3 Awards Programs You Shouldn’t Skip (At Any Stage)
It’s awards season!
Many early-stage startups assume awards are something you save for later – when you’re bigger, more visible, or just further along.
But that’s a mistake.
Awards aren’t vanity projects. When leveraged thoughtfully, they become a strategic tool that strengthens your brand at any stage of growth.
Done well, awards:
Boost internal morale and pride
Increase confidence among partners
Validate your solution for prospects
Improve visibility with buyers
Clarify what matters in your category
And if your solution is innovative, awards will help differentiate you from legacy players who rely on reputation rather than progress. Be a disruptor!
Product or Innovation Awards
Best New Product, Innovation of the Year, Emerging Technology
Why they matter:
These programs pressure-test your positioning, sharpen differentiation, and help you understand what judges (who are often practitioners) value most.
Even if you don’t win, the submission process is a valuable forcing function. It brings to the surface gaps in messaging, proof points, and product maturity.
Best for:
Pre-seed, Series A companies who are defining or shaping a category.
Industry or Use-Case Awards
Vertical-specific, problem-specific, or practitioner-driven awards
Why they matter:
These awards contextualize your product for buyers. They help prospects understand where you fit and give partners greater confidence when selling on your behalf.
They’re especially effective when your solution supports a specific industry, workload, or role.
Best for:
Companies with early customers and real-world use cases.
Credibility & Leadership Awards
Company to Watch, Rising Star, Founder and/or Team Awards; Culture and Best Places to Work
Why they matter:
These awards build trust with investors and partners, support hiring and retention, and signal momentum during key growth phases.
They’re often overlooked early – and that’s exactly why they can work.
Best for:
Growth-stage teams preparing to scale.
Key takeaways
Awards work best when they’re intentional.
Align them to your stage, your proof points, and your long-term narrative. Don’t just chase logos – think of awards as investments in credibility that compound over time.
If you’re building for the long run/big picture, awards should definitely be part of your strategy.
We help early-stage teams build awards strategies that support growth – not just announcements.
