2019 Impact Awards open for entries

Digital Agenda winners holding trophy

Written by Julian Blake , Director of Digital Agenda

DigitalAgenda’s quest for the very best of UK tech for good is back on for a third year, as we open up our 2019 Impact Awards for entries. With new award categories and a new headline sponsor, the Impact Awards remain fresh, exciting and hugely relevant.

DigitalAgenda’s 2019 Impact Awards are open for entries! The tech-for-good awards are the UK’s leading celebration of technology innovations that improve people’s lives and the world around us.

With 12 categories covering three broad themes of people, society and business (see below), the awards are open to any UK-operating business, government or non-profit using digital products or services for positive social or environmental impact.

Notable award winners in our first two years have included Babylon Health, now powering the NHS GP at Hand scheme, and Bulb Energy, making inroads into the sustainable energy market. Charities like Citizens Advice have also been recognised, along with investors like Bethnal Green Ventures.

Find out more and enter the awards

The Impact Awards are sponsored for the first time in 2019 by Nominet. Nominet, set up over 20 years ago as the UK domain registry, has been a major backer of UK tech for good, investing over £45m in projects to date.

Nominet chief executive Russell Haworth said: “We’re proud and delighted to be supporting DigitalAgenda’s Impact Awards. Tech for good is in the Nominet DNA.

“We want a world that is connected, inclusive and secure, and believe that technology has a fundamental and positive part to play in that.

“We back our beliefs with action and have invested over £45m in tech for good projects to date. But we’re not stopping there – our ambitious programme will improve the lives of a million young people by 2021.”

The 2019 awards event happens on Thursday March 7 in London. Our afternoon awards ceremony will hear from winners, alongside great guest speakers. The ceremony is followed by an evening reception, giving winners a chance to celebrate, and all of our guests the chance to connect.

The awards are open for entries across our 12 themed categories until Friday 21 December. We also give out special awards for people’s choice and individual impact. Judging takes place in January 2019, with the finalists announced in the first week of February. Entering is free and simple, via our dedicated website at www.impact-awards.co.uk.

Our group of awards judges brings experience from startups, impact technology, investment and academia. It includes representation from: B Lab, Beep, Bethnal Green Ventures, Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness, ClearlySo, Freeformers, Microsoft, Nominet, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Public Digital, RocketSpace, Seedtribe, Social Tech Trust, techUK, UCL, Unicef UK and US Ai.

Entries will be judged against five criteria: idea, product/service, team, scalability and impact. Read our entry guidelines.

DigitalAgenda director Julian Blake said: “Our awards, now entering their third year, highlight how technology can be a force for good. Digital offers the potential to address some of the biggest challenges we face. In their first two years the awards have recognised no less than 72 finalists for their work on digital innovation for positive change.

“We’re delighted that the awards are running for a third year, and are proud to have Nominet as our lead sponsor. We have a group of judges that add expertise and credibility to the decision-making process.”

At our Impact Awards event in March, as well as a hand-crafted trophy, our winners gain access to our network of innovators and investors, along with editorial coverage.

The awards event will be co-hosted by Oli Barrett MBE and DigitalAgenda director and editor Julian Blake.

Impact Awards 2019 – categories

The Impact Awards are grouped under three overall headings: people, society and business.

People theme

Diversity (sponsored by BCS) – initiatives and digital products that support and promote inclusion, and that boost under-represented groups in the technology sector.

Education – technologies that are transforming both teaching and learning, in schools, universities or online.

Employment & skills (sponsored by Barclays) – changing ways into work, and work itself, and initiatives that increase people’s skills and access to talent.

Health – technology that enhances healthcare knowledge and treatment, as well as people’s abilities to lead healthier lives.

Society theme

Connected cities (sponsored by Here East) – digital initiatives that enhance urban places and spaces, and enable people to connect more easily.

Safety – projects that promote online safety and security, including protecting vulnerable groups and children from online harm.

Social transformation – outward-facing products and services that make a positive social or environmental impact on society.

Sustainable living – technologies that help people and organisations to manage and understand environmental change, or to live more sustainably.

Business theme

Business transformation – products and projects that help business, government and non-profit organisations become more effective and happier, healthier places to work.

Financial inclusion (sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group) – technologies that make it easier for people to save and spend, and enhance access to and the quality of financial services.

Sharing economy – helping people and organisations share resources more easily, for a social or environmental benefit.

Investment (sponsored by ClearlySo) – the best in impact funding provided by investors and backers of all kinds, across all platforms and funding routes.

Special awards

People’s choice – the winner of our public vote, drawn from the 36 finalists across 12 categories.

Individual impact – outstanding contribution by an individual in helping to grow technology for good, through personal giving of time or money.

The Impact Awards are also supported by Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

To see past winners, click here 


Originally posted here

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