Leaders Awards 2026: Nominations Open
Tech Industry Alliance is delighted to announce the date for Leaders Awards 2026, our annual celebration of innovation, achievement and impact across the South West’s thriving technology ecosystem. This year’s Leaders Awards will take place on Friday, 13 November, at The Great Southern Hotel Killarney.
For almost two decades, the Leaders Awards have recognised the trailblazers, innovators and changemakers who are helping to shape the future of technology in Ireland. This prestigious black-tie gala brings together technology leaders, educators, start-ups, scale-ups, multinationals, SMEs and key industry stakeholders for an evening of celebration, recognition and networking.
Nominations for the 2026 Leaders Awards are now open, with winners announced at the gala ceremony on the night. Mark your calendar and prepare to join us for one of the standout technology events of the year. Guests can look forward to an unforgettable evening of celebration, connection and entertainment.
Leaders Awards Nominations
The leaders awards categories are now open to applicants with judging taking place virtually in the coming months. Each year there is a significant increase in the volume and quality of applicants, and we anticipate another extraordinary year. We encourage members, as well as the South West tech community and general public, to actively participate in this remarkable awards ceremony.
Nominations will remain open until 04 October 2026. Following that deadline, a judging panel consisting of expert industry representatives will evaluate all nominations for each category to select finalists and winners who truly stand out.
Finalists must be available during the week of 02nd – 06th November 2026 for virtual interviews with the Judging Panel. All nominations received by Tech Industry Alliance must have satisfied the eligibility criteria on the date of application. All finalists must be available to attend the Leaders Awards Ceremony on November 13th at The Great Southern Hotel Killarney.
The 2026 Tech Industry Alliance Leaders Awards are split into fourteen categories, the first ten are open to the public for nominations.
- AI Award
- Best Learning Workplace Award
- Cybersecurity Award
- ESG Award
- Excellence in Education
- MNC of the Year
- Small Indigenous Company of the Year
- Smart Technology Innovation
- Tech Scale Up of the Year
- Tech Start Up of the Year
- Chairperson Community Award
- Tech person of the Year
The Chairperson Community Award is nominated by the Chairperson of Tech Industry Alliance. This award focuses on giving recognition to a particular group or project that has positively influenced the Tech community in the South West region of Ireland.
The Tech person of the Year award will be selected by the Tech Industry Alliance Executive Board and goes to an individual who has demonstrated many years commitment to the tech industry in the South West region.
Now is a great time to start preparing your nomination and recognising the individuals, teams and organisations making a real impact across our technology community in the South West. Whether you are celebrating innovation, leadership, or business growth, we want to hear about the achievements that deserve to be recognised.
The nomination process is straightforward, so take a little time to highlight the key successes, examples and achievements that help bring your nomination to life. If you are nominating a company or organisation, we recommend liaising with them in advance where possible, so you can work together to put forward the strongest and most accurate submission.
Find out more and sumbit a nomination here: Leaders Awards Nominations Page.
Event Tickets
This year’s prestigious Leaders Awards Gala Dinner will take place at the five-star Great Southern Hotel Killarney, setting the scene for a very special evening of celebration.
Guests can look forward to a memorable night of five-star dining, networking, and entertainment as we come together to recognise and celebrate the outstanding people and companies making their mark across the technology sector.
To order tickets please contact us directly at: info@techindustryalliance.ie, ticket pricing listed is exclusive of VAT. Ticket sales will be on a first come first served basis with priority given to all members.
Event Details:
- Event Date: Friday, 13th November
- Start Time: 7.00pm (begins with a drinks reception)
- Dress Code: Black Tie
- Special hotel rates are available for attendees, please contact the Great Southern Hotel as soon as possible for more information.
Sponsorship Opportunities
A limited number of sponsorship opportunities remain for the Leaders Awards 2026. To learn more, please contact info@techindustryalliance.ie.
Event MC: Anton Savage
Anton Savage is an experienced broadcaster, journalist, communications advisor and one of Ireland’s most recognised event hosts. He currently presents Newstalk Breakfast and has previously hosted a wide range of television and radio programmes, including The Sunday Business Show, Ireland AM, The Tonight Show, The Last Word and the PPI Gold Medal-winning Anton Savage Show. A regular MC and chair at conferences, award ceremonies and major events, Anton is known for his engaging, relaxed and insightful presenting style, bringing energy, pace and personality to every event.
Event Sponosrs
- AIB
- TrendAI
- PepsiCo Ireland
- Quest
- Barden
- Fexco
- NetApp
- Munster Technological University
- Enterprise Ireland
- Cork Smart Gateway
- Cork County Council
- Cork City Council
- Kerry County Council
- Discover Kerry
Excellence in Education Award
The Tech Industry Alliance Leaders Awards Excellence in Education Award is proudly sponsored by Trend Micro. Again for this year, Trend Micro will provide the winning school with €5,000 to support STEM initiatives. This award recognises schools that demonstrate “Excellence in Education” by fostering the development of IT skills in students and/or teachers. It will be granted to a school that showcases an outstanding technology initiative benefiting the school itself and/or the broader South West region.
2025 Tech Industry Alliance Leaders Awards Winners
- Multinational Company of the Year Award: Carbery Group
- AI Award: Cloudera
- Best Learning Workplace Award: Dairymaster
- Tech Scale-Up of the Year Award: ViClarity
- Smart Technology Innovation Award: Wiz Digital
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award: STEM Passport for Inclusion
- Tech Start-Up of the Year Award: Roamr
- Excellence in Education Award: Firies National School
- Small Indigenous Company of the Year Award: IQUTECH
- Tech Person of the Year Award: Paul Kelleher
- Chairperson’s Award: Enterprise Ireland & IDA Ireland