Tech Trailblazers Awards adds incentive with Regional Trailblazers Cups

The global Tech Trailblazers Awards for IT startups has announced a new Regional Cup Awards. Every entrant into the global competition will automatically be entered into their Regional Cup – giving them an opportunity at recognition, mentoring and prizes (from an estimated US$1-million fund) not only within their technology sectors, but also in their geographical regions.

The Tech Trailblazers Awards describes itself as a new concept in awards, designed explicitly for smaller businesses and startups that are five years old or less and at C-series funding or below. It prides itself as a global startup platform for IT areas such as: big data, cloud, IT security, mobile, networking, storage, sustainable or “green” IT, and virtualisation.

The introduction of regional categories is great for sponsors from one region to sponsor another, but there is also an extra opportunity for an award up for grabs for the startups. For example, if a mobile startup in Kenya loses out in the mobile category, but has the highest overall score in the African region, then it will win the Africa Trailblazers Cup. Special mentoring, prizes and services will be dedicated to regions.

Rose Ross, Chief Trailblazer and founder of the Tech Trailblazers Awards, said, “As the awards have gained momentum, and interest in the Tech Trailblazers has grown, we have been working relentlessly based on feedback to develop new ways to make the awards even more accessible to sponsors and beneficial to tech startups. The Regional Cups will make it easier for sponsors to tailor their offerings in-line with their business needs while giving the startups an extra chance to win an award to celebrate their regional success. And of course, startups in the BRICS regions now have an extra regional bite of the award-winning cherry.”

The five new Regional Cups are:

• African and Middle East Trailblazers Cup
• Asian-Pacific Trailblazers Cup
• European Trailblazers Cup
• Latin American Trailblazers Cup
• North American Trailblazers Cup

Entry forms will be made available for download from 4 July 2013 off the Tech Trailblazers Awards website. Until then you can join the mailing list for updates and sponsorship information:
innovate@techtrailblazers.com