2026 Leadership & Impact Categories

Nominations Open: September 1 – October 30, 2026

While products showcase innovation, it’s the people behind them who make true progress possible. The CODiE Leadership & Impact Awards recognize the executives, teams, and rising leaders whose vision, creativity, and leadership shape the future of technology.

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Every category is evaluated on:

Strategic Vision & Leadership
Innovation & Execution
Measurable Impact
Organizational & Industry Influence
Sustainability & Future Outlook

Leaders

AI Leader of the Year

Honors a leader who is advancing responsible AI strategy, innovation, and implementation with clear, measurable business and societal impact.

Application questions:

Describe your AI leadership vision and strategic goals. (Max 300 words)
What measurable business or societal outcomes have resulted from your leadership? (Max 250 words)
How do you ensure responsible, ethical, and compliant AI practices? (Max 250 words)
How have you influenced your organization or industry in advancing AI innovation? (Max 200 words)

Digital Transformation Leader of the Year

Honors a leader who has successfully led enterprise-wide digital transformation initiatives, delivering lasting operational, cultural, or market impact.

Application questions:

Describe the transformation initiative you led and your role. (Max 300 words)
What obstacles did you overcome? (Max 250 words)
Provide measurable business or operational outcomes. (Max 250 words)
How has your leadership advanced digital maturity or innovation within your organization or industry? (Max 200 words)

EdTech Leader of the Year

Recognizes an individual whose leadership has significantly improved learning outcomes and educational access through technology innovation.

Application questions:

Describe your contributions to advancing educational technology and learner outcomes. (Max 300 words)
How have your initiatives supported educators, students, or institutions in measurable ways? (Max 250 words)
Share a flagship initiative demonstrating your leadership. (Max 250)
How do you promote responsible and equitable EdTech adoption? (Max 200)

Startup Leader of the Year

Recognizes an executive from a company under five years old who is accelerating innovation and shaping the future of their sector.

Application questions:

Describe your mission and the market problem addressed. (Max 250 words)
What leadership decisions fueled early success and growth? (Max 300 words)
Provide measurable traction (growth, funding, partnerships). (Max 250 words)
How are you positioning the company for sustainable long-term impact? (Max 200 words)

Women in Tech Leadership Award

Celebrates a woman leader who is driving meaningful innovation, growth, and equity within the technology industry.

Application questions:

Describe your leadership impact in your organization or industry. (Max 300 words)
How are you advancing equity, mentorship, or representation? (Max 250 words)
Provide measurable results under your leadership. (Max 250 words)
What legacy or future vision defines your leadership path? What advice or legacy do you hope to leave for the next generation of tech leaders? (Max 200 words)

Teams

AI Training Team of the Year

Honors a team demonstrating exceptional expertise, collaboration, and innovation in building and deploying AI training systems that improve model accuracy, efficiency, and ethical performance.

Recognizes teams that advance AI capabilities while implementing strong governance, compliance, and responsible AI guardrails.

Application questions:

Team mission & strategic role (Max 300 words)
Innovative programs, frameworks, or systems introduced (Max 250 words)
Measurable outcomes (Max 250 words)
Cross-functional collaboration & influence (Max 200 words)
Broader industry or ecosystem contribution (Max 200 words)

Customer Success Team of the Year

Recognizes a team that has delivered measurable improvements in customer experience, retention, and growth through collaboration, innovation, and strategic execution.

Application questions:

Team mission & strategic role (Max 300 words)
Innovative programs, frameworks, or systems introduced (Max 250 words)
Measurable outcomes (Max 250 words)
Cross-functional collaboration & influence (Max 200 words)
Broader industry or ecosystem contribution (Max 200 words)

People & Culture Team of the Year

Honors a team that has collectively strengthened workplace culture through initiatives that advance inclusion, engagement, employee development, and organizational performance.

Application questions:

Team mission & strategic role (Max 300 words)
Innovative programs, frameworks, or systems introduced (Max 250 words)
Measurable outcomes (Max 250 words)
Cross-functional collaboration & influence (Max 200 words)
Broader industry or ecosystem contribution (Max 200 words)

Companies

Best Applied Research with Real-World Impact

Honors an organization or product team conducting original or significantly novel research that has been successfully translated into measurable real-world application.

This category recognizes research that moves beyond theory to drive tangible outcomes through product innovation, deployment, adoption, or meaningful user and community impact.

Eligible entries may include proprietary research, applied studies, or data-driven experimentation that directly informs or powers a technology product, platform, or solution.

Application questions:

What problem did the research aim to solve, and why was it important?
How was the research conducted, and what makes the approach credible?
How did the research findings directly influence the product, platform, or solution?
Share evidence of measurable real-world impact or outcomes.
How is this research being used today and how might it scale or evolve in the future?

Icon Award

Honors an organization that has made a defining and lasting contribution to the technology industry through sustained innovation, measurable influence, and exemplary leadership. This award celebrates long-term impact and those who have shaped how technology evolves, connects, and empowers.

Application questions:

Defining innovations and long-term industry impact (Max 300 words)
Evidence of enduring influence and adoption at scale (Max 250 words)
Governance, ethics, and leadership philosophy (Max 200 words)
Future relevance and continued innovation (Max 200 words)

Tech Company of the Year

Recognizes a technology company that demonstrates sustained innovation, measurable impact, and industry leadership across its sector.

Application questions:

Describe your company’s mission, core innovations, and the markets you serve. (Max 300 words)
Highlight major achievements in the past year that demonstrate leadership, innovation, or impact. (Max 250 words)
Provide measurable results — such as growth, adoption, market share, or societal contribution — that define your success. (Max 250 words)
How does your organization foster a culture of innovation, inclusion, and continuous improvement? (Max 200 words)