1. Introduction
    The following paragraphs define the Women in Tech & AI Global Awards rules (hereafter “the Award rules”). It describes the terms and conditions related to the application and the running of the WomenTech & AI Global Awards (hereafter “the Awards”)
     
  2. The Organizer
    WomenTech Network, is organizing a Competition named “Women in Tech & AI Global Awards 2026”.
     
  3. Participation and Eligibility
    • Companies and individuals can enter the Competition by applying online using this form.
    • Companies and individuals can submit multiple times in different award categories.
    • A nominee may only be considered once per category, regardless of how many nominations they receive. Duplicate submissions in the same category will be merged. Multiple nominations for the same person across different categories are permitted.
    • Previous Women in Tech & AI Global Award winners are only eligible to participate in the same category if they can demonstrate new achievements in Q4 2025 and 2026.
    • WomenTech Network reserves the right to cancel a category if there is no substantial community and partner support and/or less than 10 submissions per category.
    • WomenTech Network has the right to disqualify a participant if they submit incomplete entries, attempt to use fraudulent methods or do not adhere to the rules.
       
  4. Last submission date 
    • The last day to apply is 01 October 2026.
    • WomenTech Network reserves the right to extend or shorten the application period.
       
  5. Nomination process and fees
    • Companies and individuals can enter the Awards by applying online using this form.
    • The application form must be completed in English.
    • If and once the request has been approved, we will send a confirmation email.
       
    • Free of charge (Individual & Community)
      • Entering the Awards is free of charge in the following categories:
        • WomenTech Network Community Awards
          • Women in Tech Community Award
          • WomenTech Network Speaker of the Year
          • WomenTech Network Mentor of the Year
          • WomenTech Network Leader of the Year
          • Lifetime Achievement Award
        • Organization & Initiative Awards (Free)
          • Community Initiative of the Year (non-corporate)
        • Startup & Product Awards (Free)
          • Female Founder Rising Star Award
          • Impact Tech Startup of the Year
          • Tech Startup Ecosystem Partner Award
  • WomenTech Network and the jury reserve the right to reassign applications to a more appropriate category if they determine the submission better fits a different award. In the case of reassignment from a paid category to a free category, the participation fee will be refunded. In the case of reassignment to a different paid category at the same or lower tier, no additional fee will be charged.
     
  • Paid categories
    • Participation in the categories listed below requires a participation fee for 1 submission in 1 category, which is due once a nomination has been confirmed. The participation fee includes 2 complimentary virtual access passes for the Awards ceremony. Fees are non-refundable (unless a category is canceled by WomenTech Network).
    • Expert Categories — Participation Fee $249
      • AI & Machine Learning Leader of the Year
      • Data & Analytics Leader of the Year
      • Software Engineering Leader of the Year
      • Product Management Leader of the Year
      • Cybersecurity Leader of the Year
      • Cloud & Infrastructure Leader of the Year
    • Executive Categories — Participation Fee $449
      • AI & Digital Transformation Leader of the Year
      • Chief in Tech Leader of the Year
      • CIO/CTO of the Year Award
      • Global Technology Leadership Award
      • Chief Marketing & Growth Officer of the Year
      • Chief in AI Award of the Year
      • Responsible AI Leader of the Year
    • Startup & Product Awards (Paid) — Participation Fee $249/$449
      • AI & Enterprise Startup of the Year — $449
      • AI Product of the Year — $449
      • Startup Investor of the Year — $249
    • Organization & Initiative Awards (Paid) — Participation Fee $449
      • Best Employer for Women in Tech & AI
      • Best Workplace Culture & Innovation Award
      • Most Innovative Company
      • Corporate Initiative of the Year — Upskilling, Reskilling, Mentorship
         
  1. AI Use & Integrity
    • We welcome the use of AI tools to assist in preparing your submission (e.g., drafting, editing, translation, structuring, or summarizing). AI is a powerful tool, and we encourage nominees to leverage it.
    • However, all achievements, contributions, and impact described in your submission must be real, verifiable, and attributable to the nominee. The use of AI to fabricate, exaggerate, or invent accomplishments, qualifications, or impact metrics is strictly prohibited.
    • By submitting a nomination, the applicant certifies that:
      • All achievements and contributions described are factual and can be substantiated if requested by the jury.
      • The nominee is the rightful author or owner of the work and impact claimed.
      • AI was not used to generate fictitious credentials, fabricated endorsements, or misleading performance data.
    • WomenTech Network reserves the right to request supporting evidence (e.g., links, references, documents) for any claims made in a submission. Failure to provide substantiation upon request may result in disqualification.
    • Submissions found to contain fabricated or materially misleading information — whether AI-generated or otherwise — will be disqualified at the sole discretion of WomenTech Network.
       
  2. Verification of Achievements
    • WomenTech Network and the jury reserve the right to verify any claims made in a submission, including but not limited to: professional titles, company affiliations, project outcomes, patents, publications, and community impact.
    • Finalists may be asked to provide additional evidence or references to support their nomination. This may include LinkedIn profile verification, employer confirmation, project documentation, or third-party references.
    • If verification reveals material inaccuracies, the submission may be moved to a different category, placed on hold, or disqualified.
       
  3. Evaluation Process
    • The final voting score in the WomenTech Community Award category will be determined based on social shares, variety of social networks, social clicks (actual people that clicked on your shared links), unique user engagement with nominee profile (actual people that visited and shared your profile). Please note that any attempt to manipulate the voting will become visible in system and may lead to disqualification.
    • Voting in all other categories has a supportive effect and is not a key deciding factor.
    • In most categories the jury is evaluating three key pillars and rating each nominee submission based on their Nominee Profile/Bio, Key Contributions, Achievements & Nomination Reason, Growth & Impact.
       
  4. Finalist process
    • If and once a submission has been selected as a finalist, we will send a confirmation email requesting (optional) supporting materials:
      • YouTube or other video link.
      • PDF attachments (up to 3)
    • Finalists will be announced between 19th and 26th November, 2026 (depending on the category).
       
  5. Awarding process
    • The virtual awards ceremony will be on 03 December 2026 and a virtual access pass is required to join the ceremony. (Scholarships are also available.)
    • Winners will be selected by a jury based on predetermined criteria.
    • In case a finalist is disqualified, the next best nominee will be selected, based on the internal rating by the jury.
       
  6. Composition and mission of the Jury
    • Jury members will be announced after the voting period (13 November, 2026). Attempts to influence the final outcome through solicitation of jury members is not allowed.
    • To prevent conflicts of interest, jury members will be excluded from voting for an Award category where they participate as an individual, company or team or if they or their company has financial ties with one of the nominees in the category.
    • The jury will review the Nominees online and evaluate them according to predetermined equality criteria.
    • Nominators must disclose any personal, professional, or financial relationship with the nominee that could constitute a conflict of interest. Self-nominations are permitted and encouraged.
       
  7. Prizes
    • All nominated participants receive:
      • Nomination profile page
      • Recognition, visibility and display on the website
      • Award nomination certificate & badge
         
    • All finalists, Silver and Bronze winners receive:
      • Finalist profile page
      • Recognition, visibility and display on the website
      • VIP Virtual Access for Global Conference 2027
      • Press-release template
      • Award finalist certificate & badge
         
    • All Gold winners receive: 
      • Winner profile page
      • Recognition, visibility and display on website
      • VIP Virtual Access for Global Conference 2027
      • WomenTech Premium Membership
      • Award winner certificate & badge
      • Press-release inclusion
      • Speaking Opportunity at Global Conference 2027* (pending confirmation by WomenTech)
         
  8. Intellectual property
    • The participation in the Awards from accepting the nomination to accepting the awards constitutes permission for WomenTech Network to use the participants' name, image, likeness, and entry for purposes of advertising and trade without further requests.
    • The nominees understand and agree that WomenTech Network, anyone acting on behalf of WomenTech Network, shall have the right, where permitted by law, to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use in any media now known or hereafter developed, in perpetuity and throughout the World, without limitation, the nominees, finalists and winners’ entry, name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image, statements about the awards, and biographical information for news, publicity, information, trade, advertising, public relations, and promotional purposes, without any further compensation, notice, review, or consent.
    • In case this authorization is revoked, the Awards participant shall notify WomenTech Network of this by sending an email to [email protected] at least seven (7) days before the Awards Ceremony.
    • By submitting an application, any participant represents and warrants that the content of the application is an original work of authorship, and does not violate any third party’s proprietary or intellectual property rights. If a submission infringes upon the intellectual property right of another, he/she will be disqualified at the sole discretion of WomenTech Network.
    • If the content of the entry is claimed to constitute infringement of any proprietary or intellectual proprietary rights of any third party, the participant shall, at his/her sole expense, defend or settle against such claims. The participant shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the WomenTech Network from and against any suit, proceeding, claims, liabilities, loss, damage, costs or expenses, which the WomenTech Network may incur, suffer, or be required to pay arising out of such infringement or suspected infringement of any third party’s right.
    • Participants are fully responsible at all times for the protection of their intellectual property within the framework of their participation in the Awards.
       
  9. Accessibility
    • The Awards ceremony is fully virtual to ensure global accessibility and participation.
       
  10. General terms and conditions
  11. Limitation of liability
    • By submitting an application, the nominating party/nominee agrees to release and hold harmless the WomenTech Network and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers, and directors from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim, or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from: (i) the participation in the Awards and/or its acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of the Award or; (ii) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunction of any computer, cable, network, hardware, or software, or other mechanical equipment; (iii) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions, telephone, or Internet service; (iv) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion.
       
  12. Personal data
    • WomenTech Network does not collect personal data other than those voluntarily provided by Candidates on the website or in the registration and application form (i.e. first name, last name, contact details, email address, phone number, title and organization, abstract and other, altogether the “Personal Data”).
    • Our privacy policy applies.

WomenTech Network reserves the right to update the rules at any time. All updates will be posted on the website: https://www.womentech.net