Paris, France [3 July 2024] – UNLEASH World, the world’s most influential HR conference and exhibition has just opened applications for the 2024 edition of its prestigious Startup Award.
This is an opportunity for pioneering businesses in HR Tech to showcase their game-changing solutions, which are shaping the future of work. It represents UNLEASH's commitment to nurturing innovation in the HR community.
Calling all disruptive startups
Launched in 2011, the UNLEASH World Startup Award is open to any HR Tech startup with a revolutionary idea poised to transform the workplace. Finalists gain unparalleled exposure and recognition at the UNLEASH World conference and exhibition, where competitors pitch next-gen technology to a panel of industry experts made up of investors, analysts, and practitioners, who provide invaluable feedback and guidance.
This year, the Award is sponsored by Mediahuis Ventures and Rubio Impact Ventures. Selected finalists will compete head-to-head on the Innovation Stage at UNLEASH World 2024, Paris, on Wednesday, 16 October, in a live pitch scenario to judges in front of the UNLEASH World audience. Each finalist will have five minutes to present their business to the judging panel.
In addition to the judges’ insights and expert feedback, finalists also benefit from the extensive media coverage UNLEASH World generates, providing a fantastic platform to showcase startup brands to a global audience of HR leaders.
The winner of the UNLEASH World Startup Award will receive a coveted €50,000 UNLEASH Sponsorship package, which includes exhibition opportunities at UNLEASH events and access to UNLEASH Labs, our innovation hub. This prize is designed to provide invaluable support to accelerate growth.
Entry criteria
To qualify as a Startup, participating businesses must meet the following criteria:
- Paid Startup Exhibitor: The entering company must be a registered and paid exhibitor at UNLEASH World 2024.
- Young & Dynamic: The business must be less than five years old.
- Early Funding Stage: A maximum of Series A funding.
- Nimble & Efficient: A team size no larger than 50 employees.
Recent winners of the UNLEASH Startup Award include Manifest, which took the top prize at UNLEASH America in May 2024. Chicago-based Manifest wowed the judges with a pitch delivered by CEO Anuraag Tripathi, speaking in the aftermath of their victory, Tripathi said:
“Manifest is the first and only plan-to-plan consolidation tool ever in the market, so winning the UNLEASH Startup Award means a lot to us. It will help us connect to the audience that we’re reaching out to, and in getting our message out there. We are super grateful for the opportunity to present our story to a broader audience.”
Previous Startup Award judges include Josh Bersin, CEO of The Josh Bersin Company; Katarina Berg, CHRO at Spotify and Thomas Otter, General Partner at Acadian Ventures. This year’s judges will be announced at the end of July.
Commenting on the Award, Marc Coleman, CEO, UNLEASH said:
“We love startups at UNLEASH. This is the longest-running startup competition in HR, tech and the future of work, and it’s an incredible opportunity. Over the last 14 years, we’ve helped many new businesses thrive in a highly competitive and sometimes brutal marketplace. We hear from finalists and winners that the exposure and insight they receive in the competition process are invaluable to gaining a foothold in the market. As part of the experience, our finalists build relationships with VCs, funds, incubators, key influencers, investors, and future buyers.
"Bringing the industry together is one of the things we do best, and our Startup Award's continued success is a great example of our impact on the future of work.”
The application process
Applications are open until 6 September. Interested companies must complete an online application and submit a compelling 2-minute video pitch showcasing their innovative solution. For more information or to request an application pack, contact Kennedy Cook, Startup and Investor Program Lead, at Kennedy@unleash.ai.
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Media contact
For more information, including image or interview requests, please email press@unleash.ai
About UNLEASH: UNLEASH is the go-to marketplace for human resources and breakthrough technologies that shape the future of work, and is an essential source of news, analysis and market trends that inspire and empower organisational leaders worldwide. UNLEASH is a platform to share ideas that work, network and do business, and its mission is to be the world's number one destination and marketplace for human resources, recruitment and learning leaders globally. UNLEASH is headquartered in London, UK with operations across Europe and the United States.
