New Diversity and Investment categories for VCs, accelerators and other startup community champions

Good news for businesses within the wider enterprise tech startup ecosystem – the Tech Trailblazers awards is opening entry eligibility beyond tech startups in its new Diversity Trailblazers and Investment Trailblazers categories. 

For the first time, companies who play an important role in startup success can be recognized and rewarded for their contributions to the community. 

Eligible entrants include (but are not limited to) venture capitalists, banks, angel investors, seed funds, incubators, accelerators, government bodies, legal firms, channel players – in addition to tech startups who are also encouraged to enter these new categories. 

If you’re unsure whether your company or organization is eligible, please contact the team on innovate@techtrailblazers.com who will be happy to advise. 

The Diversity Trailblazers award is open to organizations within the enterprise tech startup ecosystem who are championing the full spectrum of diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives (including – but not limited to – age, disability, ethnicity, gender, neurodiversity, race, sexuality, and socioeconomic background).

The Investment Trailblazers award is open to organizations of any age and size within the wider enterprise tech startup ecosystem who are developing innovative approaches to startup funding.

Rose Ross, Founder and Chief Trailblazer of The Tech Trailblazers Awards, said: “Since launching The Tech Trailblazers Awards in 2012, we’ve worked to champion startup growth and shone a spotlight on new, innovative technologies. For our 10th edition, we felt it was crucial to highlight growth within not just the startups, but the wider tech startup ecosystem with a focus on financing with the new Investment Trailblazers award, and the importance of nurturing strong DE&I culture across the tech startup landscape with the Diversity Trailblazers award. 

“The awards are an excellent opportunity to gain valuable exposure to our panel of industry experts, potential investors and industry itself. Winning an award is a strong indicator of future success, our alumni pool of winners and runners-up have raised a jaw-dropping $9.8 billion in VC funding post-winning, and 54 of them have since been acquired by enterprises including Cisco, DXC Technologies, Google Cloud, HPE, IBM, Microsoft, NetApp, RedHat and VMware. An impressive track record!”

Diversity and innovation within investment models across the whole enterprise tech startup ecosystem was also discussed with Gerald Brady, (MD, Silicon Valley Bank Network and new 2021 Tech Trailblazers judge) in our recent #OnFire podcast. Click here to listen to the full episode. 

There’s a lot to gain from entering – community recognition, exposure to industry-leading judges, and much more. Read about the benefits in our new blog, 6 reasons to enter the Tech Trailblazers Awards.

Do you know a company who you think should be in the running? Share this article with them. Extended deadline – 22nd September at 23:59pm Pacific Time. 

FREE: remember that early-stage startups (three years old or less, without VC funding) are eligible for the Firestarter bursary, where they can apply to one tech category free of charge and will be entered automatically for the Firestarter Trailblazers award.For more information, visit www.techtrailblazers.com, follow @techtrailblaze, or listen to the #OnFire podcasts.