Stevie winner Worthy is an Australian company founded by Angela Michel that is redefining sustainable product design by creating what they describe as the most sustainable drink bottle on the planet.

Built entirely from ethically sourced and sustainably produced sugarcane, Worthy’s bottles are carbon-negative and manufactured with zero waste—an approach that sets a new benchmark for environmentally responsible consumer products.

Central to Worthy’s model is its use of renewable resources and clean energy. The bottle is made from sugarcane stems, while the plant waste (bagasse) powers the factory, ensuring no material is discarded. The agricultural process for the raw materials relies solely on sunlight, rainwater, and natural sugarcane waste for fertilization, significantly reducing the overall environmental impact. Compared with traditional bottle materials, the process minimizes exposure to harmful chemicals, reduces industrial emissions, and supports a healthier manufacturing ecosystem.

A full-circle lifecycle is foundational to Worthy’s ethos. While the bottles are fully recyclable through standard household systems, customers are encouraged to return broken or unwanted components for repurposing into new sugarcane-based products. This closed-loop model ensures continual reuse of resources and helps keep plastic waste out of landfills and communities.

Worthy’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond environmental outcomes. The company partners with Vision Rescue, contributing 10% of each bottle’s proceeds to support education, nutrition, and clean water programs in Mumbai’s slum communities. Angela's firsthand visits to these neighborhoods reinforced the need for solutions that address both environmental and social challenges. Additional partnerships include RAMS, an Australian nonprofit that provides resilience programs for at-risk adolescents. Through workshops and student engagement, Worthy aims to inspire young people to pursue sustainability and social impact.

Ethical sourcing is equally central to Worthy’s operations. Its sugarcane resin supplier in Brazil is recognized for responsible environmental practices, fair wages, and safe working conditions. Worthy’s packaging further reflects these values, using FSC-certified recycled cardboard, compostable mailers, and solar-powered production facilities that recycle all manufacturing scraps.

In recent years, Worthy has earned recognition across multiple sustainability and consumer product awards, reflecting the strength and credibility of its mission. Since receiving a Stevie Award, founder Angela Michel has expanded the company’s reach, transitioning from her part-time radiography career to focus fully on growing Worthy globally. The brand secured a major partnership with an Australian supermarket, producing nearly 10,000 bottles for their centenary campaign. The company has also grown from a sole operation to a small team supporting its ongoing scale.

Worthy received a Silver Stevie® Award for Product of the Year - Sustainability and Climate Protection in the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

Interested in entering for 2026?

The Stevie® Awards, organizer of the world’s premier business awards programs, announced that they have revised the schedule for the 2026 (13th annual) Asia-Pacific Stevie® Awards.

By popular demand, the final entry deadline has been extended to 30 January. The judging process will extend through 6 February. Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners will be announced on 12 February. Winners will be celebrated during an awards ceremony on 17 April at the Venetian Hotel in Macau.

The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards is the only business awards program to recognize innovation throughout the entire Asia-Pacific region. The competition is open to all organizations across 29 markets of the Asia-Pacific region: large and small, for-profit and non-profit, public and private.

The awards focus on recognizing innovation in all its forms, wherever it is achieved in the workplace. Entries will be accepted in 30+ languages in the following award category groups:

• Achievement Awards
• Artificial Intelligence Awards
• Company/Organization Awards
• Corporate Communications & Public Relations Awards
• Customer Service Awards
• Event Awards
• Human Resources Awards
• Individual Professional Awards
• Management Awards
• Marketing Awards
• New Product & Product Management Awards
• Podcast Awards
• Publications Awards
• Social Media Awards
• Sustainability Awards
• Technology Awards
• Thought Leadership Awards
• Video Awards
• Website Awards and App Awards
  …and more

All organizations in the Company/Organization categories will automatically be included in voting for the People's Choice Stevie® Awards for Favorite Companies. People’s Choice winners will receive a special People’s Choice Stevie Award trophy, giving honorees in the Company/Organization categories the opportunity to receive a second award, as voted by the general public worldwide. Voting for the People’s Choice Stevie Awards for Favorite Companies will open on 16 February and go through 13 March.

Scores of professionals from throughout the region will participate in the judging process to determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners.

Some of the Asia-Pacific region’s most innovative organizations won Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards in 2025, including AstraZeneca Philippines (Philippines), Ayala Land, Inc. – Makati Development Corporation (Philippines), Cathay Financial Holdings Co., Ltd. (Taiwan), City of Sydney (Australia), CK Hutchison Holdings Limited (Hong Kong), Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Holdings Inc. (Japan), DigiPlus Interactive Corp. (Philippines), Dong-A Pharmaceutical Co. (Korea), Eastern Communications (Philippines), Extendmax Vietnam Company Limited (Vietnam), Generali Hong Kong (Hong Kong), HP (Greater Asia) (Singapore), IBM Singapore (Singapore), IntouchCX (India), Kacific Broadband Satellites Group (Singapore), Link Asset Management Limited (Hong Kong), Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (Philippines), Ooredoo Maldives (Maldives), PJ Lhuillier Inc. (Philippines), PLDT and Smart (Philippines), PT Pertamina (Persero) (Indonesia), SM Supermalls (China), and Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting Asia Pacific (Australia).

The global education sector is facing significant challenges related to teacher retention, burnout, and staffing shortages, a trend reflected in multiple international surveys such as the Teacher Wellbeing Index 2023. Educators increasingly report high levels of stress and job dissatisfaction, and many school systems are experiencing difficulties filling classroom positions and maintaining stable staffing.

Stevie-winner Jannic Education Solutions was founded on a clear, deceptively simple question: How can we give teachers the support they actually need without adding to their workload? The company grew from the combined expertise of its founders Janet Moeller and Nick Spragg. Janet brings decades of experience in education across three continents, and Nick offers a long career designing conversational technologies and leading application development teams.

Early conversations revealed a shared interest in leveraging advanced AI for real-world, classroom-level impact, though the technology at the time was accessible only to large corporations with highly specialised systems. As generative AI matured, the opportunity finally emerged to build a tool tailored to the needs and working styles of teachers.

This led to the creation of Teacher PA, an AI-powered companion designed not to replace teachers or add another complex system, but to support educators in the moments they need it most—seamlessly, intuitively, and without increasing administrative burden. Teacher PA integrates Large Language Models (LLMs), Large Action Models (LAMs), and machine learning into a unified assistant that adapts to individual teaching styles and classroom realities. Instead of juggling multiple tools for lesson planning, communication, and documentation, teachers can rely on a single platform designed to reflect the relational and contextual nature of teaching.

Teacher PA centres on three virtual agents engineered to address the primary causes of teacher burnout: excessive workload, work intensification, and insufficient support. Hanna, the curriculum expert, drafts standards-aligned lessons, differentiates materials for diverse learners, and assists with marking. Ravi, the learning support specialist, guides teachers through identifying student challenges and provides immediate strategies for intervention—particularly valuable when working with students who have undiagnosed needs. Marlene, the professional coach, supports reflective practice and emotional resilience, helping teachers navigate stressful interactions and reduce feelings of isolation.

To assess its early impact, Jannic Education Solutions conducted a six-week pilot in which nine educators engaged with the MVP version of Teacher PA more than 400 times. Participants reported increased student engagement, more effective handling of emotionally sensitive communications, improved accessibility for students with learning disabilities, and streamlined administrative work such as incident reporting. Some educators saved up to three hours per week, while many noted a reduction in emotional strain due to the ongoing support provided by the agents.

Looking ahead, Teacher PA is evolving into a single, fully orchestrated virtual assistant capable of tracking student progress, generating report-card comments, drafting incident reports, and integrating LLM and LAM capabilities for more advanced task management. To ensure long-term reliability and trust, the system is being built to meet ISO 27001 and SOC 2 standards, and is supported by relational and vector databases to deliver personalised, continuity-based responses over time.

Rooted in the founders’ combined expertise and driven by a mission to support teachers in meaningful, practical ways, Jannic Education Solutions continues to refine a tool designed to work the way teachers do. When educators have the right support, they can focus on what truly matters—their students.

Jannic Education Solutions won a Gold Stevie Award for Innovation in Education or Training Apps, a Gold Stevie Award for Innovation in Education Technology (EdTech) – Other Service Industries, and one Bronze Stevie Award for Innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) – Other Service Industries in the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

Interested in entering for 2026?

 

Since its founding in 2017, Omnichat has operated as a provider of omnichannel customer experience and chat commerce solutions across the Asia-Pacific region.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, Omnichat primarily serves retailers and e-commerce brands in markets including Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia. Omnichat's core mission is to unify fragmented communication channels to enhance customer engagement, increase sales conversion, and support the digital transformation of its client base.

The company has established itself within the technology ecosystem by serving as an official partner to major messaging platforms, including Meta (WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct), and LINE. This positioning allows Omnichat to centralize customer communications from these diverse social messaging channels, alongside website live chat, into a single, comprehensive CRM platform with multi-user access. This centralized approach aims to streamline management and facilitate team collaboration in handling customer inquiries and sales interactions.

Social Customer Data Platform
A key offering within the Omnichat suite is the Social Customer Data Platform (Social CDP). This platform is engineered to address the challenge of customer identity fragmentation across multiple social channels. By collecting and mapping data from various social media accounts (such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and WeChat) into a single 360-degree customer profile, the Social CDP builds a consolidated database. This enables detailed customer segmentation, which in turn fuels personalized, automated marketing journeys aligned with specific shopping scenarios.


Driving the platform’s intelligence is Omni AI, which functions as a digital assistant across customer touchpoints. Leveraging advanced AI, the system automates customer inquiry handling, provides tailored product recommendations, and assists with marketing campaign orchestration and analysis. By integrating client data and knowledge bases, Omni AI provides contextually relevant responses to ensure messaging consistency and reduce operational costs and agent onboarding time in customer service operations.

Beyond its core data and AI capabilities, Omnichat offers integrated features designed to drive sales growth and customer retention. The platform features an online-merge-offline (OMO) sales function that connects online visitors directly with dedicated sales personnel via real-time chat, enabling transparent tracking of sales revenue across channels.

Furthermore, its Loyalty Program capability enables brands to seamlessly integrate membership systems, point rewards, and preference capture directly within channels such as WhatsApp and LINE, thereby cultivating dedicated brand advocates and incentivizing repeat purchases.

Omnichat was awarded two Gold Stevie Awards for Innovation in Technology Development - Other Service Industries and Innovation in Business-to-Business Services, as well as one Bronze Award for Innovation in Digital Transformation - Other Service Industries in the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

Interested in entering for 2026?

 

Every organization has unique achievements worth celebrating. Whatever your organization wants to be recognized for, there is a Stevie Awards competition and category(s) for it!  From individual professionals and teams to departments and company-wide accomplishments, each of our nine awards programs feature dozens of categories recognizing excellence across every facet of work life.

With so many entry options, one of the most common questions we hear is: “Where do I start?” Our first piece of advice to entrants is to first decide what you want recognition for. Is it a standout individual, a new product or service, a successful implementation, or perhaps a marketing campaign, website, podcast, or sustainability initiative? Once you’ve identified the achievement, you can narrow in on the competition, then the category group, and then the specific category that’s the best fit.

This blog highlights technology-related awards categories in the 2026 (20th annual) Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the world’s top honors for customer service, contact centers, sales, and business development. If your organization isn’t eligible for this program, don’t worry-- you can explore categories in any of our eight other competitions by requesting the appropriate Entry Kit found on the right-hand side of this blog, or here. Our Entry Kits provide submission requirements for each category, entry preparation tips, entry fees, and deadlines.

Technology Categories in the 2026 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service feature over 150 categories honoring customer service, contact center, business development, and sales professionals, teams, and departments. They also include awards for new products, services, and solution providers supporting these functions. Whether your organization is part of the technology industry or you’re simply looking to showcase a technology-driven achievement, there's a category for you in this year's competition.

Sales Individual Categories  - Technology Related:

• Sales Representative of the Year - Technology Industries
• Sales Engineer of the Year (no entry fee)
• Virtual and Pre-Sales Professional of the Year (no entry fee)

Sales Team Categories for Technology Industries and Professionals:

• Sales Support Team of the Year - Technology Industries
• Virtual Technology Sales Enablement and Pre-sales Team of the Year

Sales Achievement Categories - Technology Related:

• Achievement in the Use of Data & Analytics in Sales
• Achievement in the Digital Transformation of Sales Operations
• Achievement in Value-based Selling Techniques
• Award for Innovation in Sales - Technology Industries
• Best Use of Technology in Sales
• Sales Training or Coaching Program of the Year - Technology Industries

Sales Distinction Categories - Technology Related:

• Sales Distinction of the Year - Computer Hardware
• Sales Distinction of the Year - Computer Services
• Sales Distinction of the Year - Computer Software
• Sales Distinction of the Year - Startups & Scaleups - new category for 2026. Startups (since July 1 2023) and scaleups in any industry may participate in this category.
• Sales Distinction of the Year – All Other Industries

Customer Service & Contact Center Individual Categories- Technology Related:

• Front-Line Customer Service Professional of the Year - Technology Industries
• Back-Office Customer Service Professional of the Year - Technology Industries
• Young Customer Service Professional of the Year - Technology Industries

Customer Service & Contact Center Team Categories- Technology Related:

• Customer Service Team of the Year – Recovery Situation - Technology Industries
• Customer Service Complaints Team of the Year - Technology Industries
• Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year -Technology Industries
• Back Office Customer Service Team of the Year - Technology Industries
• Contact Center of the Year (Up to 100 Seats) - Technology Industries
• Contact Center of the Year (Over 100 Seats) - Technology Industries
• Customer Service Training Team of the Year - External - Technology Industries
  

Customer Service & Contact Center Achievement Categories- Technology Related:

• Achievement in the Use of Data & Analytics in Customer Service
• Award for Innovation in Customer Service
• Best Use of Technology in Customer Service
• Customer Service Training or Coaching Program of the Year - Technology Industries
  

Customer Service Department Categories - Technology Related:

• Customer Service Department of the Year – Computer Hardware
• Customer Service Department of the Year – Computer Software. This category is split into two separate categories:
  a. At Organizations With Up to 100 Employees
  b. At Organizations With 100 or More Employees
• Customer Service Department of the Year – Computer Services
• Customer Service Department of the Year – Digital-First Services - new category for 2026. Recognizing customer service operations that operate from a digital-first perspective.
  
  
• Customer Service Success - Technology Industries

AI & Digital Transformation Categories (New for 2026):

Customer Service Individual

• Digital Transformation Leader in Customer Service
• AI & Tech Focused Customer Service Innovator of the Year
• Customer Service AI Trainer or Specialist of the Year
• Best Use of AI by a Customer Service Manager

Customer Service Team

• AI & Tech Focused Digital Transformation Team of the Year
• AI & Tech Focused Customer Service Team of the Year

Customer Service Achievement

• Customer Service Achievement in Automation
• Best Use of AI in Customer Service
• Best Use of Chatbots or AI Assistants in Customer Service
• Best Use of AI Integration in Contact Centers
• Best AI-Driven Customer Experience
• Achievement in AI-Powered Self-Service
• Best Predictive Customer Service Using AI
• Best Use of Generative AI in Customer Interactions
• Customer Service Training Program of the Year – AI Readiness

Sales Individual

• Digital Transformation Leader in Sales
• AI & Tech Focused Sales Innovator of the Year
• Sales AI Trainer or Specialist of the Year
• Best Use of AI by a Sales Manager

Sales Team

• AI-Driven Sales Enablement Team of the Year

Sales Achievement

• Sales Achievement in Automation
• Best Use of Chatbots or AI Assistants in Sales
• Achievement in AI-Driven Sales Automation
• Ethical AI Use in Sales

Business Development Category for Technology:

• Business Development Achievement of the Year - Technology Industries

Solutions & Implementations Categories

These categories recognize sales, business development, contact center, and customer service-related products, services, and implementations since July 1, 2023.  Choose from over 50 categories for any Sales or Service Solution - from AI-Powered Sales or Service Solutions, to Sustainable Tech Solutions for Sales & Services, listed on this page.

Solution Provider Categories:

• Sales Consulting Practice of the Year
• Sales Training Practice of the Year
• Sales Outsourcing Provider of the Year
• Digital Enablement Provider of the Year - new category for 2026. Recognizing firms that provide tools, strategies, or systems to digitize customer or sales operations, enabling agility, automation, and omnichannel engagement.
• Incentive, Rewards, or Recognition Provider of the Year
• Customer Service or Call Center Consulting Practice of the Year
• Customer Service or Call Center Training Practice of the Year
• Sales or Customer Service Solutions Technology Partner of the Year
• Contact Center or Customer Service Outsourcing Provider of the Year
• Leadership or Management Training Practice of the Year
• Sales & Service Ecosystem Enabler of the Year - new category for 2026. Recognizing providers that integrate or manage multiple platforms and services, creating cohesive and scalable customer engagement ecosystems for their clients.

Thought Leadership Categories- Technology Related:

Best Use of Thought Leadership in Digital Transformation - new category for 2026. Recognizing individuals or organizations whose insights and content have influenced or guided strategic digital change in sales or customer service since July 1 2023.

 

Not sure which category is right for your nomination?

Email help@stevieawards.com to schedule a complimentary call with our Founder, Michael Gallagher. Receive no-obligation feedback and guidance on choosing the best competitions and categories to enter.

 

📆Please note: The final Entry Deadline is January 14. This deadline will NOT be extended.

Ready to Enter? Request Your Entry Kit 

Request your entry kit by completing the form below to view the full list of categories, entry fees, and helpful information to prepare nominations in the 2026 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. 

 

 

More About the Stevie Awards

Since 2002, the Stevie® Awards have honored and generated public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of thousands of organizations and working professionals worldwide. Often dubbed the "Oscars of Business,"  our premier business awards are conferred across nine competitions*, each with its own focus (region or industry), list of categories, and schedule. Thousands of organizations in more than 70 nations take part in the Stevie®  Awards nomination process each year. Together, our competitions receive more than 12,000 nominations annually from global leaders like DHL, IBM, and Toyota, to fast-growing small and mid-sized businesses.

The Stevie Awards are judged by many of the world's most respected executives, entrepreneurs, innovators, and business educators. Entrants have access to all of the judges' comments about their entries, an invaluable resource.  About 30–40% of entries receive recognition annually, with winners taking home the coveted Stevie Award trophy. Learn more about the judging and awards process here.

*The nine Stevie Awards competitions include The American Business Awards®, the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence.

The Stevie® Awards are now accepting nominations for the 2026 (13th annual) Asia-Pacific Stevie® Awards, the only business awards program to recognize innovation in the workplace throughout the entire Asia-Pacific region.

The final entry deadline is 17 December, but late entries will be accepted through 15 January 2026 with the payment of a late fee. Entry details are available at https://asia.stevieawards.com/.

The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards are open to all organizations and individuals in the 29 markets of the Asia-Pacific region: large and small, for-profit and non-profit, public and private.

The Stevie Awards have released a new website and entry system for the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards. The system now offers a single sign-on for all nine Stevie Awards competitions, and the option to submit nominations in any of more than 30 languages. (The system will automatically translate nominations to English for the judges.)

The awards focus on recognizing innovation in all its forms, wherever it is achieved in the workplace. Entries will be accepted in the following category groups:

● Achievement Awards
● AI Innovation Awards
● Company/Organization Awards
● Corporate Communications & Public Relations Awards
● Customer Service Awards
● Human Resources Awards
● Individual Professional Awards
● Management Awards
● Marketing Awards
● New Product & Product Management Awards
● Podcast Awards
● Publications Awards
● Social Media Awards
● Technology Awards
● Thought Leadership Awards
● Video Awards
● Website Awards and App Awards
● …and more 

There are many new categories for 2026 including:

AI Innovation Categories

R01. AI Innovator of the Year
R02. AI Leader of the Year
R03. AI Rising Star of the Year
R04. Women in AI Leadership
R05. Award for Excellence in Innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI)
R06. Award for Excellence in Innovation in AI Products & Services
R07. Award for Excellence in Innovation in AI Strategy & Implementation

Podcast Categories

M01. Arts & Culture
M02. Business
M03. Creativity & Marketing
M04. Health, Wellness & Lifestyle
M05. Interview/Talk Show
M06. Lifestyle
M07. News & Politics
M08. Public Service & Activism
M09. Science & Education
M10. Technology

Asia-Pacific Stevie Award winners will be notified on 11 February. Winners will be celebrated and presented their awards during an awards banquet in April 2026.

Juries featuring more than 150 professionals throughout the region will participate in the judging process to determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners.

Stevie Award winners in the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards included Athena, Ayala Corporation, AstraZeneca Philippines, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Beijing Linlian Real Estate Company Limited, Brian Bell Trade Electrical, Cable & Wireless (Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore), Cathay Financial Holdings Co., Ltd., DHL Express International (Thailand) Limited, Dong-A Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Globe Telecom, Inc., Healthcare Innovated, HP Greater Asia, IBM Singapore, KB-RA IT Impianku, KIT Global, MSquare Technology (Shanghai, China), Ooredoo Maldives, PLDT and Smart, PT Pertamina (Persero), RESINC Solar, Singtel, Tata Consultancy Services, The Equine Practice Company, and Yell Worldwide.

The Stevie Award is among the world's most coveted prizes. The name Stevie is taken from the name Stephen, which is derived from the Greek for "crowned."

Since its founding in 2014, SynergenX Health has focused on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and weight management, aiming to improve patients’ quality of life through personalized healthcare solutions. Based in Houston, Texas, the company now employs over 200 staff members across 21 locations, offering hormone therapy programs tailored to individual patient needs.

Under the leadership of Wayne Wilson, founder and CEO, SynergenX Health has expanded its reach while emphasizing patient-centered care. Wilson’s background as a physician assistant and military veteran has informed a practical, data-driven approach to healthcare management, balancing clinical insight with operational strategy.

Wilson has been instrumental in raising awareness about hormone replacement therapy for women through HerKare, a SynergenX brand dedicated to female wellness. By offering personalized HRT plans using controlled injections, topical creams, and bioidentical pellets, SynergenX and HerKare provide care designed to alleviate symptoms such as fatigue, mood fluctuations, and decreased libido. These efforts have addressed a previously underrepresented segment of the healthcare market.

The company has also forged high-profile partnerships, including a collaboration announced during Super Bowl LIX with retired professional athletes. The initiative, featuring Al Smith, former NFL All-Pro linebacker and SynergenX Ambassador, focused on men’s testosterone health and sought to highlight the benefits of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for post-career athletes and the broader public.

Operationally, Wilson has applied data-driven strategies to improve patient acquisition, retention, and service quality. By leveraging KPIs and predictive analytics, SynergenX Health has refined its approach to scaling multi-site practices while maintaining consistent care standards across all locations.

Wilson’s leadership extends beyond clinical innovation to corporate strategy and business development. His work in expanding access to hormone therapy, optimizing operational efficiency, and raising public awareness reflects a comprehensive approach to healthcare leadership.

Wayne Wilson earned a Silver Stevie Award for Best Entrepreneur – Health Products & Services in The 2025 American Business Awards®.

Interested in entering the 2026 program?

Autonomous vehicle technology is transforming the transportation industry, and Torc Robotics is at the forefront of this change. Founded in 2005, the company specializes in scalable, safety-critical systems for Level 4 autonomous driving, with a primary focus on heavy-duty trucks.

Over nearly two decades, Torc has built a reputation for reliability, innovation, and practical solutions for freight and logistics operations. Torc’s technical achievements are underpinned by its multi-modal perception framework, which integrates LiDAR, radar, and camera data to provide highly accurate situational awareness.

Their vehicles can respond swiftly to dynamic scenarios, supporting both safety and operational efficiency. Their cloud-based approach allows for rapid deployment across fleets, supporting continuous improvements without operational interruptions.

Among the individuals contributing to Torc’s advancements, Vineeth Reddy Vatti, Machine Learning Engineer, has made notable achievements in multi-modal fusion frameworks, ego-motion compensation, and HD mapping.

Since joining in 2023, Vineeth’s work has reduced inference latency to 0.5 milliseconds and improved map generation accuracy, reflecting leadership in both applied and theoretical AI. His contributions have been recognized through industry awards and conference presentations.

Torc Robotics won a Gold Stevie Award for Company of the Year in Automotive & Transport Equipment - Medium, and Vineeth Reddy Vatti earned a Silver Stevie Award for Technical Professional of the Year in The 2025 American Business Awards®. 

Interested in entering the 2026 program?

In today’s connected world, the need for personal data security remains a growing concern. As technology advances, so do the methods used by online scammers and identity thieves.

Based in San Diego, California, OmniWatch was established in 2022 to meet this challenge head-on. The company’s goal is to help consumers monitor, protect, and restore their digital identities through accessible and transparent tools.

Launched in 2023, OmniWatch offers real-time monitoring for credit and identity theft, along with continuous dark web scanning. Its approach emphasizes prevention, providing users with early alerts when suspicious activity is detected. This proactive model reflects a broader industry shift toward empowering consumers with real-time insights, rather than relying solely on reactive recovery.

Scam and Identity Theft Protection
One of OmniWatch’s most notable developments since 2023 is its Scam Protection Center, a feature designed to help users assess potential threats before they act. By allowing individuals to scan texts, emails, or URLs for legitimacy, the tool enables users to quickly identify potential scams. It also provides a safety rating to guide decisions — a practical addition as phishing and fraud attempts become more sophisticated.

The company’s coverage model also distinguishes it from many competitors. OmniWatch provides up to $2 million in identity theft protection insurance for all users, with additional coverage for ransomware and social engineering losses available to Elite plan holders. These areas of coverage are not typically included in many standard protection plans, positioning OmniWatch as a provider responding directly to the evolving nature of digital threats.

Recognizing that online fraud increasingly involves complex tactics, such as AI-generated deepfakes and voice cloning, OmniWatch’s expanded coverage represents an acknowledgment of the evolving cybersecurity landscape. By offering protection in these emerging areas, the company demonstrates how identity protection providers can adapt to meet the demands of a rapidly shifting threat environment.

OmniWatch’s continuous dark web monitoring further supports its preventive framework. The system continuously scans for compromised personal data, providing notifications when user information is identified. This enables individuals to take timely action and underscores the importance of vigilance in modern digital security.

Since its launch, OmniWatch has grown to a team of 100 employees and earned recognition for its focus on innovation and consumer protection. Through its combination of monitoring technology, practical prevention tools, and inclusive insurance coverage, the company continues to contribute to broader conversations about how individuals can stay protected in an increasingly digital world.

OmniWatch won a Gold Stevie Award for Company of the Year (Medium) - Computer Services in The 2025 American Business Awards®. 

Interested in entering the 2026 program?

Stevie-winner Loanspark is transforming small business lending through its subscription-based, embedded Business Lending as a Service (BLaaS) platform. Founded in 2021 by Michael Barnett and Sasha Yablonovsky, the company enables organizations to become small business and real estate investor lenders to their customers in less than seven days. By combining technology, inclusivity, and expertise, Loanspark empowers small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to access fair and flexible financing that supports growth and sustainability.

A Platform Built for SMB Growth
Loanspark's loan origination system offers real-time processing, underwriting, and funding capabilities, allowing companies to deliver customized lending solutions efficiently. Beyond conventional lending, Loanspark supports B2B service providers, accounting firms, and mortgage companies with tools that stabilize revenue streams, expand financing options, and enhance client services.

By providing embedded finance solutions, Loanspark enables businesses to access capital seamlessly within their existing platforms, creating a frictionless experience that supports sustainable growth and operational efficiency.

Expansion and Strategic Capabilities
In 2023-2024, Loanspark significantly expanded its reach and product offerings. The company earned Supplier Diversity Office certification, highlighting its status as a minority-owned business and its commitment to equitable economic opportunities.

The company’s commercial real estate marketplace expanded to include over 100 lenders, offering a diverse range of loan options for multifamily, retail, industrial, and other sectors. Additionally, the launch of the Loanspark Partner API provides seamless access to capital through embedded platforms, simplifying the lending process and increasing accessibility for small businesses.

Over the past year, Loanspark has further strengthened its leadership position. Securing the trademark for BLaaS™, launching an executive-led podcast, and forming strategic partnerships with national enterprise platforms have reinforced its industry influence. Conversion rates for qualified applicants now exceed 65% across all business loan product types, and 89% across all real estate loan products, more than 2.5 times the national benchmark, demonstrating both strong market demand and the effectiveness of its embedded lending model.

Loanspark continues to combine technology, thought leadership, and strategic partnerships to redefine business lending. By expanding access to capital, supporting diverse communities, and enabling SMBs and real estate investors to thrive, Loanspark demonstrates measurable impact across industries.

Loanspark won a Gold Stevie for Company of the Year – Financial Services (Small) and a Bronze Stevie Award for Achievement in Growth in The 2025 American Business Awards®.

Interested in entering the 2026 program?