About the EdTech Innovation Hub Awards 2027
The EdTech Innovation Hub Awards, sponsored by Thesis SM, Bett UK and RTIH, celebrate excellence in global education technology, with a particular focus on workforce development, AI integration, and innovative learning solutions across all stages of education.
These awards recognize the companies, platforms, and individuals driving transformation in the sector, whether through personalized learning, upskilling tools, or powerful digital platforms that prepare students and professionals for the future.
ETIH Innovation Awards, sponsored by Thesis SM, Bett and RTIH
Our 2027 sponsors
The ETIH Innovation Awards 2027 are proudly sponsored by Thesis SM, Bett UK and Retail Technology Innovation Hub (RTIH). We’re hugely grateful for their continued support of the awards and their commitment to recognising the people, companies and technologies making a meaningful impact across education.
Thesis SM
Sponsor of Best Use of EdTech in Higher Education
Thesis SM is a cloud-native Student Information System (SIS) purpose-built for higher education institutions across the UK, Ireland and Canada. Designed to span the entire student lifecycle, from application through to award, it offers a modern, secure and scalable platform that integrates with existing institutional systems.
Built with deep expertise in higher education, Thesis SM has been designed in close collaboration with the UK higher education sector, with a focus on meeting institutional, statutory and regulatory requirements while simplifying complex administrative processes.
Explaining why it is supporting Best Use of EdTech in Higher Education, Thesis SM says:
“At Thesis SM, we’re passionate about supporting higher education institutions as they use technology to innovate, improve the student experience, and deliver better outcomes.
That’s why we’re proud to sponsor the Best Use of EdTech in Higher Education award, celebrating the people and institutions using technology in meaningful and innovative ways to make a real difference across the sector. We’re delighted to partner with the EdTech Innovation Hub to recognise and champion the work shaping the future of higher education.
For us, sponsoring this award is about celebrating the power of technology in higher education and recognising the people and institutions turning innovative EdTech into positive, tangible change across the sector.”
Bett UK
Sponsor of EdTech Thought Leader of the Year
Bett UK is back for 2027 and set to be bolder than ever, bringing together 37,000+ trailblazers from across the globe, from visionary educators and EdTech pioneers to policy powerhouses and charities.
With 400+ world-class speakers and the energy of the global education community all under one roof, Bett UK brings together the people, ideas and conversations helping to drive better education globally.
Its role in bringing leading voices from across education and EdTech together makes EdTech Thought Leader of the Year a natural fit for Bett UK, recognising individuals helping to shape discussion, influence thinking and drive the sector forward.
Retail Technology Innovation Hub
Sponsor of Best Education Operations and Infrastructure Solution
Retail Technology Innovation Hub (RTIH) covers the technologies transforming retail, including AI, automation, infrastructure, operations, payments, supply chain, data and digital transformation.
Its coverage frequently explores how technology is being used to improve complex operations, increase efficiency and support organisations through digital transformation, making Best Education Operations and Infrastructure Solution a natural fit for the publication.
Commenting on its support for the category, RTIH says:
“At RTIH, we see every day how technology can transform the way organisations operate, from infrastructure and automation to data, communications and the systems that support people behind the scenes.
Education organisations face many of the same challenges, and we’re proud to sponsor the Best Education Operations and Infrastructure Solution award to recognise technology that is delivering practical, measurable improvements in how education environments work.”
Everything you need to know about the awards
Building on more than 140 entries in our first year
The inaugural ETIH Innovation Awards attracted more than 140 entries, bringing together established global technology companies, institutions, emerging EdTech businesses and innovative projects from across international education markets.
The 2026 awards recognised an outstanding group of winners and highly commended entries across education technology, from digital learning and AI to higher education, workforce learning, inclusion and global impact.
Who can enter?
Open to EdTech innovators around the world
The ETIH Innovation Awards are open internationally to organisations, projects and individuals working across education technology. Eligibility varies by category, reflecting the breadth of the sector and the different ways technology is being developed, implemented and used across education.
Who can submit an entry?
Entries are welcomed from EdTech companies, startups and scale-ups, technology providers, schools, universities and colleges, education and training organisations, nonprofits, public-sector organisations and other teams delivering technology-enabled education initiatives.
Individual entrants are also welcome where the category is designed for a person, such as EdTech Thought Leader of the Year.
Can organisations enter together?
Yes. Joint entries and partnerships are welcome where the work being submitted meets the criteria for the chosen category. This could include, for example, a technology company entering alongside a school, university, education provider or delivery partner.
Does a product or project need to be fully established?
This depends on the category.
The awards recognise everything from emerging EdTech businesses and developing initiatives to established platforms operating at significant scale. Entrants should read the individual category criteria carefully and provide the level of evidence, implementation and impact appropriate to that award.
Can previous finalists or winners enter again?
Yes. Previous entrants, finalists and winners are welcome to enter the 2027 awards, including with further developments, new projects, new evidence or entries into other appropriate categories.
Can individuals nominate themselves?
Yes. Self-nominations are welcome for individual categories, provided the entrant meets the relevant category criteria.
How recent does the evidence need to be?
There is no single programme-wide cut-off. The relevant timeframe and evidence requirements depend on the individual award, and entrants should follow the criteria set out for their chosen category.
Entry fees and submitting an entry
Everything you need to know before you get started
How much does it cost to enter?
The ETIH Innovation Awards 2027 offer an early-entry rate until Friday 18 December 2026, followed by standard entry pricing until entries close on Friday 26 February 2027 at 23:59 UK time.
Multi-entry pricing is available for organisations submitting entries to more than one category, with the cost per entry reducing as the number of submissions increases.
Early-entry pricing
International
1 entry: £105
2 entries: £195
3 entries: £255
4 entries: £340
5 entries: £380
UK, including 20% VAT
1 entry: £126
2 entries: £234
3 entries: £306
4 entries: £408
5 entries: £456
Standard pricing
International
1 entry: £125
2 entries: £230
3 entries: £300
4 entries: £400
5 entries: £450
UK, including 20% VAT
1 entry: £150
2 entries: £276
3 entries: £360
4 entries: £480
5 entries: £540
Why does ETIH charge an entry fee?
ETIH is an independent EdTech news publication, and the Innovation Awards are run as an independently operated awards programme.
Entry fees contribute to the costs of running the awards, including the entry platform, administration, finalist and winner communications, digital assets and promotion of the programme.
Charging an entry fee also helps ETIH maintain a clear separation between participation in the awards and its wider commercial and editorial activity.
Paying to enter does not guarantee finalist status, an award or editorial coverage, and entrants are not required to purchase advertising, sponsorship or any other commercial package in order to take part. Entries are assessed on their merits against the criteria for the category entered.
How do I enter?
All entries are submitted online through the ETIH Innovation Awards platform. Entrants create or sign in to their account, select the relevant category, complete the entry form and provide the required information and materials.
Where multiple submissions are being made, the platform can reuse previously entered information and pre-fill parts of subsequent application forms to make the process quicker. Each submission should still be reviewed and tailored to the category being entered.
Can I save my entry and come back to it?
Yes. Entries can be saved as drafts and completed later.
Progress can be saved throughout the application process, and draft entries remain available in the entrant’s submissions area until they are ready to be completed and submitted.
Entries must be fully submitted by 23:59 UK time on Friday 26 February 2027. Draft entries that have not been submitted by the deadline will not be considered.
What happens after I submit?
From entry to finalist
Once an entry has been successfully submitted, entrants will receive confirmation through the awards platform.
Following the close of entries, submissions will be reviewed before the finalist stage. The ETIH Innovation Awards 2027 finalists will be announced on Monday 8 March 2027.
Finalists will be published by ETIH and shared with links to the relevant organisations. Finalist entries will then move into the final judging period, which runs from Monday 8 March to Friday 26 March 2027.
The ETIH Innovation Awards 2027 winners will be announced online on Monday 12 April 2027.
Entrants should ensure that the contact details associated with their submission remain up to date, as these will be used for important awards communications.
Why enter?
Recognition with real industry value
The ETIH Innovation Awards celebrate education technology that delivers more than a strong idea. They recognise work that can demonstrate real-world value, meaningful impact and a clear understanding of the learners, educators and institutions it is designed to support.
Expert industry recognition
Entries are assessed by an experienced judging panel spanning education, EdTech, AI, school leadership, workforce development and digital transformation. The 2026 awards used this cross-sector expertise to assess innovation, evidence, adoption, scalability and real-world impact.
Stand out in a competitive global sector
Recognition as an ETIH finalist or winner helps demonstrate that your work has been assessed on its substance, implementation and impact, not simply on product claims or visibility.
Build your profile across the ETIH community
Finalists will be announced and shared by ETIH, with links to their organisations, while winners will receive further digital winner badges, banners and coverage through ETIH.
Share your achievement
Finalists and winners will receive official digital graphics and badges to use across websites, social media and marketing. Winners will also receive a digital certificate recognising their achievement.
Be part of a growing global awards programme
Following more than 140 entries in its inaugural year, the 2027 awards bring together established global technology companies, institutions, emerging EdTech businesses and innovative projects from across international education markets.
What our winners say
Recognition that carries weight across the EdTech sector
Hear from some of the organisations recognised at the inaugural ETIH Innovation Awards 2026.
Samsung Electronics UK
“Winning Best STEM Learning Solution means a great deal to all of us, especially because it comes from people who understand education and what it takes to create something that genuinely works in schools. It's a lovely moment of recognition for the Samsung team and for our education agency team at Hark, who've played an important role in shaping the programme.”
Jessie Soohyun Park, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Samsung Electronics UK
Winner, Best STEM Learning Solution 2026, with Hark
Blackboard
“This recognition means a great deal because it reflects the work our teams have been doing to deliver innovation that is practical, responsible, and directly connected to the needs of institutions, educators, and learners.”
Dom Gore, EVP of Product, Blackboard
Winner, Best Digital Learning Platform for Higher Education 2026
Learna | Diploma MSc
“Winning at the ETIH Innovation Awards means a great deal, particularly because this is recognition from a community that understands the complexity of what we're trying to do. Enrolling 1,453 students from 106 countries in a single cohort is something we're genuinely proud of; external recognition of the thinking behind our model is gratifying.”
Courtenay Probert, CEO, Learna
Winner, Best Workforce and Industry Collaboration Platform 2026
London School of Innovation
“The Editor's Choice element matters particularly - it reflects the considered judgement of people who spend their working lives looking carefully at what's happening across global education and innovation.”
Paymon Khamooshi, Co-Founder, London School of Innovation
Editor’s Choice Award 2026
Find Your Grind
“It means a great deal, particularly because it comes from an editorial team that evaluates these platforms critically, not commercially.”
Nick Gross, CEO, Find Your Grind
Editor’s Choice Award 2026
EdenFiftyOne
“To win Best Solution for UK Institutions and be Highly Commended for Thought Leader of the Year in a global field of over 140 entries is an incredible milestone. It serves as the ultimate validation that the education sector is moving away from superficial EdTech hype and returning to substance, pedagogy, and genuine classroom utility.”
Tom Reynolds, Founder and Director, EdenFiftyOne
Winner, Best Solution for UK Institutions 2026
