Die Stevie® Awards, Veranstalter der weltweit wichtigsten Wirtschaftsauszeichnungen, haben die 11. German Stevie Awards 2025 eröffnet. Der Wirtschaftspreis für die deutschsprachige europäische Unternehmenswelt bietet Organisationen aus Belgien, Deutschland, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Österreich und der Schweiz die Möglichkeit, ihre besten Projekte und Unternehmensleistungen in zahlreichen Kategorien einzureichen. Teilnahmeunterlagen und alle Details zum Wettbewerb sind unter stevieawards.com/GSA erhältlich

Unternehmen und Organisationen jeder Größe, ob öffentlich oder privat, gewinnorientiert oder gemeinnützig, sowie Einzelpersonen aus der Wirtschaft können ab sofort Nominierungen für die beliebten Auszeichnungen einreichen. Frühentschlossene profitieren bis zum 14. Mai 2025 von einer ermäßigten Preisträgergebühr.

Spannende neue Kategorien für 2025

Eine neue Kategoriengruppe der German Stevie Awards 2025 ist "Podcasts". 

Podcasts sind heute vielfältiger und beliebter denn je – sie informieren, unterhalten und inspirieren Millionen von Menschen weltweit. Ob True Crime, Business, Wissenschaft oder Comedy – für jedes Interesse gibt es das passende Format. Ein Podcast-Award bietet die einzigartige Gelegenheit, die eigene Arbeit sichtbar zu machen, sich von der Konkurrenz abzuheben und neue Hörerinnen und Hörer zu gewinnen. Eine Auszeichnung stärkt nicht nur die Glaubwürdigkeit, sondern auch das Branding und die Reichweite eines Podcasts. Wer sich bewirbt, hat die Chance, seine Leidenschaft und Kreativität von einer Fachjury anerkennen zu lassen und seine Erfolgsgeschichte weiterzuschreiben.

Wir prämieren Podcasts in den Gruppen:

• Shows
• Einzelepisoden
• Miniserien & Specials
• Features

Dort finden Sie viele spannende Kategorien zu Themen wie Business, Comedy, Geschichte, Kriminalität & Justiz, Kunst & Kultur, Sport und Wissenschaft. Übersicht über alle Podcast-Kategorien

Des Weiteren gibt es folgende neue Kategorien im Bereich Neue Produkte und Produktmanagement: (E-)Mobilität, Haushaltsgeräte, Smart Living Innovationen und im Bereich Künstliche Intelligenz (KI) / Lösungen für Machine Learning: Finanzen, Generative KI, Gesundheitswesen, Andere.

Im Kalender festhalten: Teilnahmefristen und Termine

Alle Unternehmen und Organisationen dürfen kostenfrei beliebig viele Nominierungen einreichen. Teilnehmer, die ihre Bewerbungen bis zur ersten Teilnahmefrist, dem 14. Mai 2025, abgeben, profitieren von einem Rabatt von 40 Euro auf die Preisträgergebühren pro erfolgreicher Nominierung. Wer die Teilnahmefrist am 14. Mai verpasst, darf seine Bewerbungen noch bis zum 12. Juni einreichen. Mehrere Fachgremien werden dann die Gold, Silber und Bronze Preistragenden ermitteln. Im Oktober werden die Gold, Silber und Bronze Preistragenden dann im Rahmen einer gemeinsamen feierlichen Preisverleihung mit den International Business Awards in einer Europäischen Großstadt geehrt.

• Eine Übersicht über alle Änderungen und Neuigkeiten der German Stevie Awards 2025 finden Sie hier.
• Neugierig? Dann registrieren Sie sich noch heute!  
• Tipps zur Aufbereitung Ihrer Teilnahmeunterlagen finden Sie hier. 

Für weitere Informationen besuchen Sie: stevieawards.com/GSA

Entries in this special Ethics in Sales Award category are welcome through February 28

Nominations for the 2025 (19^th annual) Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service, considered the world’s top honors for customer service, business development, and sales professionals, will be accepted through February 18 at StevieAwards.com/Sales.

For the sixth year in a row, Sales Partnerships, Inc., one of the world's leading providers of outsourced sales solutions, will sponsor the Sales Partnerships Ethics in Sales Award in the competition. The award will recognize outstanding examples of ethical sales practices since the beginning of July 2023. The entry deadline for this special category, for which there are no entry fees, is February 28.

To nominate and view the entry requirements of the Sales Partnerships Ethics in Sales Award, complete the nomination form.

Nominations for the Ethics in Sales Award will be reviewed and rated by Sales Partnerships.  The results will be reported to nominees in March. One Gold Stevie winner will be chosen from among all nominations.  Other nominations may be accorded Silver or Bronze Stevie medals, depending on their ratings.

Fred Kessler, Sales Partnerships Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Recognizing excellence in sales has never been more important than today. These awards judge the best of the best ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses. It is the highest recognition in the field of selling for both performance as well as systems and support of world-class selling organizations. We take pride in sponsoring the Ethics in Sales Award. Recognizing the best of the best who sell ethically and are responsible to their communities aligns with Sales Partnerships' guiding principles. We find the organizations that are the most productive tend to also have a focus on doing the job ethically—spotlighting this helps the industry as a whole."

Stevie Awards President Maggie Miller expressed her enthusiasm for the continued partnership with Sales Partnerships in presenting this prestigious award. "We are delighted to welcome Sales Partnerships back for a sixth year as they help us recognize individuals who not only achieve outstanding sales results but also uphold integrity and professionalism in the workplace. This award is a wonderful opportunity to honor a friend or colleague who exemplifies honesty and high ethical standards in their career."

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service recognize achievement in business development, customer service, and sales worldwide.  Eligible nominees include departments, teams, and individual professionals. New products and services and solution providers used by those professionals are also eligible. The 2024 awards will recognize achievements since July 1, 2022. Explore the full list of categories.

View full details for the 18th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service at StevieAwards.com/Sales.



About Sales Partnerships      
Sales Partnerships, Inc. is a contract sales organization founded in 1997 with the mission to combine best practices in sales recruitment, training, management, quality assurance, and selling technologies into a complete services platform that consistently delivers exceptional results for our clients. The firm has been recognized and awarded multiple times as the best sales outsourcing firm in North America, for innovation in the fields of applied sales technology, best service offerings, one of the best places to work, and for the individual accomplishments of its sales professionals and key leadership team members. Learn more at SalesPartnerships.com.

Established in 1975 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSH&RC) has grown into a significant healthcare institution in the Middle East. Known for its specialized medical services and research contributions, the hospital has expanded its operations while focusing on improving healthcare standards and operational efficiency.

KFSH&RC supports Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiative to enhance healthcare services and research capabilities. The institution is working toward becoming globally recognized in medical care, research, and education.

Key Contributions and Milestones

Specialized Medical Care. The hospital provides advanced treatments in areas such as oncology, cardiology, and genetics. It has also developed expertise in organ transplants, having completed over 5,000 procedures to date.

Research and Development. KFSH&RC has also made progress in research areas such as genomics and cancer studies. Its research output includes publications and patents that contribute to scientific advancements.

Expanding Access and Facilities. The hospital has opened additional branches in Jeddah and Madinah to meet growing demand and improve access to healthcare. In 2023, it launched a new Private Wing Building to enhance patient care and provide additional services.

Operational Improvements. The hospital has implemented technology-driven initiatives to improve efficiency, such as the Enterprise Resource Planning Process Design Project, which has streamlined administrative processes like travel orders and approvals. This has reduced processing times and improved data accuracy.

Workforce Initiatives
KFSH&RC emphasizes workforce development through targeted initiatives:

• Onboarding Improvements: A revised onboarding process integrates new hires more effectively, incorporating mentorship and better communication between departments.
• Job Rotation Programs: Allowing employees to rotate roles has supported skill development and adaptability, helping ensure continuity during staffing challenges.
• AI Integration: The “We Bridge” AI chatbot provides 24/7 support for employee inquiries, making HR services more accessible.

 In recent years, KFSH&RC has significantly increased its hiring efforts, with 4,647 employees onboarded between 2022 and 2023. Of these, 74.17% were local hires, contributing to the hospital's compliance with Saudization targets.

Looking Ahead
KFSH&RC continues to focus on enhancing medical care, research, and operational efficiency. Its initiatives in workforce development, service expansion, and research reflect a commitment to contributing to healthcare improvements both locally and globally.

King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre won a Gold Stevie^® Award for Achievement in Human Resources; and four Bronze Stevie Awards for Support Team of the Year, Support Department of the Year, Human Resources Department of the Year, and Human Resources Team of the Year in The 2024 International Business Awards^®.

Interested in entering for 2025?

Mobile Communications Company (Iran) and Professor Awad Al-Omari (Saudi Arabia) to be celebrated at an awards gala on 22 February

The Stevie® Awards have announced two Grand Stevie Award winners in the sixth annual Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards. These are the top prizes in the competition. Grand Stevie winners will be presented their awards at a gala banquet at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates on Saturday, 22 February.

The Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, sponsored by the Ras Al Khaimah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, is an international business awards competition open to all organizations in 18 nations in the Middle East and North Africa. The focus of the awards is recognizing workplace innovation in all its forms.

This year more than 1,100 nominations were considered in the judging process by more than 118 professionals, whose average ratings determined the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners announced earlier in January. For a complete list of the 2025 Stevie Award winners, visit https://MENA.StevieAwards.com.

In addition to the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Awards, the organization with the most award points (total number of points conferred by total Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie wins) and the highest-scoring nomination are awarded the Grand Stevie Awards, which cannot be applied for directly.

The Grand Stevie Award winners are:

Organization of the Year: with 47 award points, earned through seven Gold, seven Silver, and eight Bronze Stevie Award wins in various categories, Mobile Communications Company of Iran is the most honored organization in this year’s competition. Mobile Communications Company of Iran, commonly abbreviated as MCI and also known under its brand name Hamrah-e Avval, is the first and largest mobile operator in Iran. MCI has over 75 million active subscribers which makes it the biggest one in the Middle East. MCI service is available in 1,239 cities and over 70,000 kilometers of roads in Iran. They won seven Gold Stevie Awards in the categories Award for Innovation in Annual Reports, Award for Innovation in Human Resources Management, Planning & Practice - Telecommunications Industries, Award for Innovation in Training Videos, and more.

Highest Rated Nomination of the Year: with an average score from the judges of 9.37 out a possible 10, the nomination of Prof. Awad Al-Omari for Most Innovative Leader of the Year, by Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia received the highest individual average score in the 2025 competition. The nomination also won the Gold Stevie in the Thought Leader of the Year category. Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group is the largest private healthcare provider in Saudi Arabia and the GCC region. Established in 1995, the group has grown to include 25 medical facilities across Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE, with a total of over 1,900 beds​. HMG is recognized for its cutting-edge medical services, advanced technologies, and commitment to delivering high-quality services.

"We are delighted to announce the 2025 Grand Stevie Award winners. MCI and Prof. Awad Al-Omari exemplify the outstanding caliber of nominations received for the 2025 Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards," said Maggie Miller, President of the Stevie Awards. "As businesses continue to evolve, the judges were highly impressed by the Grand Stevie winners' creativity, resourcefulness, and expertise in driving their organizations forward over the past two years. We eagerly anticipate celebrating their achievements at the gala on 22 February."

Complete information about the awards banquet in Ras Al Khaimah is available at https://stevieawards.com/mena/tickets

If you, as a press representative, are interested in covering the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards award ceremony on 22 February in Ras al Khaimah, UAE, please contact us at help+MENA@stevieawards.com.

The seventh edition of the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards will open for entries in September 2025.

The Stevie® Awards is excited to unveil a new era for the Women|Future Conference. Starting in 2025, the conference will transform into the Women|Future Webinars, a series of free webinars designed for women professionals, entrepreneurs, and small business owners.

Since its launch in 2018, the Women|Future Conference has been a hub for thought leaders, executives, and aspiring entrepreneurs to connect, learn, and grow. After seven successful years as an annual event, we are evolving into a more accessible and dynamic experience.

The new webinar series will take place over three months—June, July, and August 2025—aligning with the 22nd annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business, which opens for nominations on May 13, and has a final entry deadline of August 20.

What to Expect
Each Women|Future Webinar will feature inspiring and practical takeaways from accomplished entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and many Stevie Award winners. Topics will include:

•   Strategies for growing, launching, and sustaining a successful business
•   Benefits of entering business awards and leveraging recognition
•   Storytelling techniques to differentiate your brand from the competition

With expert-led discussions and actionable insights, attendees will walk away with the tools they need to Cultivate Their Tomorrow—both professionally and personally.

Who Should Attend?
The Women|Future Webinars are designed for forward-thinking women across all industries and career levels. Whether you’re a CEO, entrepreneur, executive, director, manager, or someone navigating a career transition, these sessions provide fresh perspectives and valuable learning experiences from successful women in business.

Join Us
We invite you to be part of this exciting new journey. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical business advice, or networking opportunities, the Women|Future Webinars offer a space to learn from women who are leading the way. Have questions or want to get in touch with us?  Learn More.

Sign up individually for each webinar session you wish to attend using the buttons below.

June 18, 2025, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT
 Register Now

July 16, 2025, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT
Register Now

August 13, 2025, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT
Register Now

Sponsorship/Partnership Opportunities
Want to connect with a global community of ambitious women? Sponsoring the Women|Future Webinars is an opportunity to showcase your brand to a network of business leaders and entrepreneurs worldwide. Sponsors receive visibility across our website, social media, email campaigns, and live webinar sessions. Request Sponsorship Information.

The Stevie® Awards, organizer of the world's premier business awards programs, has extended the final entry deadline for the 2025 (19th annual) Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Entry kits and complete details about the competition are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/Sales.

The original final entry deadline was January 22, but by popular demand, entrants now have through February 18 to submit nominations. Winners will be announced on March 6, and the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners will be honored during an awards ceremony in New York City on April 10.

Eligible nominees include departments, teams, and professionals from around the world who work in customer service, contact centers, business development, and sales. New products and services and solution providers used by those professionals are also eligible. The 2025 awards will recognize achievements since July 1, 2022.

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service feature more than 150 sales awards, customer service awards, business development awards, new product awards, thought leadership, and solution provider awards categories. Entrants may submit any number of nominations to any number of categories, which include:

• Sales Individual categories such as Senior Sales Executive of the Year and Sales Representative of the Year
  ● Sales Team categories like Global Sales Team of the Year and Online Sales Team of the Year
  ● Sales Achievement categories such as Sales Turnaround of the Year and Sales Training or Coaching Program of the Year
  ● Sales Distinction categories in 14 industry groupings
  ● Customer Service and Contact Center Individual categories such as Front-Line Customer Service Professional of the Year and Customer Service Leader of the Year
  ● Customer Service and Contact Center Team categories like Contact Center of the Year and Back Office Customer Service Team of the Year
  ● Customer Service and Contact Center Achievement categories such as e-Commerce Customer Service Award and Award for Innovation in Customer Service
  ● Customer Service Department categories in 12 industry groupings
  ● Customer Service Success categories in five industry groupings
  ● New Product and Service categories like Best New Business Intelligence Solution and Best New Marketing Solution
  Solutions and Implementations categories such as Business Intelligence Solution, Collaboration Solution, Contact Center Solution
  ● Solution Provider categories such as Sales Consulting Practice of the Year and Incentive, Rewards, or Recognition Provider of the Year
  ● Business Development categories such as Business Development Professional of the Year and Business Development Achievement of the Year - Hospitality & Leisure
  ● Thought Leadership categories such as Best Use of Thought Leadership in Sales, Best Use of Thought Leadership in Business Development, and Best Use of Thought Leadership in Customer Service

2025 will see the return of the People's Choice Stevie® Awards for Favorite Customer Service, a popular feature of the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service in which the public may vote for their favorite providers of customer service from among all finalist nominations in the Customer Service Department of the Year categories.

Winners of the 2024 edition of the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service included Allianz Services Pvt Ltd, Apexon, Ayala Land, Bank of America, Blackhawk Network, Cisco Systems, Delta Dental of Kansas, DP DHL, Everise, Hinduja Global Solutions, HP Inc., IBM Corporation, Lounge Group, Purpol Marketing Limited, Sales Partnerships, Inc., Samsung Electronics America, SAP, Splunk, Support Services Group, Tata Consultancy Services, Toco Warranty, UPMC Health Plan, VIZIO Inc., Watsons, and Weber Shandwick.

The 2025 competition will be judged by more than 150 professionals around the world. Those interested in participating on one of the juries may apply at https://sales.stevieawards.com/sa-judge/register.

Sponsors of the 2025 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service include The Brooks Group, Sales Partnerships, Support Services Group, and ValueSelling Associates.

Founded by Ankur and Aditi Daga, Angara Inc. is a family-started and family-run fine jewelry brand, committed to "helping the world celebrate with color." Their handcrafted jewelry is dressed in high-quality gemstones, diamonds, and pearls, and every piece is made to order.

Stevie-winner Ankur Daga, Founder and CEO of Angara, is a visionary entrepreneur whose journey is defined by a passion for gemstones and a commitment to transform the industry through a more personalized shopping experience. A Harvard graduate with a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) certification, Ankur's entrepreneurial spirit was evident even during his academic years when friends sought him out for customizing engagement rings, foreshadowing the path he would later embark upon.

A Journey Rooted in Passion
Ankur's personal journey, from combing the carpet for diamonds at the age of 5 to working in the family's wholesale gemstone business as a teen, reflects a deep connection to the industry. Despite initially choosing a different path through academia and consulting, he was driven to return to his roots by a unique combination of experiences.

Ankur's professional trajectory took an interesting turn at McKinsey & Company, where he worked as a consultant on a jewelry brand, making him realize the untapped potential of the market. Through online retail and customer-focused strategies, he set out to transform the fine jewelry industry with the power of customization.

In 2005, Ankur Daga founded Angara, combining generational expertise and cutting-edge technology. His long-term approach deliberately eschewed venture capital funding, ensuring alignment with his ambitious goals.

With features like gemstone quality, carat weight and metal choice, every jewelry piece comes in a minimum of 64 variants to suit every style and budget. Today, with its most recent "Create with Angara" (CWA) feature, Angara allows customers to design their own rings from scratch—from a plethora of gemstone options, styles, settings and precious metals–within minutes.

Ankur recognized the challenge of shifting customer mindsets towards buying fine jewelry online and strategically addressed it through this accessible, convenient, and highly personal approach, ensuring that what customers had in mind was precisely what they received.

Transforming the Industry With Color
Angara's manifesto which reads, "Color Changes Everything. For the Better," reflects Ankur's core belief. For this reason, he initiated the brand’s always-on campaign, "Celebrate with Color" to encourage people to celebrate life’s precious moments with color.

In an industry dominated by diamonds, Ankur's bold vision is to become the undisputed leader in colored gemstones, aiming to create a cultural shift, rekindling appreciation for the beauty and significance of colored gemstones that have been overshadowed for decades.

Overcoming Challenges and Vertical Integration
Ankur notably navigated challenges like lack of awareness about gemstones and customer perceptions about buying jewelry online through his vertical integration strategy. Spanning gemstone cutting, polishing, jewelry design, manufacturing, and eCommerce retail, he ensures that everything is handled by his in-house team, addressing challenges head-on.

In 2022, Ankur introduced a partnership program. In an effort to nurture entrepreneurship within the company, he is setting up smaller start-up units within Angara that are driven solely by individuals and contribute to overall success. Furthermore, he champions the empowerment of women in leadership roles, attributing the success of Angara in part to the contributions of his own mother and wife.

Looking Ahead
As colored gemstones gain a larger share of the market, Ankur envisions Angara as a name synonymous with color. The company has experienced significant growth and now has a team of around 500 members spread across 10 offices in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Angara Inc. CEO Ankur Daga won a Gold Stevie for Best Entrepreneur in Retail, and Angora Inc. earned an additional Gold and two Silver Stevies for Retail Marketing Campaign of the Year, Fastest Growing Company of the Year, and Achievement in Customer Satisfaction, respectively, in The 2024 American Business Awards^®.

Interested in entering for 2025?

Stevie-winner MahaloHub is focused on creating mobile applications and marketing strategies designed to help businesses effectively connect with their audiences. Founded to meet the growing need for targeted and user-friendly mobile solutions, MahaloHub combines technology, analytics, and creative design to help brands reach their goals in a mobile-first world.

Demand for marketing video content continues to grow. At the same time, the recommendation of a real person continues to carry more impact than any marketing campaign. MahaloHub is a self-service web-based application that makes it easy for companies of all sizes to invite, capture, and edit a steady stream of authentic customer and employee testimonial videos and easily share them across their digital landscape.

While the demand for video is growing, traditional video testimonials are expensive and time-consuming and cannot scale to meet the growing demand. MahaloHub eliminates the cost and time requirements of capturing, editing, and sharing customer and employee stories with a budget-friendly, user-friendly, and fully guided process that companies and their customers love.

Designed to augment expensive yet beautifully produced, traditional videos, companies can now capture authentic stories that resonate far more than slick promotional videos. The innovative editing suite makes it simple for organizations of any size to add their logo, text overlay, call-to-action, closed-captioning, image enhancements, timing, intro/outro, and more. Videos can be shared with one click across all social media sites, to a website, pre-built microsites, downloaded, and shared with a link or QR code.

MahaloHub provides services that range from developing custom mobile applications to crafting data-driven mobile marketing campaigns. Their approach involves understanding each client’s specific audience and business objectives and then tailoring solutions that align with those needs. By utilizing tools such as advanced analytics and AI-driven personalization, MahaloHub ensures that the mobile experiences they create are both engaging and functional. 

The company places a strong emphasis on collaboration throughout the project lifecycle. From initial consultations to post-launch support, MahaloHub works closely with clients to ensure the delivered products and strategies meet both immediate needs and long-term growth plans.

MahaloHub's focus on combining user-centric design with robust functionality has made them a reliable partner for companies looking to leverage mobile technology to drive engagement and growth. 

MahaloHub won a Silver Stevie Award for Best Mobile App Marketing in The 2024 American Business Awards^®.

Interested in entering for 2025?

Sixth Annual Awards Sponsored by RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry Recognize Innovation in 18 MENA Nations

Winners in the sixth annual Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards, the only awards program to recognize innovation in the workplace throughout 18 nations in the Middle East and North Africa, have been announced.  The awards are sponsored by RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The list of Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners is available at http://MENA.StevieAwards.com.

The 2025 Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards have recognized organizations in 14 nations including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates. More than 1,100 nominations in Arabic and English were evaluated in this year’s competition. Winners were determined by the average scores of 118 professionals worldwide, acting as judges on five juries to recognize innovative apps, achievements, entire organizations, public relations, customer service, human resources, individual professionals, live and virtual events, management, sustainability, technology, thought leadership, and more.

Winners of multiple Gold, Silver, or Bronze Stevie Awards include Abu Dhabi Customs, UAE; Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), UAE; ACTION LABS CONSULTANCY, Bahrain; Al Dhafrah Region Municipality, UAE; DHL Express, multiple locations across the region; Ebebek Mağazacılık A.Ş, Türkiye; General Civil Aviation Authority, UAE; Gulf Agency Co. (Dubai)L.L.C/ GAC, UAE; Insan Charitable Society for the Care of Orphans and Their Mothers, Saudi Arabia; Miral Destinations, UAE; Mobile Communications Company of Iran - MCI, Iran; Ooredoo Group, multiple locations across the region; Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu, Saudi Arabia; Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia; Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), UAE; The Fashion Commission, Saudi Arabia; ZIRA Arabia, Saudi Arabia, among others.

Stevie winners will be presented their awards at a gala banquet at the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah Hotel in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, 22 February. Tickets for the event are now on sale.

“We are delighted to recognize the achievements of such a diverse group of organizations across the MENA region in the 2025 edition of the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards,” said Stevie Awards President Maggie Miller.  “We look forward to celebrating Stevie winners during our gala event on 22 February in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The quality of nominations received this year was exceptional. The program has grown every year, showing the vast amount of innovation in the MENA region.”

Founded in 2020, Stevie-winner Founderz is an online business school dedicated to upskilling individuals for the jobs of the future. With over 9,000 learners in 20 countries, the platform is trusted by more than 200 companies, including Deloitte, HP, and EY, for team training.

The collaborative learning platform leverages online training programs, artificial intelligence (AI), and metaverse technology to deliver an interactive, online learning experience. Users can learn at any time and from anywhere through short video lessons, live events, masterclasses, and forum debates within a community of global students.

They also developed the first online AI & Innovation learning program in collaboration with Microsoft. In its first week, the program attracted 1,500 new registrants and has since grown to over 5,000 students, making it the largest AI training program in Europe.

In December 2023, they introduced the first online AI in Sports learning program in collaboration with theGlobal Sports Innovation Center powered by Microsoft (GSIC). This program prepares professionals for AI applications in sports, featuring insights from Microsoft’s AI General Manager and case studies from leading organizations at the forefront of this transformation, such as LaLiga and Real Madrid.

Founderz’s learning ecosystem redefines online education by combining cutting-edge training programs with a collaborative platform, an AI Study Buddy, and a virtual campus. The collaborative education platform organizes each program into accessible modules, allowing students to navigate through bite-sized, cinema-quality video lessons, assignments, and progress tracking, all of which enhance accessibility.

The virtual campus offers an immersive and interactive learning environment. Here, students can engage in real-time interactions with peers and attend online events and masterclasses. They can also join the Founderz Discord channel to stay updated on the latest trends and share current news, fostering a global community that transcends traditional online education boundaries enabling students to learn from and with each other.

A feature called AI Study Buddy, powered by GPT-4, provides personalized assistance as a virtual companion. This tool not only addresses specific program queries but also tailors the learning experience to individual student needs, enhancing the effectiveness of their educational journey.

Practical application of knowledge is key. Students demonstrate their understanding with video-recorded assignments, which are then shared for peer review. This process not only reinforces learning but also cultivates communication and feedback skills. Upon completing these modules, students receive certifications, showcasing their expertise within the Founderz network.

Founderz collaborations with industry leaders like Microsoft elevate the learning experience. The AI & Innovation course, for example, offers firsthand insights from industry experts, including the creators of Microsoft's RAI framework. These partnerships offer a robust platform for the professional advancement of individuals and the training of company employees. 

The benefits of choosing Founderz are multifaceted. They emphasize active, collaborative learning over passive video consumption, utilizing AI for deep student profiling. This approach not only enhances the learning process but also provides insights into individual learning styles. Their rapid program deployment, facilitated by an in-house production team, ensures timely and relevant content delivery. Additionally, their graduates emerge as upskilled evangelists for their partners' products, underscoring its impact on market leadership.

The advancements in cloud and AI have ushered in a new wave of required skills for work. According to Deloitte, 70% of professionals believe their job skills will change significantly in the coming year. With confidence in higher education also falling, about 48% of university students have considered dropping out due to a lack of suitable courses. These statistics highlight a need for upskilling and reskilling which Founderz provides as an alternative education option.

Founderz is not just a platform for gaining knowledge; it's a dynamic, technology-driven community that empowers students through collaborative and interactive learning experiences.

Founderz won a Gold Stevie Award for Best Use of Artificial Intelligence in EdTech in The 2024 American Business Awards^®.

Interested in entering for 2025?