Published by Sue Johns-Chapman
Published Date 10.06.2026 
The tech world moves fast. The companies shaping it deserve recognition that keeps pace. That’s the thinking behind the Global and UK Business Tech Awards.
The Business Tech Awards are designed to celebrate the innovators, disruptors and problem-solvers who are changing how work gets done through technology.
Curious about how they work? This is everything you need to know.
What Are the Global Business Tech Awards?
Launched in 2021, the Global Business Tech Awards (GBTAs) have established themselves as one of the most credible benchmarks for excellence in business technology. The programme of awards celebrates the full breadth of the sector, from cybersecurity to fintech, femtech, SaaS, PropTech and the latest transformations with the use of AI. They recognise both the companies that build the tools and the teams that deploy them to transformative effect.
It’s a fully virtual event, which means no venue restrictions, no postcode lottery and no barriers to entry for businesses of any size, anywhere in the world. Previous winners include KPMG Dash, whose retail analytics platform took home Best AI-Driven Business Intelligence Tool in 2025, and Securin, recognised that same year for Best Cyber Security Innovation. rankingCoach won App of the Year in 2023. The shortlist and winners directory reflects the range of global enterprises and ambitious startups, side by side.
The Categories
The GBTAs cover the full spectrum of business technology, and the category list reflects how quickly the sector evolves. You’ll find awards spanning Best Use of Data, Best AI Innovation, Best Fintech Solution, Best Mobile Tech, Best Cyber Security Innovation, Best Use of Innovation, Transformation Through Tech, and company-level categories including Best SaaS Company and Small Tech Company of the Year.
There are also awards recognising the people behind the technology, including the Female Founder in Tech category, which celebrates the women building technically innovative businesses from the ground up.
New categories are introduced each year to reflect emerging disciplines, so even if you’ve looked at the list before, it’s worth a fresh look.
How to Enter
The entry process is straightforward. You register on the platform, choose your category (or categories, many businesses enter more than one), and submit a written entry that makes the case for your work.
Good entries focus on outcomes: what the technology did, who it helped, and what changed as a result. Judges want evidence, including objectives, data, and results that support your thinking and impact. Think of it as a case study with a spine.
Entry fees apply per submission. Full pricing and submission guidelines are available on the Pricing and Rules page.
How the Judging Works
All entries are assessed by a panel of senior industry figures, specialists across technology, business, investment and innovation who bring genuine expertise to their categories. These judges read entries in detail and score against defined criteria.
The process is confidential. Judges operate under NDA, and entry details are never shared beyond the judging panel. What you submit stays within the process, which matters for businesses entering work that’s commercially sensitive or not yet public.
Shortlists are announced ahead of the winners’ reveal, allowing shortlisted businesses to celebrate their recognition before the final results.
The awards are underpinned by an ‘Outstanding’ accreditation by the Awards Trust Mark, an independent standard that holds every programme award organisers Don’t Panic run. The Trust Mark is defined by a set of principles around transparency, judging integrity and entrant experience. When you enter a Trust Mark-accredited programme, you know the process has been built to be fair.
Why You Should Enter the Global Business Tech Awards
A shortlist or a win at the GBTAs isn’t just a trophy moment. For many businesses, it carries real commercial weight.
Independent, credible recognition changes conversations. It gives sales teams something concrete to point to, gives procurement teams confidence when evaluating suppliers, and gives investors a signal that the business is doing something worth noticing. For startups and scale-ups in particular, an awards win can open doors that a pitch deck alone doesn’t.
There’s also the talent angle. Companies that win awards attract people who want to work somewhere doing work worth recognising.
And then there’s the value of having your team’s work seen and acknowledged by peers who understand exactly what it took to build it. That’s a boost only awards can deliver.
The Global Business Tech Awards are produced by Don’t Panic Projects, with over two decades of experience running industry-leading awards programmes.
