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The Awards
Welcome to UPSTARTS, Empowering Asia’s emerging brand ecosystem

Powered by the news website Retail in Asia, UPSTARTS is dedicated to recognising the next generation of Asia’s homegrown retail players.

The awards bring together and enable an exchange between current retail players and the new disruptors by building community through a variety of activations.

The Awards

Welcome to UPSTARTS,
Empowering Asia’s emerging
brand ecosystem

Powered by the news website Retail in Asia, UPSTARTS is dedicated to recognising the next generation of Asia’s homegrown retail players.

The awards bring together and enable an exchange between current retail players and the new disruptors by building community through a variety of activations.

Senza nome

Are you one of 

Asia’s new players

shaping the future

retail landscape?

Senza nome

Are you one of 

Asia’s new players shaping the future

retail landscape?

Brands

Retailers /
Retail concepts

E-tailers / Marketplaces

Emerging Brands
& Retailers

Retail technology advancement

Retail automation

Store operations & analytics

Consumer analytics

Payment solutions

E-commerce

Logistics

Retail Tech
Startups

Branding, Digital, Communication, Training, Consulting & Marketing Agencies

Design Studios & Architects

Expert Solution Providers & Partners

Why Enter?

Amplify

your brand, your retail tech solution, your retail concept, your agency to gain recognition through this award and across Retail in Asia’s and our partners’ platforms

Motivate

your team members, founder or partners to recognise their outstanding work

Connect

with established and new players across the Asian retail ecosystem

Reward

your business with the UPSTARTS network opportunities offered by our partners and sponsors
Why Enter

Amplify

your brand, your retail tech solution, your retail concept, your agency to gain recognition through this award and across Retail in Asia’s and our partners’ platforms

Connect

with established and new players across the Asian retail ecosystem

Motivate

your team members, founder or partners to recognise their outstanding work

 

Reward

your business with the UPSTARTS network opportunities offered by our partners and sponsors

Awards

Areas and Categories

There are 15 categories across
3 areas open for entry. You may submit multiple entries.

Emerging brands & retailers only

An achievement in brand recognition, product
competition differentiation and notable results.

BEST BRAND / RETAILERS IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES

​​Best brand with its primary business in: apparel, sportswear, outerwear, sleepwear, lingerie, footwear, etc.. and accessories such as small and large leather goods, bags, belts, scarves, sunglasses, etc.

Best brand with its primary business in: skincare, cosmetics, fragrance, haircare, nail care, oral care,  beauty devices. This category does not include beauty treatment, such as salon and spa.

Best brand with its primary business in: sports equipment, supplements, active wear, menstrual products, etc. This category does not include coaching services, medical devices and products.

Best brand with its primary business in: designed home decor, furniture, home fragrance, stationery, lighting and home electronics, home textiles, etc. This category does not include interior design services.

Best brand with its primary business in: specialty products, associated with the culinary arts of fine food and drinks, including chocolatier, truffles, ham, caviar, pastries, seasoning, tea, coffee, etc. This category does not include bars, restaurants, coffee shops, etc.

Best brand with its primary business in: jewellery or watch items, including digital watches.

Best retail concept, including multi-brand, second hand resale platforms, mystery boxes, flash sales platforms, grocery marketplaces, etc.

An achievement in transforming the customer experience

BEST BRAND / RETAIL CONCEPT OR RETAIL TECH EXPERIENCE IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES

Best tech solution to enhance a retail experience.

Best digital experience connecting consumers to the brand or retail concept.

Best experience bringing sustainability across to connect consumers with brand or retail concept experience.

Best execution of pop-up concept for a retail experience.

A personal achievement

BEST PERSONALITY OR TEAM WITHIN
ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES

Founder of a brand or retail concept who has demonstrated leadership and an ability to fulfill the company’s goals, grow the business and talents.

A management role with a notable achievement in operations, team and customer management.

An in-store role with notable achievement in customer quality of service and brand experience.

A tech or agency team with a notable, creative, digital / technological achievement in retail solutions or campaign. 

Awards

Areas and Categories

There are 15 categories across 3 areas open for
entry. You may submit multiple entries.

An achievement in brand recognition, product
competition differentiation and notable results.

BEST BRAND / RETAILERS IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES

An achievement in transforming the customer experience

Best brand / retail concept OR RETAIL TECH experience in
one of the following categories

A personal achievement 

Best personality or team within
one of the following categories

Judges

UPSTARTS is championed by a Judging Committee comprised of leaders, experts and players in the retail industry who review entries, shortlist finalists as well as select the winners.

Key dates

June

Submission opening

Aug

Submission closing

Oct

Finalist Announcement

Nov

Winners Announcement

UPSTARTS
Community

An exchange between the disruptors and established retail players

  A series of networking events and webinars to enable an exchange amongst new players, established brands and industry experts.

An exchange between the disruptors and established retail players

A series of networking wvents and webinars to gather new players, established brands and industry experts.

APAC retail startup awards live pitch

7 July 2022, 6pm
Singapore
(Hybrid event)

Panel Discussion

8 September 2022
Hong Kong
(Hybrid event)

 

UPSTARTS APAC Retail Startups Awards Finale

23 November 2022, 6PM – 8:30PM
Hong Kong
(Hybrid event)

 

Partners

We create opportunities for Asia’s retail community to connect and grow.

UPSTARTS is powered by Retail in Asia, the news website dedicated to the Asian retail industry. Founded in 2010 and acquired by Bluebell Group in 2015, Retail in Asia keeps its readers updated with the latest news, trends, reports, events and openings happening across the Asian retail landscape. Topics include: brand activations, digital innovations, channels, people, store openings, and more, making Retail in Asia an invaluable source of information for anyone working in or around the retail sector.

We create opportunities for Asia’s retail community to connect and grow.

UPSTARTS is powered by Retail in Asia, the news website dedicated to the Asian retail industry. Founded in 2010 and acquired by Bluebell Group in 2015, Retail in Asia keeps its readers updated with the latest news, trends, reports, events and openings happening across the Asian retail landscape. Topics include: brand activations, digital innovations, channels, people, store, openings, and more, making Retail in Asia an invaluable source of information for anyone working in or around the retail sector.