2026 IoT Startup of the Year

Submission overview

The 2026 IoT Startup of the Year recognizes an early-stage company demonstrating exceptional innovation, execution, market relevance, and potential within the Internet of Things.

Eligible startups may develop connected devices, platforms, software, infrastructure, services, or industry-specific solutions. Entrants should demonstrate more than a promising concept. Strong submissions will show meaningful progress through product development, customer adoption, pilots, deployments, partnerships, revenue, funding, or other forms of market validation.

This award recognizes a startup’s overall achievement during 2026, including the strength of its technology, the importance of the problem it addresses, the progress it has made, and its potential to influence the future of connected technology.

This award is a great fit if…

• Your startup is developing an original product, platform, service, device, or business model within the IoT ecosystem
• Your company is solving a meaningful customer, operational, industry, or societal problem through connected technology
• You can demonstrate progress through customer wins, pilots, deployments, partnerships, revenue, product milestones, or funding
• Your team has translated a strong idea into a credible product or service with clear market relevance
• Your startup has a realistic path to scale and the potential to make a lasting contribution to IoT

Entry schedule

• Entries Open: Tuesday, December 1, 2026
• Early Bird Deadline: Friday, January 15, 2027
• Final Entry Deadline: Friday, February 12, 2027
• Winners Announced: Tuesday, March 9, 2027

Entries must be completed and paid by the applicable deadline.

Entry fees

• Early Bird Entry: $395 through January 15, 2027
• Standard Entry: $495 through February 12, 2027

Each category submission is treated as a separate entry.

What to submit

Your submission should give judges a clear understanding of the startup, its innovation, its progress, and its potential for continued growth.

• Company overview: Describe the startup, its founding vision, leadership team, target customers, and role within the IoT ecosystem
• Product or service: Explain the connected technology, platform, device, service, or business model the company has developed
• Problem and market opportunity: Identify the customer or industry challenge being addressed and the size or significance of the opportunity
• Traction and validation: Include customer wins, pilots, deployments, revenue growth, partnerships, funding milestones, product adoption, or other evidence of momentum
• Execution and growth potential: Describe product progress, technical maturity, commercial strategy, operational readiness, and the company’s path to scale
• Supporting materials: Provide relevant product pages, screenshots, case studies, customer examples, media coverage, investor materials, or partnership announcements

Optional supporting materials may include a pitch deck excerpt, product demonstration, founder statement, technical brief, or reference contact. Funding is not required when other credible evidence demonstrates traction and market validation.

Judging criteria

• Evidence and Measurable Impact, 30%: Strength of the startup’s customer traction, pilot results, deployments, revenue, partnerships, funding progress, or other market validation
• Innovation and Differentiation, 20%: Originality of the product, platform, service, business model, or connected technology approach
• Execution and Scalability, 20%: Product maturity, delivery progress, operational execution, commercial readiness, and ability to scale
• Leadership, Vision, and Industry Contribution, 20%: Strength of the company’s direction, leadership, market insight, and potential to advance the IoT ecosystem
• Category Fit, 10%: Clarity and strength of the case that the entrant represents an exceptional IoT startup

Eligibility

• Open worldwide to startups and early-stage companies operating within the Internet of Things
• Entrants should reasonably have operated as a startup or early-stage company during the 2026 calendar year
• Companies will generally have been founded within the past five to seven years, although overall company stage, maturity, and market position will also be considered
• The company’s product, platform, service, or solution must have been released, updated, adopted, validated, or materially advanced during 2026
• Entries should include credible evidence of customer traction, technical progress, market validation, partnerships, pilots, deployments, or measurable outcomes
• Funding is not required, and bootstrapped companies are eligible

Confidential materials may be summarized or redacted, provided the submission includes enough information for judges to evaluate the startup fairly.

Submission process

1. Select the IoT Startup of the Year category in the 2026 Best of IoT Awards application.
2. Complete every required field and clearly explain the startup’s innovation, progress, and market potential.
3. Upload or link to supporting evidence and relevant company materials.
4. Submit the application and pay the applicable entry fee before the deadline.

A startup may enter additional categories when its products, leaders, or deployments represent a legitimate fit. Each category requires a separate application and entry fee.