Nominations Officially Closed

Influence Redefined.

Power in Every Voice.

Leadership isn’t about who has the loudest voice. It’s about who creates space for every voice to be heard, valued, and acted upon.

TechDiversity Awards 2026 is searching for the gamechangers. The leaders and organisations who didn’t wait for permission to redistribute power, influence, and opportunity across Australia’s tech sector.

Nominations Officially Closed

Nominations are in! Thank you for participating.

NEW LOCATION!

Awards Gala Dinner: Sofitel Sydney Wentworth

AWARDS GALA DINNER DATE AND TIME

31 July 2026 | 6:30 PM

GALA DINNER TICKETS

Get your tickets here

New City. Same Mission. Bigger Stage.

After a decade in Melbourne. including a record-breaking 10th anniversary in 2025, the TechDiversity Awards is heading to Sydney.

This is your invitation. Whether you’re a NSW-based initiative ready to step into the spotlight, or part of our national community of transformation leaders, the Awards are opening doors wider than ever.

The venue is offering all attendees an exclusive 10% discount off their best available rates. Whether you want to skip the late-night commute or turn the event into a staycation, you can claim this deal by contacting the hotel’s In-House Reservations Team directly via phone or email. Just be sure to quote code: TEC270826 when booking. Contact 02 9228 9188 or wentworth.reservations@sofitel.com

See Yourself in This Company

Last year’s winners proved that inclusive, diverse and equitable leadership isn’t a slogan it’s a strategy delivering measurable results.

Press Play Ventures (Business Category): Helping women transition into entrepreneurship through their pre-accelerator program.
Future Tech: Reimagining Education for Neurodivergent Youth (Education Category): Transforming how we prepare the next generation.
MyAMES Chat (Government Category): Innovation in service of community.
HyroBot Rumble Challenge by STEM Hub (Campaign of the Year): Proof that bold campaigns shift culture.
Make it Easy App (Tech for Good winner and overall Champion): User-friendly app that turns complex language into clear, easy-to-understand English.

View the past nominations here. Have questions? Explore our FAQs here.

Such a memorable night for us, winning our first ever award for our Press Play Ventures women's pre-accelerator program. Thanks for the recognition.

Sangeeta Mulchandani, Founder, Press Play Ventures

Who Should Nominate?

We’re looking for leaders, teams, and organisations from across all industries who have:

Redistributed power and influence in meaningful, measurable ways
Driven transformation from unexpected places
Created systems change, not just programs
Shown that inclusive leadership is competitive advantage

Whether you’re a grassroots initiative or an enterprise-wide transformation, if you’ve done the work, you belong here.

Why Is This Award Different?

Proof over slogans. We recognise initiatives delivering measurable results across government, business, education, and tech for good. Transformation, not tokenism.
A community that shares and scales what works. From accessibility innovation to inclusive campaigns, our network doesn’t just celebrate, it collaborates.
Data with heart. Our community at the Awards reflects the diversity we champion: 43 countries of birth, 57 cultural groups, 96 ancestries, and 96 languages. This isn’t a room full of people talking about inclusion. It’s inclusion in action.

The TechDiversity Awards recognise individuals and groups across five award categories

DO NOT DELETE

1. Government

This is the category for you if you work:

for any Government agency, federal or state
for an organisation that is running a joint project/initiative with a Government agency
at a Consultancy working with Government
for a scale up/start up that work with government

Maybe you work for an agency that has developed an app that indicates locally available services for people who are currently without a home.

Maybe you are developing an online accessibility toolkit to assist in creating digital platforms and content that are accessible and inclusive for everyone.

In real terms, what might this look like? Below are some previous winning submissions:

A program to employ a cohort of people with ASD into a Government department for (at least) two years.
A Government funded program that uses the power and influence of Video Games (gamification) to change the beliefs and behaviours of teenage boys towards LGBTI+.
A Youth Employment Scheme (YES) traineeship program to increase the participation of disadvantaged youth (under 24 years of age) into the workforce with a focus on IT and STEM disciplines.

2. Business

This is the category for you if you work:

within a traditional business model
for a traditional tech company
in tech department within any industry
at a consultancy working with businesses
for a scale up/start up

Maybe you have set up a Diversity and Inclusion committee to look at the current imbalance within your organisation, then have designed programs to address this.

Maybe you have been involved in the development and design of such a program to address the imbalance.

In real terms, what might this look like? Below are some previous winning submissions:

Creation of a hub to help solve the problem of employability for International Students. With a focus on empowering these students and graduates to participate in the Australian startup ecosystem (note that this submission could also align with the Education category. Absolutely you can nominate the same initiative in more than one category).
A ‘Developer’ program that offers a paid scholarship and full-time salary to women who are changing careers or looking to re-enter the workforce within the field of software engineering.
An initiative that looks at progressing the diversity makeup across the whole of an organisation.

3. Education

This is the category for you if you work:

for an academic institution
or run research projects aligned with education
for an organisation that is running a joint project/initiative with education
at a Consultancy working with Education/Academia
for a scale up/start up that work with education

Maybe you are running a research project that looks to upskill people returning to the workforce after a break?

Maybe you are part of an initiative that introduces STEM to High School students.

In real terms, what might this look like? Below are some previous winning submissions:

A research project that trials female-only tutorials in a first year programming subject in order to positively influence engagement and participation of female students in Computer Science.
A social innovation that showcases the talents of people with Autism.
An outreach program that introduces STEM to school age students.

4. Campaign of the Year

Previously called the ‘Media, Marketing and Advertising’, this is the category for you if you work for any organisation and have been involved in creating and/or developing a campaign to support a DE+I initiative, product or solution.

Maybe you have created a social media campaign to create awareness of your initiative.

Maybe you developed a fully inclusive advertising campaign, that was digitally accessible and used real people reflecting society.

Maybe you made posters to support a significant inclusive day for internal promotion.

In real terms, what might this look like? Below are some previous winning submissions:

A campaign that would encourage and inspire the Australian LGBTI community to bring their authentic selves to work each and every day.
A campaign to promote a ‘Return to Work Program’ to help people (particularly women) who have taken a career break of two or more years, often to care for children, transition back to the workforce.
Creation of a quarterly digital publication dedicated to empowering women of colour in STEM in Australia.

5. Tech for Good

This is the category for you if you work for any organisation that uses technology for good to create a product or solution AND addresses, includes, or benefits DE+I.

The Tech for Good category houses four categories:

Social Impact – addressing societal challenges – helping society flourish and organisations succeed.
- Examples: Education | Utilities | Poverty & Homelessness | Healthcare | Unemployment | Gender Inequality | Property Prices | Human Rights
Environmental Sustainability – interacting with the planet responsibly – conserving natural resources and protecting ecosystems.
- Examples: Climate Change | Recycling | Conservation | Eco-friendly Packaging | Reducing Emissions | Clean Water | Reforestation
Accessibility & Inclusivity – building a more inclusive and accessible world.
- Examples: Assistive Technology | Language-based Services | Minimising Inaccessibility | LGBTQ+ | Race & Ethnicity | Free / Low-Cost Tech
Health & Wellbeing – helping individuals and organisations create a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing.
- Examples: Fitness & Recreation | Mental Health Services | Physical Health Tech | Harm Minimisation | Sport | Community Engagement

What might this actually look like?

A data-analysis platform that provides insight into cultural and demographic diversity within an organisation.
An app that’s assists visually impaired people to lead more independent lives.
An app that facilitates the discounted sale of end-of-day food

TechDiversity Awards Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

DO NOT DELETE

Who can nominate?

Absolutely anyone.

Is the Awards open for Australian companies only?

Nominating a company or organisation doesn’t necessarily have to be an Australian company/organisation. Ideally, it must have some link to Australia i.e., an office or branch office that is based in Australia, beneficiaries of the program include an Australian community, etc.

Can I self-nominate?

Of course, we encourage it. Back yourself and be proud of your achievement.

What are the Award Categories?

Business
Government
Education
Campaign of the Year
- Previously called as Marketing, Media and Advertising
Tech For Good
- - The Tech for Good category houses four categories:
    - Social Impact – addressing societal challenges – helping society flourish and organisations succeed.
    - Environmental Sustainability – interacting with the planet responsibly – conserving natural resources and protecting ecosystems.
    - Accessibility & Inclusivity – building a more inclusive and accessible world.
    - Health & Wellbeing – helping individuals and organisations create a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing.

What are the questions in the nomination process?

For the Categories Business | Government | Education, they are as follows:

Nominator/Nominee name and contact details
Team – who worked on the project / initiative
Please describe your project / initiative in 90 words – this will be made public
How would you say diversity is embraced within your organisation or sector?
Detail the approach that was taken to implement the project or initiative, what actions were taken and why?
What were the challenges/hurdles faced when implementing or extending the initiative?
Demonstrate the leadership shown in driving the initiative and fostering behavioural and organisational change?
Detail the follow up or response to the project or initiative by the organisation/industry / sector. For example, has it been extended for a further year, or has the scope been expanded?
What metrics do you have to support the impact of the project / initiative?
What do you consider your significant achievement with this project / initiative and why?
What business value and efficiencies did the diversity initiative have on the organisation’s bottom line?
Please provide a short reference from a leader not directly involved in the project / initiative to summarise the impact of your project / initiative
Any attachment to support your submission (limit of 5MB / upload)

For the Tech for Good Category, they are as follows:

Nominator/Nominee name and contact details
Please describe your initiative in 90 words – this will be made public
Define the problem you are aiming to address?
Describe the product/service/initiative being nominated and how it addresses that problem?
Describe the team who developed this product/service/initiative.
What were their roles and contributions to the project?
What was the approach to the development of this product/service/initiative?
What is the positive benefit or impact sustained from this product/service/initiative? Please provide quantitative and qualitative data to back up your answer.
What is the commercial model of the product/service/initiative, and explain how sustainable that commercial model is?
What are the future goals for this product/service/initiative?
How does this product/service/initiative impact DE+1?
Please provide a short reference from a leader not directly involved in the project / initiative to summarise the impact of your project / initiative
Any attachment to support your submission (limit of 5MB / upload)

For the Campaign of the Year

Nominator/Nominee name and contact details
Team – who worked on the campaign
Please describe your campaign in 90 words – this will be made public
How would you say diversity is embraced within your organisation or sector?
Detail the approach that was taken to implement the campaign, what actions were taken and why?
Were there any challenges/hurdles faced when implementing the campaign?
Demonstrate the leadership shown in driving the initiative and fostering behavioural and organisational change?
What was the intended impact expected from the campaign?
How did your campaign include DE+I / accessibility / inclusivity?
Detail the follow-up or response to the campaign. For example, has it been extended, or has the scope been expanded?
What metrics do you have to support the impact of the campaign?
What do you consider your significant achievement with this campaign and why?
What business value and efficiencies did the diversity initiative have on the organisation’s bottom line?
Please provide a short reference from a leader not directly involved with the campaign to summarise the impact of your project / initiative
Any attachment to support your submission (limit of 5MB / upload)

What are the criteria that submissions will be judged on?

Nominations will be assessed against the following criteria that align with the values of the #TechDiversity Foundation:

Business/Government/Education

Scoring Criteria (scale of 0 – 5 with 5 being the highest)

Initiative/s (The unique qualities and innovativeness of the nominated initiative)
Courage (The courage shown in initiating or running the initiative)
Commitment (The commitment shown in driving the initiative)
Actions to overcome resistance (How well did the initiative overcome resistance/challenges/hurdles faced when implementing or extending the initiative. Where there has been no resistance consider if this is as a result of how well the initiative was implemented, the timing of the initiative or leadership demonstrated)
Leadership (The leadership demonstrated in driving the initiative)
Follow up / response (What was the response to the initiative by the wider organisation / target group? And the follow up, if any, of those responsible for the initiative to progress it further or expand it?)
Metrics (how the metrics captured support the impact of the initiative)
Behavioural Change (Did the initiative lead to a behavioural change)
Overall Impact (what impact did the initiative make toward fostering DE+I)

Campaign of the Year

Scoring Criteria (scale of 0 – 5 with 5 being the highest)

Initiative/s (The unique qualities and innovativeness of the nominated campaign)
Courage (The courage shown in initiating or running the campaign)
Commitment (The commitment shown in driving the campaign)
Actions to overcome resistance How well did the campaign overcome resistance/challenges/hurdles faced when implementing the campaign (Where there has been no resistance consider if this is a result of how well the campaign was implemented, the timing of the campaign or leadership demonstrated)
Leadership (The leadership demonstrated in driving the campaign)
Focus on DE+I (how well did the campaign highlight / focus on DE+I)
Follow up / response (What was the response to the campaign by the wider organisation / target group? And the follow up, if any, of those responsible for the campaign to progress further or expand it?)
Metrics (how the metrics captured support the impact of the campaign)
Behavioural Change (Did the campaign lead to a behavioural change)
Overall Impact (what impact did the campaign make toward fostering DE+I)

Tech for Good

Scoring Criteria (scale of 0 – 5 with 5 being the highest)

Product / Service / Initiative (Does the Product / Service / Initiative address the problem described)
Diversity(is it a diverse team that developed the product/service/initiative)
Approach (the approach taken to develop the product/service/initiative)
Commitment (The commitment shown in driving the initiative)
Impact (The positive impact this product/service/initiative created for its target audience)
Sustainability (How sustainable / commercially viable is this Product / Service / Initiative?
Leadership (The leadership demonstrated in driving the Product / Service / Initiative)
Overall Impact (what impact did the product/service/initiative make toward fostering DE+I)

Can we make more than one nomination?

Absolutely! We want to hear about ALL the great work being done.

What does it cost to nominate?

Nothing. The cost to make a nomination entry is covered by the sponsorship from our supporters. We purposely want to keep it free, to encourage as many nominations as possible. We want to hear about all the amazing initiatives that are making a contribution for a more diverse and inclusive world.

What do I win?

A TechDiversity Award, lots of free publicity, a summary on our website, but most importantly, the ability to showcase your initiative and inspire other organisations to follow your lead in making diversity, inclusion and belonging a high priority. Your nomination could make a world of difference.

Who will see my submission?

First it will be our judges. However, we also want to shine a light in ALL the initiatives, so we will create a case study that can be used to support other organisations looking for inspiration to start/continue their D&I journey/targets. So hopefully lots of lots of other people will see your submission.

I don’t have an initiative ready to nominate at the moment, how else can I get involved?

Help spread awareness of the Awards via your social media channel.
Contact any colleagues, friends, or family members who do have an initiative and encourage them to nominate
Sign up to our community HERE (if not done so already), to be kept up to date with the latest information and awards updates
Buy a ticket to attend the Gala dinner. The ticket portal will be available soon.
Buy a table and involve the whole team. The ticket portal will be available soon.
Can’t attend in person? This year the awards will also be live-streamed. The ticket portal will be available soon.
Align your brand to the TechDiversity Awards and consider a sponsorship package. They range from $5k up to $20K. Contact stacey@bestcasescenario.com.au to find out more
For more general information, please go to the TechDiversity Awards page.

How long does it take to complete the nomination form?

Like all things that are worthwhile doing, it takes a little effort. We estimate approximately 2-3 hours. HOWEVER, you can save and edit, restart, continue and enter information at your own leisure until you feel it is ready to submit.

Can I see previous submissions?

Sure can. Click here: PREVIOUS AWARDS

Can I amend my submission?

You can save your submission as many times as required and come back at your own convenience before hitting the final submit button. Once you have submitted your nomination, no further changes are permitted.

Is my submission confidential?

All submissions are published on the awards site to shine a light on initiatives / projects to inspire others to replicate. The nominee’s organisation name and the summary of the nomination will be shared on the awards website. Nominees can opt out to have personal and contact information published.

Will I receive feedback?

While not guaranteed, some judges may provide feedback on given on submissions.

How do I get started?

Gather the information you need (questions asked are listed above) and head to the awards portal HERE, create a username and away you go.

When are the finalists announced?

The merit and award winners are announced at our gala dinner. We do not announce shortlisted nominations prior the awards night.

I am having issues with entering my submission or need more information. Who can I contact?

Please contact theresa@bestcasescenario.com.au

How big does the initiative / project need to be?

Size doesn’t matter, we accept small to large scale initiatives/projects. What matters is the positive impact of the initiative / project on people and tech workforces.

How old does the initiative / project have to be?

We are seeking new AND established initiatives (greater than 2 years old). So even if your initiative is less than 12 months old, we want to hear about it and the impact it has had. The judges are also looking for innovation around the initiative itself and many new initiatives may meet this criterion!

Even after reading through this extensive FAQ, I’m still unsure about my nomination. Now what?

Please email your question to theresa@bestcasescenario.com.au