This is the part that makes it worth entering
Most awards ask you to send your work into a void and wait. This one puts it in front of a room.
Our application will be reviewed by the ESEYs team, judges and the Partners helping deliver the Awards — including Investec, Caplia, relevant category sponsors and VCs whose investment focus matches what you're building.
That's the design, not a side effect. The ESEYs are built to create opportunities beyond the prize - putting exceptional early-stage founders in front of people who may be able to invest, partner, buy or help.
How it works. You apply here, with us. Your submitted application is processed using Caplia's technology and made available through a secure, permissioned portal. Different partners receive different levels of access depending on their role, category or investment focus. Full details are in the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
What stays private. Your pitch deck and any financial or commercially sensitive information in your application are never published. If you make the shortlist of 25, we'll publish selected public-facing information — such as your company name, logo, founder photo and short company description — so people can discover you and vote.
Partner opportunities are your choice. Relevant ESEY Partners and VCs may want to contact you about investment, commercial opportunities or their services. You can opt out of having your contact details shared for that purpose at the end of the application. It won't affect how your application is assessed.
We save your progress automatically so you can leave and come back later. If you don't submit your application, we'll delete your saved draft after 45 days of inactivity. You can read more in our Privacy Policy.
Now the good bit.