The Hustle Awards are the networking event of the year – and are also the unrivalled badge of excellence and the benchmark for all startup businesses to aspire to.

Our mission is to:

• Recognise the outstanding achievements of individuals, companies, and innovation
• Raise standards across the sector, with a particular focus on diversity, inclusion, and sustainability
• Inspire and celebrate the creative and entrepreneurial journey
• Deliver a rigorous and transparent judging process with a panel of business leaders

So, with that in mind, we are here to help you decide on the best category for you. Next up: Early-Stage Innovation!

Being in the early stages of a startup is one of the most difficult phases. Having an idea but not necessarily a proof-of-concept or a product to show off and validate the business is often very tricky, but we know how important it is to power through!

At the awards this year, we want to shine a light on the early-stage businesses and give them an opportunity to win an award without competing against businesses that are a lot more advanced.

Who is eligible for this award?

As the name suggests, this award is open to a new startup company that is less than two years old, that has a team of less than 10 people.

When entering this category, include some background details about the startup – what is it and what does it provide?

Tell us why you should win

This isn’t the time to be humble, you need to be loud and proud and tell us why YOU should win this award.

When entering, outline why you are entering this award, and convince the judges that your entry should be considered. How have you innovated and differentiated yourself from the competition? How has the startup created a new business by innovating and developing a new product or service? Also include other information, such as the size of the team and how long it has been running.

Also, what does the target market need, and how is the startup providing this to customers? What benefits are provided to customers?

It’s great to shout about your achievements, but the judges need to see evidence of these claims. Testimonials to back up your claims should be obtained from clients, partners, and industry figures, rather than employees of the organisation. Provide evidence of success through growth of the business, statistics, and numbers.

Supporting materials are highly recommended to help the judges make their final decision. However, do be mindful of what supporting materials are used, as it’s limited to up to three images and one video link per entry.

Good luck!

This category is sponsored by Dell Technologies.

Dell for Startups program is meant to provide startups with personalized support and scalable end-to-end tech solutions to ensure their business is ready to grow and scale.

Our startup advisors are specially trained for your unique needs. From client systems to IT infrastructure, they have deep knowledge of startup’s environment, and listen to get to know your business needs.

By becoming part of this program, you will have, in addition to exclusive discounts, access to mentors / SMEs, tools, insights and many more, such as: financial benefits, Grants Support, dedicated points of contacts to support our members on every step as they navigate their journey. Visit their website: https://www.dell.com/en-uk