Published by Leenesha Friend
Published Date 04.07.2023 
Entering a business technology awards competition can be a fantastic opportunity for start-ups, high-growth organisations, or large established businesses to showcase their innovations. As a judge, I have had the privilege of evaluating numerous entries and would like to share some valuable tips for those considering participating in such competitions.
- Tell a Captivating Story:
At the start of your entry, it is extremely important to portray to the judges assessing your entry what your problem statement is. Judges are looking for entries that capture a real business challenge faced by your organisation. Start by presenting a problem statement that clearly outlines the issue you aimed to address via your innovation, product or project.
- Carve Out a Clear Storyline:
In order to explain your story, it is important to avoid excessive “fluff” and technical jargon. The best entries always effectively communicate the essence of a solution and how it solved the identified problem in layman’s terms so anyone regardless of their technical knowledge will be able to understand clearly. Explain your entry in a way that educates from a neutral standpoint, making it accessible and understandable to a wider audience.
- Showcase the Results and Provide Solid Evidence:
While problem statements are often portrayed well in some entries, looping this to the measurement of metrics is frequently missing. Entrants need to clearly articulate how their solution improved the market it is aimed to help. In order to do this, it is extremely important to substantiate your claims. Include testimonials, stats, and reports in your supporting documents that provide the judges with a clear understanding of the results and impact you have driven. This evidence helps us to evaluate the tangible results and potential of your technology.
- Drive Industry Advancement:
As judges, we appreciate innovations, technologies and products that have a broader impact on the industry they compete in. Consider how your product advanced the industry or disrupted it. For example, if you developed a SaaS product, did it make others within the industry think from a different perspective, has it challenged them to think again about the innovations they have created? What is your USP?
- Engage with the Organisers:
Reach out to Don’t Panic and discuss the guidelines for presenting your entry. Seek clarity on how you can effectively convey the details of your project. Actively incorporate their feedback to enhance your submission and align it with the competition’s expectations.
I hope these tips help as you prepare your entry into the Business Tech Awards whether this be within the UK or globally. It will be a very challenging job indeed to judge the entries we receive with these tips incorporated but I would like to wish you all the very best of luck in your pursuit of recognition and success in the world of business technology!
About the author: Amit Masram is a multiple award-winning Global HR Leader with over 17+ years of experience in regional and global HR roles across North America, Europe, and Asia. He is a global HR tech expert and mentors digital tech companies on Digital HR transformation, the HR Technology Roadmap, AI, and Automation. Amit sits on the jury of Global Business Tech awards and is also a Stevie Awards Global Judge for Asia Pacific. In addition, Amit is a mentor to not-for-profits such as TRIEC and Acces Employment (Women in STEM and Cyber Security) to promote digital skills and drive job readiness success for highly skilled tech professionals.
