• Welcome to the Startup of the Year Awards

    Produced by Established, the Startup of the Year Awards program celebrates early-stage entrepreneurs and their teams through pitch coaching, educational opportunities, mentorship, and an awards program, helping propel companies to the next level.

    It is one of Established Network's flagship programs and how the Established team invests back in the innovation community, supporting founders and their teams with pitch competitions, investor connections, and our curated Summit. It's one of the most energizing parts of our work: elevating diverse, bold teams and helping them accelerate what's next.

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    About the Established Network

    Join our community!

    The Established Network is our community of founders, teams, ecosystem builders, and investors. It is a connective hub where creativity, capital, and collaboration collide.
    At the heart of the Established ecosystem is our Established Network of innovators and innovation enthusiasts - YOU! Through curated programming, such as the Monthly Innovation Circle (#TheMIC) and our Startup of the Year Awards program, we connect to exchange ideas, collaborate boldly, and accelerate innovation together.
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    About Established

    Innovation consultancy with over a decade of driving innovation and fueling success.

    Established partners with organizations to navigate the complexities of the innovation world, providing tailored services that address specific needs and unlock full potential for acceleration and growth. We help YOU innovate.
    Founded by experienced strategists, our team transfers complex challenges into tangible outcomes. We have driven results for hundreds of brands and organizations of all sizes, across all industries. These include: the U.S. Small Business Administration, Consumer Technology Association (CTA) Foundation, Guidewell, AFWERX, NASA iTech, Chase, Google Cloud, Kauffman Foundation, and others.

  • Startup of the Year® Summit

    From Las Vegas and San Francisco to Boston, Memphis, and Tampa - we've hosted thousands of startups, investors, and innovators over the years. With more than a decade of producing and presenting events, our purpose behind gat,herings is steadfast in - building authentic connections and celebrating one another's successes. Of all of our events - spanning across CES, SXSW, Client conferences and activations, virtual competitions, webinars, investor ask-me-anythings, and much more -- our annual Summit is one of the most special - see it for yourself.

    Watch the Startup of the Year Summit Finals recorded live in Tampa, FL in January 2022.

    >> View past online events here.

  • 2020 Startup of the Year® Competition

    ELIGIBILITY

    • Have a founding date between 2014 and 2020 (fewer than 6 years old at time of application)
    • Have raised no more than $5MM USD (if funding is raised between application and the final competition, the Startup of the Year Team reserves the right to determine company participation)
    • Must have a live and viable product
    • Be an independent company (not a subsidiary) 

    STARTUP OF THE YEAR®

    1. Attracts the most innovative, emerging startups from around the world - and has been since 2006. In doing so, we have had the pleasure of meeting and helping to amplify the stories of some great companies such as GrubHub, Groupon, LivingSocial, AddThis, Desk, and Uber.

     

    2. Provides founders the opportunity to grow their startup to its best potential via a global network that includes investors, influencers, and a world-wide startup community.

    - Check out the Daily Dealflow and Startup of the Year Podcast to learn how to get your startup in front of our global community.

     

    3. Elevates inclusivity and embraces diversity; our 2019 competition had nearly 50% women or minority founders.

  • APPLICATION PROCESS

    The Startup of the Year ® competition will culminate online from November 16 - 18, 2020 at our 8th Annual Summit.

    1

    Apply

    All eligible applicants must apply through the centralized application. There is only one application. The conditional questions for the special .US Veteran Startup of the Year are within this application. Apply here.

    2

    Top 100 Selected

    Established's network of external judges review the pool of eligible applications to carefully choose which startups to invite to join us as the Top 100.

    3

    8th Annual Summit

    The 8th Annual Startup of the Year competition will culminate at our virtual Summit November 16 - 18, 2020.

    The Top 100 will experience curated connections with Investors, Corporate Leads, and more. Past prizes have included potential investment, American Airlines Business Extra points, and more.

     

    Stay in the Loop! Sign-up here.

    4

    1st Round of Pitches

    Startups will compete in a private pitch and Q&A session with a small panel of renowned judges.

    5

    Top 5 Finalists

    The Top 5 pitch Finalists will pitch to a virtual audience and a curated panel of judges at Summit.

    6

    Champion Announced

    The 2020 Startup of the Year Champion will be announced!

  • Subscribe Today

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    Introducing...

    Startup of the Year™ Podcast

    Get your startup fix! We provide insights on emerging companies and highlight newsworthy stories and global trends affecting the startup ecosystem.

     

    Find your preferred podcast platform here. Thank you to Silicon Valley Bank and American Airlines (Official Airline Sponsor) for supporting the Startup of the Year™ Podcast.

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    Get Your Daily Dose

    Just One Startup a Day

    Get concise information about one vetted startup delivered to your inbox every workday. You'll even have the ability to contact the startup directly. Subscribe today.

     

    Know of an incredible startup that should be featured?

    Submit it for consideration. Thank you to Silicon Valley Bank for supporting the #SOTYPodcast and Daily Dealflow™.

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