2025 Categories

**NEW** Best Employer of the Year

The best employer of the year will be doing industry-leading work building an inclusive atmosphere for a diverse workforce to thrive and prosper. We are specifically looking for evidence of D&I initiatives, like established employee resource groups; focused diversity roles; evidence of a top-down commitment to D&I; and full transparency about progress towards goals.

**NEW** Problem Solver of the Year

This award will go to the woman technologist who has developed novel solutions, implemented cutting-edge technologies, and/or applied creative thinking to solve a complex challenge. The winner will be able to demonstrate not just technical excellence, but innovative solution crafting that redraws boundaries and challenges expectations.

Cybersecurity Professional of the Year

Cybersecurity is typically understaffed and highly pressured. We are looking for the UK industry's most stand-out woman in cybersecurity, with a demonstrable effect on the constant mission to keep networks, stakeholders and end users safe from malicious outside or inside actors. Be it a sterling overall career record or work on a specific security project that's overhauled an organisation's ability to stay safe, our judges want to find the most impressive woman in cybersecurity.

Digital Leader of the Year

Digital transformation is still expanding in scope across many organisations. This award will go to the woman who leads a digital team, project or department within her organisation. Entrants should demonstrate the impact of their leadership, and of digital project or team on the wider business.

Emerging Tech Champion of the Year

The emerging technologies of today - including but not limited to AI, Web3 and the metaverse - will shape our tomorrow. As these technologies develop it is crucial that women are in the room. This award will go to a woman who can show how she has shaped emerging tech, reduced potential bias and made it relevant to a wider market. Judges will look for evidence of increasing diversity of representation across multiple aspects to try and ensure as many voices as possible are heard.

Engineer of the Year

The winning submission will demonstrate excellence in the field of software engineering. This could be the result of personal effort or as part of a team, but the entrant must demonstrate how her contribution made a significant impact, and why it goes above and beyond the usual expectations of her role. Any technical contribution to the development, operation or maintenance of software will be considered relevant to this award.

Founder/Entrepreneur of the Year

Women founders still only receive single-digit percentages of total venture capital, yet there are increasing numbers of women entering the tech ecosystem and starting their own ventures. This award will be for tech founders or entrepreneurs, either in the earliest pre-seed stages or scaling their business. In addition to evidence of innovation and strategic ambition, judges will also look for story-telling ability and some evidence of sustainability or positive social impact. This award represents a fantastic opportunity to showcase your business and your brand.

Graduate of the Year / Apprentice of the Year

Awarded to the graduate or apprentice working in technology who most impresses the judging panel with her success in the earliest stages of her career. This success could be entirely personal, perhaps by initiative and driving through a solo project, or a significant contribution to a team. Entrants must have graduated from a tertiary education course within the previous 24 months or be a current apprentice, including degree apprentices.

Hero of the Year

This award will go to the woman who has demonstrated excellence outside her normal role. This could be in her support of others, or in going beyond the call of duty to achieve a business goal. Whether it's championing a person or idea, rescuing a failing project, or going the extra mile to help others - as a real hero, the winner will have gone beyond the remit of her day-to-day role.

Innovator of the Year

Many senior technology roles today are also responsible for product development and ownership. This award will go to the woman who can demonstrate innovation and new thinking, either in terms of an organisation's products, or in terms of strategy, or operations. It could be a new process, or a new way of working - the emphasis is on the word new.

IT Leader of the Year

This will be awarded to the female IT leader who best demonstrates excellence in leadership, communication and strategic vision. The award is not restricted purely to CIOs, though the position should be senior (director level and above) with at least partial responsibility for IT.

Outstanding Returner Award

There's no perfect time' to return to work after starting - or expanding - a family, or talking time out to care for a loved one. The returning process will always present obstacles in a career path. For this category, the judges will be looking for a returner who can provide an inspirational example of returning successfully to a career, highlighting both personal commitment and drive as well as dedication and support by the organisation. This award is for women who have returned to work at any point over the last 18 months.

Rising Star of the Year

The Rising Star Award is for the most trailblazing young woman. You may be a graduate scheme employee who has made an exceptionally strong impact in a short time, or a young manager or executive who is making waves through the business. Whoever you are, we want to hear your story, both to celebrate your success and as an inspiration for other women starting out in the IT industry.

Role Model of the Year

With the IT industry desperately short of female workers, especially at more senior levels, role models are essential. This award will go to the woman who most inspires her colleagues and leads by example.

Team Leader of the Year

This will be awarded to the person who best demonstrates how her leadership inspired a team, and directly contributed to their success. Entrants can be at any level within a firm, but must have some elements of leadership of others within their role. Submissions should describe how their leadership impacted the team, and what challenges they met both personally, and as part of the team.

Transformation Leader of the Year

The winning entrant will demonstrate how her leadership contributed the successful transformation of a project, product or business within the last 12 months. This does not necessarily have to be a broad change across an entire enterprise, it could be a single department, team or process. However, the transformation must be substantial, and its overall impact on the wider business should be clear.

Woman of the Year

This award will go the woman technologist most deserving of recognition for her achievements this year. Her successes won't necessarily fit neatly into any of the other categories and could even span several of them. She will be inspiring to others and will have brought about significant success and change in her organisation.