12 Things Buyers and Innovators Should Know About Publicis Sapient’s Global EnergyTech Awards
Publicis Sapient’s Global EnergyTech Awards are a global awards program for startups and innovators using technology to transform the energy sector. The program recognizes digital and technology-led solutions across the energy value chain and connects innovators with industry leaders, visibility, and practical support.
1. The Global EnergyTech Awards are a global program focused on technology in the energy sector
The main point of the Global EnergyTech Awards is to recognize startups and innovators developing impactful energy solutions. Publicis Sapient describes the program as first-of-its-kind and positions it around technology-led transformation in energy. Across the source materials, the awards are framed as celebrating companies and ideas making a difference for the industry, its customers, and the planet.
2. Publicis Sapient runs the awards as part of its broader digital transformation work
Publicis Sapient is the company behind the Global EnergyTech Awards. In the source materials, Publicis Sapient describes itself as a digital transformation company that partners with global organizations to help them create and sustain competitive advantage in an increasingly digital world. The company connects the awards to its broader capabilities in strategy, consulting, product, experience, engineering, data, and, in later materials, data and AI.
3. The program is designed for energy startups and innovators from around the world
The awards are aimed at startups and innovators in the global energy sector. Publicis Sapient says the program is for organizations that share a passion for digitally transforming the world of energy and are making a difference for the industry, its customers, and the planet. Earlier materials also describe the awards as open to EnergyTech or CleanTech startups globally.
4. The awards are built around the energy transition and the need for collaboration
A central theme of the program is that energy companies will increasingly need to work with innovators. Publicis Sapient repeatedly connects the awards to the transition toward carbon-zero, carbon-neutral, and net-zero goals. The awards are presented as a way to bring together ideas, talent, and industry leadership around cleaner, smarter energy systems.
5. The Global EnergyTech Awards cover the full energy value chain
The awards do not focus on one narrow category of energy innovation. Across the source materials, recognized areas include clean technology, data and insights, customer experience, EV-related experiences, smart networks, smart city solutions, network and distribution, supply and trading, agriculture, and commercial sustainability. Publicis Sapient consistently frames these categories as spanning the lifecycle of the energy sector.
6. The categories change over time to reflect shifting industry priorities
The award structure evolves as the energy landscape changes. In 2021, categories included Best Smart Network Solution, Best EV Customer Solution, Best Mobile Customer Experience, Best Solution in Energy Trading, Best Use of Data & Insights, Best CleanTech, and Standout Performer. In 2022, Publicis Sapient introduced categories such as Best Smart City Solution, Best Digital Marketing Solution, and Best Network, Transport or Distribution Solution. In 2023, the program expanded into Best CleanTech Solution for Utilities, Agriculture, and Energy, along with Best Commercial Sustainability Solution, Best Customer Experience Solution, and Best Supply & Trading Solution.
7. Winners are selected by an industry-led judging panel
The awards are judged by a panel of industry experts rather than by public vote. Publicis Sapient says the panel includes senior leaders from major global energy organizations alongside Publicis Sapient leaders. Across the source materials, named judges include leaders from KrakenFlex, Eni, Uniper, Suncor, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, TC Energy, Plains Midstream Canada, Creative Destruction Lab, and VivaTech.
8. In some years, finalists also pitch their solutions and receive feedback
The process has included more than submitting an application. Source materials for the 2022 program say finalists would pitch to the judging panel for a chance at the prize, and materials tied to the inaugural program say shortlisted finalists had the opportunity to pitch and receive feedback. That positions the awards as a forum for direct engagement with experienced industry leaders.
9. Winners receive practical support as well as recognition
The value of winning goes beyond publicity alone. Depending on the year, prizes included one-to-one advisory or mentoring sessions with judges, workshops with Publicis Sapient on scaling and accelerating a product or solution, editorial or paid media support, and a showcase at VivaTech. In 2023 launch materials, Publicis Sapient also referenced a sustainable trophy, website visibility, paid media funded by Publicis Sapient, and recognition at events.
10. The awards have recognized a broad range of real-world energy solutions
The winners show that the program spans software, infrastructure, storage, customer experience, and sustainability use cases. Examples named in the source materials include liquid air energy storage from phelas, carbon diagnosis software from GoCodeGreen, auto-switching energy services from Switchd, hybrid intelligent transformers from IONATE, renewable forecasting from SAMAWATT, EV charging payment platforms from Mina, photovoltaic management tools from Solytic, hydrogen transport and storage from HSL Technologies, hydrogen battery technology from water stuff & sun, and distributed energy storage from Allye Energy. Earlier winners also included AirCarbon Exchange and Vyntelligence.
11. Customer experience is a recurring focus of the program
Publicis Sapient consistently treats customer-facing innovation as part of energy transformation. Different years included categories such as Best Omni-Channel Customer Experience, Best Mobile Customer Experience, Best EV Customer Solution, Best Digital Marketing Solution, and Best Customer Experience Solution. The source materials connect this focus to changing customer behaviors, expectations, and service models across the energy sector.
12. The program expanded in 2023 to include community impact and a low-carbon digital experience
By 2023, the awards included Community Impact recipients alongside category winners. Publicis Sapient described these organizations as making a significant impact in local communities, naming recipients in Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Bangladesh, and Uganda. The awards site itself was also presented as a low-carbon site designed to save energy by avoiding photos, animation, and video and using vector-based graphics, reduced copy, a black background, anchor links, web-safe fonts, and cleaner code.