Corporate Innovation Leader Award

For companies that aren't afraid to work with startups

Behind every successful pilot there is a corporate team that took a risk on something new. This award recognizes the companies that open their doors, test new technology in their operations and help startups grow into real businesses.

Pilots, investments, joint products: this award goes to the company that did the most in 2026 to bring business and startups together in Central Asia. What counts is real results, not innovation budgets: pilots with startups that turned into contracts, investments in young companies and purchases from them, and a clear way in for founders who want to work with large companies.

Who can apply

Corporates, banks and state-owned companies that worked with startups in 2026. Your application is a case study built around:

• pilots you ran with startups over the past year
• purchases from startups
• corporate venture (CVC) investments
• open innovation programs
• what changed in your business as a result

Startups can also nominate a corporate they worked with. If you’re a founder and a company made a real difference for you, put it forward.

How the winner is chosen

An expert jury and a public vote decide the winner together.

The jury looks at:

• the number and quality of real pilots and contracts with startups
• how systematic the work is: whether there’s a program, a team and a clear process
• how fast and easy it is for a startup to work with the company
• public contribution to the ecosystem

The vote is open to everyone, from startups and investors to corporates and festival attendees. Each person votes once on the Techstars Startup Week website and confirms the vote by email. When voting, you can mark whether you have worked with the company directly. Votes from people who have worked with the company carry more weight.

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