Nominate your or another project team for The Rockstars Award 2025

Highlight a bold, people-oriented or impactful project – your own or someone else’s. Nominate now for the Digital Daredevil, Culture Code Champion or Impact Innovator Award and give recognition to teams that are truly making a difference. 🏆

Nominations for the Rockstars Valley 2025 Awards Show have closed. On Oct. 7, the ceremony will be during Rockstars Valley!

the rockstars awards 2025

During Rockstars Valley 2025, we will present the Rockstars Awards for the first time.
An ode to guts, impact, culture and stories that are making a difference in tech. Do you know an organization, team or speaker that deserves a stage? Let’s hear from you and nominate them!

Rockstars Digital Daredevil Award

For organizations or teams that are bold in technology, daring to think and act outside the box.
More info on this award

Rockstars Impact Innovator Award

For organizations whose tech transformation is not only smart, but also socially relevant.
More info on this award

Rockstars Culture Code Champion

For the companies that perfectly balance tech and people. Leaders who understand that culture is not an afterthought, but the key to sustainable change.
More info on this award

rockstars Mic Drop Award

The award for the most memorable talk at Rockstars Valley – chosen by the audience on the day.
More info on this award

Jury

Tessy van Stuijvenberg

CCO - Team Rockstars IT

Jury

Tessy is CCO at Team Rockstars IT and is on the jury for “The Digital Daredevil Award” and “The Impact Innovater Award.

Simone van Erp

CPO - Team Rockstars IT

Jury

Simone is CPO at Team Rockstars IT and is on the jury for “The Culture Code Champion” and “The Impact Innovater Award.

Daniel Janus

Managing Director - Team Rockstars IT

Jury

Daniel is Managing Director at Team Rockstars IT and is on the judging panel for “The Digital Daredevil Award.

Bart Nijskens

Managing Director - Team Rockstars IT

Jury

Bart is Managing Director at Team Rockstars IT and part of the judging panel for “The Culture Code Champion.

Sjoerd Blum

Fractional CxO

Jury

Sjored is Fractional CxO and part of the jury for ‘The Digital Daredevil Award’

Saskia Nijs

Advisor and researcher Future of work - human & AI

Jury

Saskia is advisor and researcher Future of work – Human & AI at Humain Power and is on the jury for The Culture Code Champion’

Marco Braakman

Member advisory board

Jury

Marco Braakman is a member of the advisory board and part of the jury for ‘The Impact Innovater Award’

Voor het team die lef toont in digitalisering en innovatie – zelfs als dat buiten de gebaande paden gaat.

Rockstars Digital Daredevil Award

Progress requires courage. Not everything is certain, not everything is proven – and yet some are stepping out first. They dare. They experiment. They lead the way where others still hesitate. The Digital Daredevil Award is for the project that pushes digital boundaries. That dares to take a new path in a world full of standards and certainties. That uses technology not as a safe choice, but as a means to really think, work and grow differently. Whether it is a daring pilot, an innovative implementation or an idiosyncratic approach – this award is an ode to courage, curiosity and decisiveness.

Selection Criteria

  • DURING IN APPROACH – The team took an approach that deviated from standard solutions. They did not shy away from risks: first-mover, pilot project, uncharted territory.

  • DIGITAL INNOVATION – There is demonstrable use of new technologies or digital methods (think: AI, automation, cloud-native solutions, XR, or digital twins). Doesn’t have to be technologically perfect, but innovative and educational.

  • IMPACT ON PEOPLE OR MARKET – The innovation has impacted the way you work, customer service or market approach. Think increased agility, new customer channels, or a changed mindset.

  • COMPETENCY AND LEF – The team persevered despite resistance, technical setbacks or organizational inertia. Failure was seen as part of progress.

  • INSPIRATION FOR OTHERS – The case inspires other organizations to leave their own comfort zone. Knowledge sharing, openness about learning points, involvement in community.

Voor leiders die begrijpen dat cultuur geen bijzaak is, maar de hoofdzaak

The Culture Code Rockstars Champion

The Culture Code Rockstars Champion Award can be won by the team that shows that successful digital transformation is only possible when people and technology go hand in hand. You qualify when you approach digitalization as more than a technical project – with attention to collaboration, leadership, team spirit and work happiness. In your approach, culture is not an afterthought, but the key to success: you actively build an inclusive and resilient team culture, where people thrive and strengthen each other. The result? A technology solution that not only works, but also improved as the team thrived and a solution that is supported. You see this reflected in high engagement, satisfaction, retention, creativity and mutual connection in the team. This team had such appeal, everyone wanted to be a part of it!

Selection Criteria

  • HUMAN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION – Approaches digitization not only as a technological project, but also as a human process. Attention is paid to behavior, collaboration, communication and leadership around new tools or processes.

  • ACTIVE COMMITMENT ON CULTURE, MAKING A DIVERS TEAM SUCCESSFUL & TEAM SENSE – The organization or team takes concrete steps to build a healthy, positive and agile team culture. Examples may include inclusive decision-making, allowing diverse team to flourish, transparent communication, team rituals, psychological safety, hybrid work strategy with human touch.

  • WORK Happiness IS RECEIVED IN THE (TECHNICAL) SOLUTION -Inthe project/digital transformation, it is reflected in content that the team experienced work happiness in development. Think of creative solutions found through mutual connection, teammates who knew how to fix complex problems through complementarity and diversity.

  • LEADERSHIP THAT MAKES CULTURE VISIBLE – There is inspiring (formal or informal) leadership that makes culture visible in behavior, choices and role models. Not fancy values on the wall, but culture in action.

  • IMPACT AND EXAMPLE – The approach or culture has a demonstrable effect on employee satisfaction, retention, collaboration or innovativeness. Other organizations or teams can learn or be inspired by this. You can see in employee metrics that it is/was a successful transformation.

Omdat de beste tech niet alleen slimmer maakt, maar ook beter

Rockstars Impact Innovator Award

For the customer who not only moves forward with innovation, but moves forward with it. Innovation is good. But innovating with impact – that’s where the difference is made. This award is for the organizations that use technology as a lever for real change. Not just to speed up processes or improve systems, but to touch something bigger: people, markets, social issues. The Impact Innovator Award honors clients who show that digital innovation can also mean human, sustainable or societal progress. Who boldly choose solutions that are not only smart, but meaningful. Who don’t just think in terms of optimization, but of value.

Selection Criteria

  • INNOVATION WITH EFFECT – The organization/team has adopted new technology, process or digital strategy that results in a marked change or improvement over the situation in the past. The innovation is innovative for the sector or market in which they operate.

  • MEASURABLE OR VIBLE IMPACT – The innovation has produced demonstrable results: think outreach, customer satisfaction, inclusion, sustainability, accessibility or social value. There has been a positive impact on our world because of this innovation.  

  • SCALING POTENTIAL -Theapproach is not only unique, but also scalable or inspires others. Wider applicability or replication has been deliberately considered.

  • LEADERSHIP AND LEF -Theorganization and/or team has demonstrated a willingness to invest in a forward-looking vision – despite risk, resistance or complexity. Innovation is visibly embedded in policy, culture or leadership.

  • INSPIRATION FOR THE OUTSIDE WORLD -Thecase is suitable as an example, story or front-runner model – it is “PR-worthy” and inspires peers, partners or the industry. The organization is willing to share this story (for the most part).

VOOR DE TALK DIE NOG DAGEN BLIJFT HANGEN

ROCKSTARS MIC DROP AWARD

The Mic Drop Award crowns the most impactful talk of the conference. Not chosen by a jury – but by you.
The audience votes right after the event, fresh from inspiration. The winner? The one who perfectly combined content, energy and timing. Who didn’t just speak, but really made a difference. At the end of the talk you can rank the talk and this Award will be presented after all sessions have been completed. The speaker with the highest rating will receive the Mic Drop Award!

pass judgment based on

  • INSPIRATION POWER

  • RELEVANCE AND CONTENT
  • ENERGY & DELIVERY OF THE SPEAKER

  • IMPACT