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 San Jose–based 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. Since January 2023, enhancements to this system have increased object detection accuracy by 40% and improved lane prediction precision by 50%, enabling safer navigation in complex environments such as urban areas and construction zones.

The company has also advanced real-time inference capabilities, reducing latency by 75% through TensorRT optimizations. With sub-millisecond response times while processing over 500,000 sensor frames per second, Torc’s vehicles can respond swiftly to dynamic scenarios, supporting both safety and operational efficiency.

In parallel, Torc implemented a scalable microservices architecture using AWS ECS and Kubernetes, achieving 99.9% uptime and seamless over-the-air updates. This cloud-based approach allows for rapid deployment across fleets, supporting continuous improvements without operational interruptions.

The company’s synthetic data augmentation pipeline has further enhanced rare object detection by 30% and accelerated model retraining by 60%, improving performance in edge-case scenarios that traditional data collection cannot easily replicate.

Torc’s pilot programs demonstrate tangible results. Autonomous trucks operating in customer fleets achieved a 20% reduction in accident rates and a 15% increase in vehicle availability, indicating meaningful improvements to both safety and efficiency. These real-world outcomes complement the company’s technical innovations, showing the practical value of its autonomous solutions.

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?

Women-Owned Businesses and Professionals Were Honored at an Awards Ceremony in New York City

The Stevie® Awards for Women in Business, the world's top honors for women entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run, have announced the 2025 winners.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business is an international competition produced by the creators of the prestigious International Business Awards® and American Business Awards®. The Stevie is widely regarded as the world's premier business award.

Finalists in the 2025 competition were announced in September. The Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award placements among the Finalists were revealed at a gala event at New York's Marriott Marquis Hotel on Monday, November 10. More than 550 nominated women professionals and their guests attended the presentations, which were broadcast live via Vimeo.

The 2025 competition attracted more than 1,500 nominations submitted by organizations and individuals in 48 nations. Winners were honored for achievements in more than 100 categories, including Executive of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Most Innovative Company of the Year, Startup of the Year, and Women-Run Workplace of the Year. Over 200 business professionals from seven specialized judging committees determined the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners.

Grand Stevie Award trophies were presented to five organizations that submitted the best body of entries to the competition, in their own names or in the names of one or more clients. These awards cannot be applied for directly. Grand winners were determined by the total number of Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Awards won in the competition, with a Gold Stevie win counting for 3 points, a Silver Stevie for 2 points, and a Bronze Stevie counting for 1.5.

The 2025 Grand Stevie Award winners, listed in descending order by points, are as follows:

• Award Writing Services with 92 points for nine Gold, 25 Silver, and 10 Bronze Stevie Award wins on behalf of themselves and their clients
• Purpol Marketing, Chippenham, United Kingdom with 61 points with seven Gold, 14 Silver, and eight Bronze Stevie Award wins on behalf of themselves and their clients
• IBM, worldwide, with 29 points, for four Gold, four Silver, and six Bronze Stevie Award wins
• RISER, Armadale, Australia with 28.5 points for six Gold, three Silver, and three Bronze Stevie Awards on behalf of themselves and clients
• FASSLING.ai with 25 points for four Gold, five Silver, and two Bronze Stevie Award wins

The 2025 Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners reflect a diverse group of large and small organizations from around the world. Notable Gold Stevie Award winners in this year's competition include:

• Donna Dror, CEO, Usercentrics, Munich, Germany, for Best Female CEO of the Year – Business Service
• Courtney Spaeth, CEO, growth[period], Tysons, VA USA for Best Female Entrepreneur in Business Services - 11 to 2,500 Employees
• MeiLee Langley, Vice President of Global Indirect Marketing, Nextiva, Inc., Phoenix, AZ USA for Female Executive of the Year ñ Business Products - 11 to 2,500 Employees
• Jelena Bajic, VP, TELUS Digital, Toronto, Canada, for Female Executive of the Year - Consumer Services - More Than 2,500 Employees
• Kristen Dalton, President, Tripadvisor, Needham, MA USA for Female Thought Leader of the Year - Consumer Services
• Olivia Mirza, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia, for Most Innovative Woman of the Year – Industry
• Peta Warby, Founder, SANAME, Gold Coast, Australia, for Woman of the Year – Industry
• Security Done Easy, Cary, NC USA for Best Female Business Blogger of the Year
• Öksüt Madencilik, Ankara, Türkiye, for Achievement in Women-related Corporate Social Responsibility
• Theory Crew, Armadale, Australia, for three Gold Stevie Awards: Achievement in Marketing – Consumer Products, Achievement in Media Relations, and Achievement in New Product or Service Launch
• SuperFresh, Istanbul, Türkiye, for Achievement in Corporate Responsibility
• Mastercard, Nairobi, Kenya, for Achievement in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• PlayWise Partners, Los Angeles, CA USA for Achievement in Events & Observances Communications or PR
• Sempra, San Diego, CA USA for Achievement in Ethical Leadership
• Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, Taguig City, Philippines, for Achievement in Influencer Management

Organizations that won more than two or more Gold Stevie Awards, other than the Grand winners mentioned above, include Buy From A Black Woman, Atlanta GA USA, Chang Robotics, Jacksonville Beach, FL USA, Cherishers 818 CIC, Staffordshire, UK, Elivate, Tahoe City, CA USA, Fernwood Fitness, Melbourne, Australia, Global Touch, El Cerrito, CA USA, Health Focus Manufacturers Sydney, Australia, How Many Elephants, Alresford, UK, HR EXAM PREP with Angela, Canton, MS USA, Lisa Blair OAM, Sydney, Australia, Mastercard, Nairobi, Kenya, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, Taguig City, Philippines, My Mountain Mover, Orange, CA USA, Pacvue, San Francisco, CA USA, Premier Inc., Washington DC, Rockwood Custom Homes, Calgary, Canada, SANAME, Gold Coast, Australia, Songue PR, San Francisco, CA, Spear & Arrow, Dubbo, Australia, The Divorce Course Podcast, Kenmore East, Australia, The Equine Practice Company, Clayfield, Australia, The Flora May Foundation, San Clemente, CA USA, The Ginsburg Firm, Brisbane, QLD Australia, Toptana Technologies, Taholah, WA USA, and Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia.

Visit http://www.StevieAwards.com/Women for a complete list of Stevie winners by category.

The 22nd annual Stevie® Awards for Women in Business, the world's top honors for female entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run, will culminate with a gala awards banquet attended by close to 600 nominees, judges, and their guests from around the world, on Monday, November 10 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Finalists in the competition were announced in September.  Anticipation has been building since then for Monday's announcements, when the Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award placements among the Finalists will be revealed.

The presentations will be broadcast live.  The program book for the event is available for download.

Here is the list of organizations that will be represented at Monday's awards ceremony:

5FT View Consulting, LLC, Kensington, MD
A.S. Biz Empire Ltd, Oxted, United Kingdom
ACE-Association of Canadian Early Learning Programs, Calgary, AB, Canada
Advanced Info Service Plc., Bangkok, Thailand
AER Wellness, Australia
Anita Borg Institute for Technology, Sacramento, CA
Ascend Learning, Burlington, MA
Ascensus, Boston, MA
Ascensus, Cape Coral, FL
Avahi, San Francisco, CA
AVI Media, Huntsville, ON Canada
Baylor Genetics, Houston, TX
BCD Travel, San Diego, CA
BeeVisual LLC, Southborough, MA
BET GROUP GLOBAL PTY LTD, Maylands, SA, Australia
BioActive NZ 1984, Bangkok, Thailand
Black Glass, New York, NY
Blue Bean Media, Wynnum West, QLD, Australia
Bonterra, Seattle, WA
Branding 4 Success, Indianapolis, IN
Bright Horizons, Newton, MA
Cadence Speaker Academy, Australia
CAQH, Washington, DC
Cardinal Capital Group, Boston, MA
Catalight, Walnut Creek, CA
Chang Robotics, Jacksonville Beach, FL
Change Consulting, Oakland, CA
Cherishers 811 CIC, Rugeley, United Kingdom
Cisco Systems, Inc., San Jose, CA
Clearpath Learning Group, Knoxville, TN
Coastal Middle and High School, Lake Park, FL
Cognizant, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
Cognizant, Teaneck, NJ
Collaborative ABA Services, LLC, Middletown, CT
Community First Health Plans, Inc., San Antonio, TX
Computer Services, Inc. (CSI), Paducah, KY
CooperVision, Rochester, NY
CSAA Insurance Group, Walnut Creek, CA
DHR Global, Chicago, IL
Distruptor Brand, Australia
Domo Inc., American Fork, UT
DRC Ventures, Franklin, TN
Dream Culture, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Drivewave Solutions Private Limited, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Early Warning Services, San Francisco, CA
ebebek Mağazacılık, Istanbul, Turkey
Egal, Somerville, MA
Elephant in the Room Consulting, Jenni Walke, Carinadale, QLD, Australia
Eleven Eleven Winery, Napa, CA
Elivate, Tahoe City, CA
Employment Resource Group, Inc, Appleton, WI
Executive Ideation, Williamston, MI
Expedition PR, Brooklyn, NY
FactSet, New York, NY
Fernwood Fitness, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Flo. Marketing, Charlotte, NC
Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI
FourFront Design, Rapid City, SD
FridayMakers, Singapore
Frontdoor, Inc., New York, NY
Fusion Connect, Atlanta, GA
GE Healthcare, San Antonio, TX
Global Press Institute, Washington, DC
Global Touch, El Cerrito, CA
GOB of NY, Tonawanda, NY
Green Panther Skincare, City Beach, WA, Australia
growth[period], Tysons, VA
Hear Us Roar, Waikiki ,WA, Australia
Helping Hands Foundation, Bothell, WA
Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Honeylight Enterprises Pty Ltd T/A Greenville Development, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
HP Inc., Palo Alto, CA
HR EXAM PREP with Angela, Canton, MS
IBM, Armonk, NY
Inflo Health, Atlanta, GA
Innovative Leadership Institute, Columbus, OH
Intellectual Perspective Press, Fuente Alamo, Murcia, Spain
ISG, Cleveland, OH
ISG, New York, NY
JANSON, Fairfax, VA
Junipr Public Relations, Chicago, IL
Just Kidz Emergency Medical Ltd., Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Just Meant 2 Be, Atlanta, GA
Kapitus, Minneapolis, MN
kasselot evanesse (Pty) Ltd, Gauteng, South Africa
Krasan Consulting Services Inc, Lisle, IL
Laura Muirhead, Australia
Learning Dimensions Network, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
Level Access, Stafford, VA
LG Ad Solutions, Mountain View, CA
Light Source Communications, Southgate, MI
LucyRx, Bethesda, MD
LZ Technology, Houston, TX
Make Time Wellness, Los Angeles, CA
Mattermost, Palo Alto, CA
Medicines360, San Francisco, CA
Microsoft, Seattle, WA
Mikare Health, Warners Bay, NSW, Australia
MORE Latinoamerica, Wasilla, AK
Mount Sinai Health System, and Icahn School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
My Mountain Mover, Orange, CA
Nextiva, Inc., Phoenix, AZ
OPTERRA Energy Services, Oakland, CA
Optum, Inc, Basking Ridge, NJ
OT Growth Labs LLC, Sacramento, CA
Pacify, Arlington, VA
Partnership for Inclusion Leadership, Alexandria, VA
Persistent Systems, New York, NY
Popilush, New York, NY
Power of Somatic Intelligence, Limasool, Cyprus
Premier Inc., Washington, DC
Presenting Perfection, LLC, Ridgewood, NJ
Propelus, Jacksonville, FL
Property Mastermind, Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia
Publicis Sapient, Toronto, ON, Canada
Purpol Marketing Ltd, Chippenham, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
PWP Health, LLC. Chicago, IL
Re-Bath, Phoenix, AZ
Reboot Representation, Fishers, IN
Regeneron, Pleasant Valley, NY
Renita Marshall Helping Hands Foundation, Barre, VT
Reputation by Design, Balgowlah, NSW, Australia
ResultsCX, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Roads General Authority, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Rufus & Coco (Pty) Ltd, Mosman, NSW, Australia
Sabine Froemling, Berlin, Germany
Sadaya’s Properties LLC, Saint Paul, MN
Serco, Hampshire, United Kingdom
Serenity Press, Waikiki, WA, Australia
Sightly, New York, NY
Sightview, Durham, NC
Sourced, Peachtree Corners, GA
Spark-Y: Youth Action Labs, Minneapolis, MN
STJ Consulting/Leadership in Heels, Lake Forest, CA
Stirbar Lab, Mountain View, CA
SUN HOPE Co.,Ltd., Chosei-gun, Chiba, Japan
SweetSpot Forge GmbH, Zug, Switzerland
Sycurio, San Diego, CA
Talent Resources, New York, NY
Tanijia Coleman, Australia
Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), New York, NY
Teknolojide Kadın Derneği (Women in Technology Association), Istanbul, Turkiye
The Audacious Agency, Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia
The Business Exchange South West Limited, Corsham, Wiltshire, United Kingdon
The Business Growers, Flowood, MS
The Care Advocate, Wicklow Town, Ireland
The Financial Literacy Youth Initiative (FLY Initiative), Providence, RI
The Flamingo Advantage, Sioux Falls, SD
The Ginsburg Group, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
The Marketing Factory, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia
The Pillar Code, Australia
The Sales Institute Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
The Workplace Mental Health Method, Arvada, CO
Tink Recruitment, Australia
Top Score Writing, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Toptana Technologies, Talolah, WA
Turkish Coffee Lady, Alexandria, VA
UHG, Washington, DC
Unbrickable, Australia
Unite Digital, LLC, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Uptrend Motion LLC, New York, NY
Usercentrics, Munich, Germany
Viderity, Leesburg, VA
Visory Health, Estero, FL
Voyager Sopris Learning, Dallas, TX
Vurvey, Cincinnati, OH
Wait4me, Los Angeles, CA
Walk In GYN Care, Middle Village, NY
Wavestone, Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
Wells Fargo, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
West Monroe, Chicago, IL
WIFS - Women in Insurance and Financial Services, Phoenix, AZ
Wild Vines Marketing Inc, Selden, NY
Wildfire Systems, Inc., Solana Beach, CA
World Tree Productions, LLC, Dublin, OH
Worldwide Broker Network, Wilmington, DE
XSOLIS, Nashville, TN

Learn more about the Stevie Awards for Women in Business at https://Women.StevieAwards.com.  The 2026 competition will begin accepting nominations in May.

XXOO Pets Family GmbH Gründerin Anna Song erhält Gold Stevie und begeistert ganz Europa mit individuellen und modernen Tiermöbeln

Bei den diesjährigen German® Stevie Awards konnte Anna Song, die Gründerin der XXOO Pets Family GmbH aus Linz, das Rennen um den begehrten GOLD STEVIE® in der Kategorie "Unternehmerin des Jahres - Einzelhandel" für sich entscheiden und die Jury mit ihrem Beitrag begeistern. "Anna Song hat mit XXOO Pets Family eine frische, kreative Marke aufgebaut, die Nachhaltigkeit, Design und Tierwohl verbindet."

Die jahrelange Haustierbesitzerin wurde zur treibenden Kraft hinter dem Gedanken nachhaltiger, moderner und individueller Produkte für Haustiere und konnte jetzt persönlich beim Preisverleihungsbankett in Lissabon ihren Preis entgegennehmen.

XXOO Pets Family hat sich innerhalb kürzester Zeit am europäischen Markt etablieren können; dabei wurde das Unternehmen erst im Jahre 2023 von einer visionären Einzelunternehmerin - Anna Song - gegründet. Inspiriert wurde sie dabei durch die Beobachtung, dass bis dahin keine oder nur sehr wenige Modelle ansprechend designter Katzenmöbel, wie etwa Kratzbäume, am Markt existierten; auch nach langer Suche fand sie nur Standard-Katzenmöbel, die weder ihrem noch dem Charakter ihrer gerade neu adoptierten verspielten und energiegeladenen Katze Mai Mai entsprachen. Jedes Haustier ist einzigartig und hat einen eigenen Charakter, warum also sollten ihre Tiermöbel langweilig sein? Eine neue und frische Idee musste her und so nahm sie kurzentschlossen selbst das Heft in die Hand und entwarf ihre ersten Modelle, um die Persönlichkeit ihrer und auch jeder anderen Katze zum Strahlen zu bringen. Dabei stand der Anspruch, Kreativität im Design mit durchdachter Funktionalität zu vereinen, an erster Stelle. Jeder Entwurf sollte von den schönen Momenten des Lebens inspiriert sein und durch verschiedene Stile und lebendige Farben die Individualität und den Charakter, sowohl des Kunden als auch des Haustiers, zur Geltung bringen. Angeregt durch die Rückmeldungen der ersten Käufer ihrer neuen Designs, war sie in der Lage, die gesamte Palette an Produkten ständig zu verbessern. Dieses Konzept steht auch heute noch im Vordergrund und geht so weit, dass Kunden auf Wunsch auch personalisierte Kratzbäume ordern können. Jedes Tiermöbel, das die Tore der XXOO Pet Family verlässt, ist nicht nur funktional, sondern auch als hochwertiges Wohnaccessoire konzipiert, welches den Besitzern langanhaltende Freude bereiten soll. Die Zielgruppe sind stilbewusste Haustierbesitzer, die Design, Kreativität und Individualität wertschätzen und nach außergewöhnlichen Haustierprodukten suchen, die sich von der industriellen Massenfertigung abheben. Die emotionale Bindung der Kundschaft zu ihren Haustieren wird durch Personalisierung und innovatives Storytelling auf die speziell auf die Bedürfnisse der Haustiere abgestimmten Produkte übertragen.

Von Beginn an achtete Anna Song bereits auf eine nachhaltige Herstellung und tiergerechte Materialien. So erhielt sie schon wenige Monate nach der Gründung eine Auszeichnung durch die deutsche Abteilung der international tätigen Tierschutzorganisation PETA für einen von ihr entworfenen veganen Kratzbaum. Um zugleich einen weiteren Beitrag zum Umweltschutz zu leisten und den CO2-Fußabdruck ihres Unternehmens zu verringern, wird seit Kurzem in Kooperation mit einer Non-Profit-Organisation für jeden Kauf eines Produktes aus ihrem umfangreichen Produktangebot ein Baum gepflanzt.

Zudem überarbeitete Anna Song die komplette Webseite und das Shopsystem des Unternehmens, um das Browser-Erlebnis zu verbessern und die Kundenbindung weiter zu festigen, wofür sie einen Preis für einen der besten Online-Shops Oberösterreichs für sich verbuchen konnte. Ihre beeindruckend hohen Bewertung konnte sie konstant halten, durch individuelle Betreuung jedes Einzelfalls und schnelle Problemlösung. Im Vordergrund stehen immer die persönlichen Anforderungen der Kunden.

Mit ihrer eigenen Liebe zu Haustieren und angetrieben durch ihren starken Unternehmensgeist ist es Anna Song so gelungen, etwas Außergewöhnliches in kurzer Zeit zu schaffen: In eine Welt, in der zuvor genormte Standardmodelle dominierten, konnte sie Farbe, Fröhlichkeit und Individualität als Erfolgskonzept etablieren. Ihr lebenslanger Traum, eine erfolgreiche Unternehmerin zu werden, wurde Realität, indem sie die XXOO Pets Family in einem rasanten Tempo als die führende Heimtiermarke für kreative Produkte in Europa etablieren konnte. Bereits zwei Jahre nach der Gründung konnte sie ihr vormals kleines Unternehmen in die XXOO Pets Family GmbH umwandeln und so weiter expandieren, indem sie gezielt ihr Sortiment erweiterte. Dabei verantwortete Anna Song zu Beginn den gesamten Aufbau der Marke und des Designkonzepts, ebenso führte sie selbst das Marketing und bestimmte auch die strategische Ausrichtung des Unternehmens, um das unternehmerischer Risiko zu minimieren. Durch die Gründung der GmbH konnte sie schließlich auch ein eigenes Team engagieren und dieses gezielt durch weitere Talente erweitern.

Währenddesen gelang es Anna Song, durch die erfolgreiche Teilnahme an verschiedenen Wettbewerben und Wirtschaftsprogrammen, ihre persönliche Vernetzung ständig weiter auszubauen. So wurde sie etwa bei einem österreichischen Businessplan-Wettbewerb mit dem zweiten Platz für ihren herausragenden und sorgfältig ausgearbeiteten Businessplan geehrt. Denn Anna Song ist nicht nur eine Frau mit einer starken Vision, die ihre Träume langfristig verfolgt, sondern sie liebt auch Herausforderungen und sieht diese nicht als Problem, sondern als Chance, mit und durch diese zu wachsen, solange man nicht aufgibt und immer weiter für die eigenen Visionen kämpft. Ihr persönliches Ziel ist es, in Zukunft mit ihrem eigenen Erfolg und ihrer Erfahrung andere Start-ups zu unterstützen und zu inspirieren.

Daher freuen wir uns zusammen mit Anna Song, dass wir sie und ihr Unternehmen dieses Jahr mit unserem begehrten Stevie Award in Gold auszeichnen durften und wünschen ihr auch in Zukunft den größtmöglichen Erfolg bei ihrer Mission, ihren großen und kleinen Kunden Freude zu bereiten, indem sie die Welt ein bisschen bunter macht.

Mehr über XXOO Pets erfahren Sie auf www.xxoopetsfamily.de.

Möchten auch sie für Ihre Leistungen Anerkennung erhalten? Die German Stevie® Awards 2026 eröffnen im Februar! Folgen Sie uns auf Social Media, um immer auf dem Laufenden zu bleiben. 

    

Persistent and Stevie Awards Honor Female Leaders in AI

Finalists in five inaugural categories sponsored by Persistent to recognize the achievements of female technology leaders, were announced today in the 22nd Stevie® Awards for Women in Business, an international competition that shines a spotlight on women executives, entrepreneurs, employees, and organizations run by women.

The Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie winners will be revealed during an award ceremony on November 10, 2025.

Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners in all other categories in the competition were announced on September 18.

More than 1,500 nominations from 48 nations were submitted this year by organizations and individuals for consideration in categories including Executive of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Startup of the Year, Women Helping Women, and Women-run Workplace of the Year, among many others.

Finalists were determined by the average scores of more than 190 professionals around the world, working on six juries. 

The Finalists in the categories sponsored by Persistent, a leading global technology company, are as follows:

AI Automation Game Changer of the Year Award

• Tami Evanson, SVP - Future Plan & Corp Services, Ascensus
• Madhu Kochar, Vice President, IBM
• Aravinda Gollapudi, Head of Platform Business Unit, Sage
• Lisa Stump, Executive Vice President, Chief Digital Information Officer and Dean of Information Technology, Mount Sinai Health System and Icahn School of Medicine

AI Vanguard and Leadership Award

• Sofia Theodoridou, Chief of Staff to CIO, Ascensus
• Denise Parker, CEO, Sycurio
• Vishlesha Patil, Chief Product Officer, Early Warning Services
• Ana Urraca del Junco, Head of Customer Service Process, Medline
• Jacqueline Ajayi, CSA CTO Engineering Leader, Microsoft
• Gurpreet Kaur, CIO, Global Supply Chain, GE Healthcare

Cloud and Data Visionary of the Year

• Maya Hart, VP / Head of Engineering, Whisker
• Jessica D'Apice, Technical Product Manager, Reporting, Analytics, and Data (RAD), UHG
• Tanuja Korlepra, Chief Technology Offier, Bonterra

 Software Engineering Trailblazer Award

• Beverly Chamberlain, Vice President, Global Head of IT Enterprise Services, Regeneron
• Steph DeNote, Vice President, Travel Experience and Commerce, BCD Travel
• Kiran Kaur, CIO, Platforms, Wealth & Investment Management, Wells Fargo
• Ella Haman, CTO, Kapitus

 Trusted AI Advisor for Business Transformation

• Eleanor Matthews, Senior Manager, ISG
• Kimberly Tobias, Partner, ISG
• Jenn Stein, Managing Partner, LSH & Manufacturing, ISG
• Cecilia Edwards, Partner and Principal Solutionist, North America Data & AI Center of Excellence Lead, Wavestone

 “At Persistent, we believe innovation thrives when diverse voices lead with courage and conviction. Honoring these women is our way of celebrating the brilliance, resilience, and leadership that continue to shape the future of business and technology.”

• Shimona Chadha, Chief Marketing Officer, Persistent

“Congratulations to the outstanding 2025 Persistent’s SheShapesAI Awards finalists. These visionary women are shaping the future of AI and setting an inspiring example for innovators everywhere,” said Maggie Miller, President of the Stevie Awards.

We are thrilled to unveil the new American Business Awards®, Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, and Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service website and entry system. The sites and systems will be updated for all Stevie® Awards programs as they open for 2026.

If you have entered any of the nine Stevie Awards programs before, you will notice that both the front end of our website and the back end (where accounts are created and entries are submitted) are new and completely redesigned.

Please watch the brief videos below to:

#1 Learn how to create your account 

#2 Learn how to create nominations

#3 Learn how to submit nominations

See answers to frequently asked questions below after watching the training videos.

Video #1: Learn how to create your account 

 

Video #2: Learn how to create nominations

 

Video #3: Learn how to submit nominations

 

FAQ

General

Q: Which awards programs are already using the new system?
A: The American Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, and the Asia-Pacific Stevie  Awards, and the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards will open on November 5.

Q: When will the other Stevie Awards competitions transition to the new platform?
A: All other programs will transition to the new platform when they open for entries in 2026.

Q: Will all Stevie Awards programs now live on one website?
A: Similar to our past website, information about each program can be found on StevieAwards.com. When you’d like to learn more about a specific program, you will be taken to a site that focuses solely on that award program.

Entrants

Q: Do I need a new login, or can I use my old credentials?
A: If you had a Stevie Awards account on any of our old sites (or multiple accounts), please use the email address you used in the past and click Forgot Password to reset your password. If you had multiple accounts in the past, you only need to use one now for all nine competitions.

Q: Can I use the same account to enter multiple Stevie Awards programs?
A: Yes, you only need one login now to access all nine Stevie Awards programs in 2026. For programs that are not open yet, if you have an account on those sites, you can still log in there. On the new sites, after you’ve logged in, click on the dropdown on the top right of the page to toggle between award programs.

Q: How do I select the right category for my nomination?
A: If you know which award program you’d like to enter, visit the Categories page of that site from the top drop-down menu. Every program offers different categories. If you are unsure of program or category, request the entry kit for programs you may be interested in to learn more. If you need help selecting categories, email Help@StevieAwards.com

Q: Can I clone or reuse a nomination across different Stevie Awards programs?
A: Yes, you can now clone saved or submitted nominations to enter them in a different category.

Q: Can I submit multiple entries at once?
A: You will need to select one category, upload your entry, and then save it. After that, you can select your next category and create a new entry. After you’ve saved all entries that you want to submit, you can go ahead and submit them and select your payment method. 

Q: Will my past nominations be shown in the new system?
A: No, all nominations from past years have been removed. In the future, there will be an ongoing record of all nominations you’ve submitted and their full contents.

Q: Can I still enter from a mobile device or tablet?
A: Yes, you can. This is a new feature. 

Judges

Q: Do judges also have to create new accounts?
A: Past judges can use the same email address they used in the past and click Forgot Password.

Q: Can judges use a single login for all Stevie Awards programs?
A: Yes they can, same as entrants. Entrants and judges will use the same system and will be able to toggle between the entering system and the judging system on the left side of the page.

Q: Has judging changed at all?
A: No, the requirements for judges have not changed. Judges will now log in to the system the same way as entrants and can toggle between programs, but judging practices and standards have not changed. If you are selected as a judge, the judging team will explain how to use our new system for judging.

Payments

Q: What payment methods are available in the new system?
A: The new platform supports a wide range of payment methods for your convenience. You can pay using a credit or debit card, bank account, check, or bank transfer. Klarna and Affirm are new payment options offered.

Q: Can I pay my invoice later?
A: Yes. The new system offers a “pay later” option to give you time to pay entry fees via check or bank transfer. There is a copy of your invoice with details on how to pay, and a place where you can edit the top of the invoice as your organization sees fit. There is also a place to mark that you’ve paid after payment has been submitted. 

Q: Where do I go if I need a copy of my invoice or receipt?
A: Invoices and receipts can be easily found and downloaded from your account dashboard. The new system also makes it simple to modify invoices if needed.

Languages

Q: Can I now submit my entry in a language other than English
A: As of late October 2025, you may submit your nomination in 30+ languages. The system will automatically translate your submission into English for our judges.

Q: Which languages does the system support for automatic translation?
A: The new platform supports over 30 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and many more. A full list will be available on our website.

Q: Will judges see the translated version of my nomination?
A: Yes. While you will enter your nomination in your preferred language, judges will review an automatically translated English version to ensure consistency across evaluations. Judges will be alerted that the English may not be perfect because it was translated. They will not deduct points for this.

 

Support & Training

Q: Where can I learn how to use the new entry system?
A: We’ve designed the new system to be intuitive and user-friendly, but we also offer resources to help you get comfortable. Step-by-videos can be seen above, or join one of our recurring workshops.

Q: When are the live workshops happening, and how can I join?
A: Starting Thursday, October 23, 2025 we will host live workshops on a recurring basis to walk entrants through the new system. These sessions will demonstrate how to navigate the platform and provide an opportunity to ask questions in real time. Click here to see upcoming workshops and register for the October 23 session.

Q: Who do I contact if I have questions or issues with the new system?
A: If you encounter any problems, please reach out to our support team at help+website@stevieawards.com. We’re here to ensure you can submit and manage your nominations smoothly.