announced at a gala dinner at The Ivy Ballroom in Sydney on Thursday, September 25.
Over the past two years, women have featured strongly in the awards. You can read about all the 2023 winners here and the 2024 vintage here
Nominations for 14 categories in the 2025 Best in Tech awards close on Friday, July 4.
Any attempt to submit late entries will require a large brown paper bag of small, unmarked notes, addressed to the editor.*
Ella Walsh, general manager of media at Pinstripe Media, publishers of Startup Daily, said they were delighted that AWS Startups is once again the major sponsor.
“We had an incredible group of sponsors for the inaugural and 2024 awards and we’re thrilled that AWS Startups is once again the major sponsor, with Vanta as our supporting partner ” she said.
“Sponsorship options, especially for the prestigious individual awards, are also available for the 2025 Startup Daily Best in Tech Awards, and they’ll be joining us for a spectacular and fun awards evening in September.”
Nominate a person, company or event for the 2025 Best in Tech awards here.
The awards are open to Australian and New Zealand tech startups founded in either country as well as ANZ residents and citizens.
Here are the categories and criteria.
1. Startup of the year
This award recognises an all-round outstanding early stage startup that has demonstrated strong growth and leadership in creating a new way of doing business and market category.
The award is open to startups with less than 100 employees.
2. Scaleup of the year
This award recognises an all-round outstanding unlisted scaleup company that has demonstrated strong growth on a range of metrics, including revenue, customers and employment, as well as leadership in its market.
The category is open to businesses having completed a Series B raise and beyond.
3. Most innovative startup
This award recognises a startup that is changing the world for the better and rewriting the rules on innovation with bold ideas that solve major problems.
The judging will balance the clever use of technology with its impact, both current and future, for the startups nominated.
4. Best regional startup
This award specifically recognises an outstanding startup from a regional area outside of Australia’s state capitals. The winner will demonstrate strong growth, boldness in execution and express a clear vision for the region they live and work in and its growth.
5. Industry champion
This award is given to an individual, ranging from investors to founders and other industry leaders who has made a big impact on the startup ecosystem to improve things for all in a way that goes beyond a direct ROI for them. It recognises a selfless generosity to helping everyone succeed.
6. Best sustainability startup
This award recognises a business model making a positive impact on the environment and broader issues of sustainability. It is sector agnostic, but must demonstrate in a measurable way how it is improving life on earth with long-term thinking.
7. Best new idea
This award recognises a startup that’s less than 2-years-old that’s making waves in its sector. It could be pre-revenue and pre-funding, but must set out a clear vision on how their idea will change the world for the better, and/or how it is already on the path to achieving that goal
8. Best technical leader
This award recognises a CTO and/or other tech-focused leader as a key partner in the success of a startup. The judging looks for an exceptional approach to solving problems with the potential to change the way we live, alongside delivering innovation and value for the company and its customers.
9. Best new founder
This award recognises a first-time founder who is showing promise and making an impact in their industry. The winner will demonstrate a commitment to innovation with bold ideas, clever execution and a startup with the potential to change the world for the better.
10. The AI gamechanger
This award recognises who artificial intelligence is transforming workflows, business operations, data analytics and the way we interact.
The winner will demonstrate a clear benefit across a broad spectrum in helping transform the world through the application of AI.
11. Best startup event
This award celebrates the startup and tech sector coming together in a way that is collaborative, productive and imaginative.
The winner will demonstrate how the occasion has benefited the startup sector across a range of fronts
12. Startup investor of the year
This award recognises the impact of capital on the success of startups.
It’s not about the size or volume of investments and will be judged with supporting statements from the startups backed about how the investor has assisted them in ways that go beyond funding.
13. Future leader
Just as investors look for founders with a bold vision for the future, this award will recognise an individual our judges recognise as having the potential to be an important voice and advocate for the startup sector.
They can come from any part of tech and will be assessed on their early demonstrated leadership.
14. The GSD award
Get Shit Done is an industry impact award for an organisation and/or individual honouring their contribution to the overall success of the tech ecosystem and track record in transforming things for the benefit of many.
It may be an industry or group, an accelerator, a startup or founder/s, investor/s or others who has assisted in making the sector thrive in any number of ways, from lobbying to policy setting, support, investment, philanthropy, culture setting and most importantly, just getting shit done (GSD).
For this particular award, the judges will be able to nominate people and/or organisations they believe are worthy of recognition.
* That is a joke, thank you for reading that far.
