the rockstars awards 2026

During Rockstars Valley 2026, we will once again present the Rockstars Awards!
An ode to guts, impact, culture and stories that make 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 Innovator Award

For organizations or teams that have made impressive, innovative strides within their project.

More info on this award

Rockstars Social Impact Award

For organizations and teams whose projects have made social impact. 

More info on this award

Rockstars Happiness Champion

For teams and organizations where the project puts people first. People and technology go hand in hand.

More info on this award

rockstars Theme Award: Engineering Under Pressure

The award goes to the team or company that has not stood still, but has come up with and put down a concrete, working solution in the areas of AI readiness, cloud sovereignty or security, or a combination thereof.

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.

Simone van Erp

CPO - Team Rockstars IT

Jury

Simone is CPO at Team Rockstars IT.

Bart Nijskens

Managing Director - Team Rockstars IT

Jury

Bart is Managing Director at Team Rockstars IT.

Mirjam van Olst

Chief of Mastery - Team Rockstars IT

Jury

Mirjam is Chief of Mastery at Team Rockstars IT.

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

the Rockstars Innovator Award

The Rockstars Innovator Award is for teams that have made impressive, innovative strides within their project. True Digital Daredevils who have committed to a bold pilot, innovation implementation or quirky approach to a problem. You and your team have brought real innovation within your project and the digital world with your work.

Selection Criteria

  • DURING IN APPROACH – The team has taken a rebellious approach. No standard solutions but looking for an innovative way. They did not avoid risks, but rather ventured into uncharted territory.

  • DIGITAL INNOVATION – There is demonstrable use of new technologies or digital methods. Doesn’t have to be technologically perfect, but innovative and educational.

  • INSPIRATION FOR OTHERS – The case inspires other organizations to leave their own comfort zone. Knowledge sharing, openness about learning points and community involvement. It is innovative, eye opener and you want to start applying this way in practice yourself.

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

The Rockstars Happines award

The Rockstars Happiness Award goes to projects that put people first. People and technology go hand in hand. Culture guides the approach and is woven into an inclusive team culture where teammates flourish. The project contributed to an improvement of the culture itself or has in itself a group culture where people are drastically put at 1.

Selection Criteria

  • 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 or a hybrid work strategy with human touch.

  • EMPLOYMENT IS RECEIVED IN THE (TECHNICAL) SOLUTION – The content of the project shows that the team experienced happiness at work during 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 it.

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

the Rockstars social Impact Award

The Rockstars Social Impact Award is for teams that have made social impact with their project. A solution that brings a sustainable or social innovation. This solution is not just about the innovation, but focuses on the social impact. The team looks beyond just technical development and makes a conscious commitment to support and impact.

Selection Criteria

  • MEASURABLE OR VIBLE IMPACT – The project has had a clear impact on inclusion, sustainability, accessibility or social value. A positive impact on the world has been made because of this solution.

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

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

Voor bedrijven die niet stilstaan, maar in beweging komen

The ROCKSTARS theme AWARD: engineering under pressure

We are also adding a new award this year, which fits the theme of Rockstars Valley. As engineers and engineering organizations, we are under pressure. Technology is advancing rapidly, requirements are becoming increasingly complex and the world around us demands solutions that are not only smart, but also secure, sovereign and future-proof.

The Engineering Under Pressure Award goes to the team or company that does not dwell on this, but gets moving. That has conceived and put down a concrete, working solution in the area of AI readiness, cloud sovereignty or security, or a combination of these. A team that shows that pressure does not paralyze, but activates toward a solution that brings hope and inspiration.

Selection Criteria

  • WORKING UNDER PRESSURE – The tech world is under unprecedented pressure: lightning-fast AI developments, stricter requirements around sovereignty and a threat landscape that does not stand still. This criterion assesses how the team has dealt with those pressures. Did they turn urgency into action? Has a solution emerged that not only responds to today’s situation, but also provides direction, or even holds up as the world changes tomorrow?  

  • AI IMPACT – The team has used AI deliberately and forward-thinking within this project. This can mean that AI is already being actively used, or that there is a concrete plan for how the solution combined with AI will lead to new insights and developments. Crucially, the team has challenged itself to seriously explore the role of AI, now and in the future.  

  • CLOUD SOEVEREINITY – The team made conscious choices around cloud sovereignty. The development and/or implementation of the solution actively considered the possibilities of cloud infrastructure within Europe. There is a reasoned plan in place that explains and justifies those choices.  

  • SECURITY – The team treated security not as an afterthought, but as a starting point. A clear strategy was formulated that identified potential vulnerabilities and established a clear approach not only for now, but also for the future.  

VOOR DE TALK DIE NOG DAGEN BLIJFT HANGEN

ROCKSTARS MIC DROP AWARD

The Mic Drop Award awards the most impactful talk of the conference. Not chosen by a panel of judges – but by you. The audience votes right after, fresh from inspiration. The winner? The one who perfectly combined content, energy and timing. Who didn’t just talk, but really made something happen. 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