The UK tech sector is one of the engines of the economy. The digital sector contributed almost £160 billion in gross value added in 2023, around 6.5% of the UK total, according to government economic estimates. The Technology Business of the Year Award celebrates the firms rewriting the rules on how to grow and create value.
This guide explains what the judges look for and how to build a winning technology entry.
About the award
This award recognises technology businesses that have demonstrated the highest levels of innovation, customer engagement and growth, with a robust plan to deliver sustained financial success. Judges want to see what is genuinely innovative or disruptive about your technology, business model or product, and the impact it has had on your industry.
Who can enter?
The award is open to any UK-based technology business. Judges look for strong financial performance and a plan to sustain it, growth achieved organically or through effective use of capital, inspirational leadership, innovation, exceptional customer engagement and engaged employees. Read the full criteria on the Technology Business category page before you start.
How the award is judged
Entries are scored against four weighted criteria. The weightings tell you where to concentrate your entry, so plan your word count to match them:
|
Criterion |
Weighting |
|
Leadership & Innovation |
30% |
|
Financial Performance & Growth |
30% |
|
Employee & Customer Engagement |
20% |
|
Purpose Beyond Profit |
20% |
How to win, criterion by criterion
Leadership & innovation (30%)
Lead with what is innovative or disruptive about your technology, business model or product, and the impact you have had on your industry. Provide evidence or case studies showing how that innovation drove commercial success, and show how your management structure, leadership and culture supported growth or improved profitability over the last year.
Financial performance & growth (30%)
Set out your key growth metrics, including tech-specific measures such as adoption, subscriptions, lead generation, client base, headcount and NPS, alongside financial targets and timescales. Benchmark against peers on sales, profitability or market share, show performance against plan, and evidence what will sustain future growth.
Employee & customer engagement (20%)
Show how you attract, retain and motivate a team that can innovate, and how that grew your customer base or client value over the last 18 months. Engaged teams measurably outperform: Gallup’s research links high engagement to stronger productivity and profitability. Use data and case studies.
Purpose beyond profit (20%)
Explain how your mission and values align with your technology and growth objectives, what you are doing on environmental, social and governance impact, and how your approach to diversity, equity and inclusion improved attraction and retention of employees and clients.
Evidence beats adjectives
Across every criterion, the same principle decides the score: judges reward proof and ignore assertion. Phrases like “market-leading” or “world-class” carry no marks on their own, while a number, a trend and an independent voice carry all of them. For each claim you make, attach a figure, show the journey with a starting point and an end point, and corroborate it with customer quotes, testimonials or third-party data. A good test is to read each sentence and ask: would a judge who knows nothing about us be able to score this? If not, add the evidence.
The finalist presentation
Judging happens in two stages. Your written entry is scored first, and if you are shortlisted you will be invited to London to present to a panel of four judges, with around 20 minutes to present and add colour to your entry and about 25 minutes of questions and answers. Prepare for both: the written entry gets you into the room, and the presentation wins the award. Build the presentation around your highest-weighted criteria rather than repeating the entry, bring people who can answer detailed questions, and rehearse for the toughest questions on your numbers. See our guide on how to write a winning awards entry for the full method.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Explaining the technology but not the commercial impact it delivered.
- Under-investing in leadership/innovation and financial growth, which together carry 60% of the marks.
- Using jargon and acronyms a non-specialist judge cannot follow.
- Making growth claims without metrics or benchmarks.
- Leaving the entry to the last minute rather than drafting and reviewing properly.
Your quick pre-submission checklist
- Have I mapped my word count to the weightings, with the most on the highest-weighted criteria?
- Is every important claim backed by a number, a trend or an independent voice?
- Have I answered every part of every question in the category criteria?
- Have I shown both my track record and a credible plan for sustained growth?
- Has someone outside the team read it and understood it without explanation?
Ready to enter?
The Technology Business of the Year Award rewards innovation that delivers measurable commercial results. Build your entry around the weightings, prove the impact, and prepare to present. For eligibility and process, see the entry FAQ.
Entries for the 2026 Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards close at midnight on Friday 3 July. Start your Technology Business of the Year entry today.
