Tech Industry Alliance Leaders Awards 2026
Celebrating Excellence. Inspiring the Future.
Leaders Awards is an annual event recognising the leading companies in the South West region of Ireland. From global multinationals to schools and start-ups, the Leaders Awards recognise those who have showcased their unique talents in the use of technology in their respective organisations and businesses.
The 2026 Tech Industry Alliance Leaders Awards will take place on the 13th of November in the The Great Southern Hotel Killarney. Nominations for the Tech Industry Alliance Leaders Awards open on 07 August 2026 and will remain open until 04 October 2026.
Finalists must be available during the week of 02 – 06 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.
Finer details, terms and conditions can be downloaded here: Tech Industry Alliance Leaders Awards 2026 – Award Eligibility Criteria
Find out more about the event here: Leaders Awards 2026
Who can apply?
The Tech Industry Alliance awards are typically of interest to technology or technology related organisation that operate in or from the South West region of Ireland. However, Tech Industry Alliance also welcomes nominations from across the Munster region. If you have any questions about nominating a company, please contact info@techindustryalliance.ie with your query.
AI Award
- Substantial AI development/implementation activities in the South-West region.
- The AI’s scalability and its potential for value creation, jobs and social impacts.
- Ethical and responsible use of AI to enhancing the South West’s reputation.
- The application must demonstrate clear AI or machine learning (ML) components beyond conventional automation and analytics, developed/deployed within the past 36 months.
- The AI system is in compliance with the European Union AI Act and relevant regulatory standards.
The ‘AI’ award goes to an organisation that has developed, implemented or integrated artificial intelligence (AI), demonstrating excellent technological innovations, responsible deployment, and measurable impacts in the South-West region.
Best Learning Workplace Award
- This award is open to all technology or technology-related organisations that operate in or from the South West region of Ireland.
- Be able to demonstrate commitment to upskilling and professional development.
- Be able to demonstrate a positive culture that is mindful of people’s mental health and wellbeing.
The ‘Best Learning Workplace Award’ sponsored by Tech Industry Alliance Skillnet will be presented to an organisation that embraces a holistic approach to Learning and Development; with encouragement, opportunity, and support for people to grow in skills, confidence, and resilience in the workplace in the South West Region.
Cybersecurity Award
- Substantial cybersecurity development, implementation, or service delivery activities in the South-West region.
- Demonstrated innovation in protecting systems, data, infrastructure, users, or organisations from cyber threats.
- Scalability of the cybersecurity solution or approach, including its potential for value creation, job creation, skills development, and wider social or economic impact.
- Evidence of responsible, ethical, and privacy-conscious cybersecurity practices that enhance the South-West’s reputation as a secure and trusted technology region.
- The application must demonstrate clear cybersecurity components beyond standard IT
support, compliance, or routine system administration, developed or deployed within the past 36 months. - The organisation must show alignment with relevant cybersecurity standards, regulatory requirements, and best practices, including GDPR, NIS2 where applicable, and other relevant EU or national cybersecurity frameworks.
The Cybersecurity Award recognises an organisation that has developed, implemented, or integrated outstanding cybersecurity solutions, practices, or services, demonstrating technological excellence, responsible security leadership, and measurable impact in the South-West region.
ESG Award
- The ESG award may be for stand-alone initiatives run by an organisation, or as part of a long-standing, structured program. The company should be able to demonstrate ESG activities in each of the three pillars.
- Environmental: This pillar is related to an organisation’s impact on the earth, encompassing waste management, resource conservation, and climate change mitigation.
- Social: The social pillar involves the company’s relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and communities, including labour practices and human rights.
- Governance: This area relates to the company’s leadership, audits, internal controls, and shareholder rights.
ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) represents a company’s stance and actions on environmental impact, social responsibility, and governance practices. It is a framework for assessing how a company’s operations align with sustainable development and societal goals. In a world increasingly conscious of the impacts of corporate actions, ESG provides a critical measure of a company’s commitment to operating responsibly.
Excellence in Education
- Award is open to primary and post primary sectors.
- Schools must be based in the South West.
- Initiatives which enable students to develop software and / or hardware design and development skills will be prioritised.
This award recognises the efforts of a school that achieves “Excellence in Education” through the development of student and / or teacher IT skills. The awards will go to the school that can demonstrate an outstanding technology initiative that benefits the school and / or the South West region.
Multinational of the Year
- A company with a strong Technology focus and team in the region.
- A company that has a technology offering, i.e. a product or service that is tech base.
- A company with an international presence with over 250 employees.
- Must have substantial, meaningful presence in the South West region (or have plans for same).
- Strong contributor to the economy.
- Can demonstrate long term plans for their organisation in the region.
The company must demonstrate a base for that technology offering in the South West region. i.e. they have a customer facing or product development function in the South West region, not just a financial base.
This award goes to a multinational company with a substantial presence in the South West region that has shown a real commitment to the future growth of the technology sector in the South West.
Small Indigenous Company of the Year
- A company with a strong Technology focus and team in the region with less than 250 employees.
- Must have substantial, meaningful presence in the South West region (or have plans for same).
- Strong contributor to the economy.
- Can demonstrate long term plans for their organisation in the region.
This award goes to an Indigenous company with a substantial presence in the South West region that has shown a real commitment to the future growth of the technology sector in the South West.
Smart Technology Innovation Award
- The innovation can be a product, process, service, project, or a business model.
- The innovative nature and creativity of the application.
- The innovation improves life opportunities and experiences for people in the workplace or wider society.
- The innovation advances the adoption of immersive and transformative digital experiences.
- Innovation in the application of machine learning, automation, and intelligent systems.
- The innovation’s economic viability and its potential for job creation OR the innovation’s social impact on the region.
- It’s application to enhancing the South West’s reputation as a Smart Region.
This award category spotlights the pioneers of emerging technologies, the award goes to an organisation that has developed and/or implemented a technological innovation in the South West region which will reshape the way we live and work in our cities and regions.
Tech Scale Up of the Year
- Market validated product.
- Can demonstrate significant growth in the company.
- Full time management team in place.
- Can articulate a breakthrough in business strategy.
- Large market opportunity.
- Resources available to grow.
This award goes to a company who are on the cusp of a major leap forward in their business. Nominees may include companies that are making waves, established businesses about to go global, or perhaps a business that has gone through a period of transformation and now emerged as a serious player in their sector.
Tech Start Up of the Year
- The company is under 3 years old (from date of incorporation).
- At least 1 fulltime founder.
- Compelling Customer Value Proposition.
- Validated market opportunity.
- Validated business model.
- MVP developed and validated.
This award goes to a start-up in the region that is developing and marketing innovative technology products or solutions. In particular this award celebrates companies that are disrupting traditional business models in new ways.
This award recognises an early-stage venture in the Munster region that demonstrates excellence in developing market-validated, innovative technology solutions with significant commercial potential. The recipient must show evidence of product differentiation, addressable market opportunity, and a scalable business model that positions them for growth and continued investment.