Breakthrough Leader Award
Celebrates an individual or early-stage startup that demonstrates outstanding leadership, innovation, and early traction in shaping the future of their industry.
Guidelines
The accomplishment(s) must demonstrate the following criteria:
Note: Kindly submit the following requirements in essay form using the downloadable template below.
Growth in Customer Base or Users
Compose a brief essay detailing your startup’s significant growth in customer base or users during the first year of operation. Highlight key milestones, strategies that led to this growth, and how these achievements have impacted your overall business performance and market position.
Product or Service Innovation
Write an essay describing the innovative aspects of your product or service. Discuss the unique features, technologies, or approaches that set your offering apart from competitors, and explain how this innovation addresses a market need or solves a particular problem. Highlight the significance of this innovation in your industry and how it has driven initial success.
Market Penetration and Expansion
Detail your startup’s success in penetrating and expanding into new markets during its first year. Discuss the strategies used to break into these markets, the number of new markets entered, and the importance of these markets to your business growth. Explain how this expansion has helped position your company for long-term success.
Criteria
Leadership achievements & influence (projects led, teams managed, vision demonstrated) – 30%
Evaluates the founder’s ability to deliver measurable results through the number and scale of projects completed, the performance of teams directly managed, and the clarity of vision applied in shaping the company’s direction.
Early growth performance (customer base, adoption, or users in first year) – 30%
Evaluates the originality and impact of the product or service by assessing how it introduces new ideas, improves existing solutions, or creates measurable value in the market.
Product or service innovation – 25%
Highlights originality and market impact of the product or service, showing how it solves problems in new and scalable ways.
Mentorship, community contribution, or retention impact – 15%
Acknowledges efforts to mentor others, contribute to the community, or foster employee engagement and loyalty within the startup.