Digital Top 50 Awards 2021: Europe's trailblazing startups are invited to apply now

The Digital Top 50 Awards, aka the DT50, is accepting applications until October 10th from startups driving European innovation. 

For the fifth year, the DT50 seeks to recognize Europe's entrepreneurial and digital talent, and as they put it – Europe's startup pioneers of tomorrow.

Startups with less than $100 million in financing from all over Europe are invited to apply (including from the EU, EFTA countries, and the United Kingdom) to one of four categories: 

• Best Technology (Software, AI, Automation, IoT, Analytics)
• Best Consumer Business (Marketplaces, D2C Brands, E-Commerce, Services, Software)
• Best Enterprise Business (SAAS, Marketplaces, Open Source)
• Tech for Good (Double Bottom Line: solve social and/or environmental problems)

The award is an initiative by McKinsey, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, 468 Capital and Finsbury Glover Hering, with TeamViewer joining this year's panel of experts as a new partner. 50 finalists will be selected by the DT50 Awards' executive jury and announced in November, and the winning startups will be announced at the Bits & Pretzels Festival in January 2022.

This year's executive jury is made up of a panel of experts and veterans in venture building and growth mentoring, including prominent individuals such as Tina Müller, CEO of Douglas Group, and Georgie Smallwoods, CPO of Tier, former CPO of N26 and Angel Investor, Vargha Moayed, CSO at UiPath, Elizabeth Varley, founder of TechHub London, and many more.

On top of bragging rights for having won the prestigious DT50 award, winners will also receive strategic, legal, and communications advice, as well as VC expertise from the 2021 award partners. This will provide them with support, guidance, and mentoring, alongside access to a huge network of leading industry decision-makers to scale their innovations.

“Startups have the potential to revolutionize entire industries with disruptive technologies and creative ideas. I want to support these businesses and young leaders on their journey and am excited to join the Digital Top 50 jury and meet some of Europe’s brightest minds.” - Tina Müller, CEO of Douglas Group.

Startups will be evaluated on three main criteria – value proposition, magnitude, and performance. Is their value proposition innovative and defendable? Are they in a large and/or growing market? Is the product scalable? Is the product financially viable, or socially impactful? And finally – is the team passionate and well-suited to address the topic?

Because of the partnership with the Bits & Pretzels Festival, startups applying for the DT50 award can also simultaneously apply for the Bits & Pretzels pitch competition. Applications are open until October 10th, and can be submitted here.