Nominations for the Wired4Women Awards 2026 are now open and we are calling on the ICT community to step forward and help us recognise exceptional female tech leaders, innovators and rising talent.
Now in its third year, the Wired4Women Awards is an initiative of the Wired4Women Forum and ITWeb Brainstorm, and supported by Telkom as the lead sponsor. Since 2024, the programme has become a trusted platform for recognising excellence and advancing gender inclusion in SA’s tech sector.
“Over the past two years, the Wired4Women Awards have become so much more than a recognition programme; they have become a catalyst for visibility, affirmation and systemic change in South Africa’s technology sector,” says Nomonde White-Ndlovu, Wired4Women chairperson and CIO of Bidvest Bank. “Each year, we witness extraordinary women step into the light, not because they were newly remarkable, but because a platform finally existed to honour the depth, excellence and innovation they have embodied all along.
“In its first two years, the programme attracted hundreds of nominations, and in 2026, we aim to uncover even more of the brilliant, resilient and game-changing women shaping South Africa’s digital future.”
Selection process
The Wired4Women Awards is run with independence and integrity, starting with an open public call for nominations.
Anyone may nominate a deserving candidate via the online portal, provided the entry meets the criteria and competition rules.
The awards programme is audited by Nolands JHB. The Wired4Women panel of judges will review all valid nominations and select the shortlists for each award categoty. Following a rigorous adjudication process, which includes interviews with each shortlisted finalist, the judges will select the ultimate winners.
Winners will be announced at the Wired4Women Awards Banquet on 16 April at The Forum, Hyde Park.
Submit your nominations
The Wired4Women Awards programme features 13 award categories, recognising excellence across leadership, entrepreneurship, innovation, community impact, rising talent and more:
1. CIO of the Year
2. CISO of the Year
3. Tech Business Leader
4. Tech Entrepreneur
5. Tech Innovator
6. Tech for Good
7. Channel Achiever of the Year
8. Rising Star – Security (≤35 years)
9. Rising Star – AI and Data Innovation (≤35 years)
10. Rising Star – Coding and Software Development (≤35 years)
11. Top Tech Student
12. Mentor of the Year
13. Trailblazing Career in ICT
As the awards’ track record shows, community involvement is essential. Each nomination helps elevate hidden champions, uncover exceptional leaders and inspire the next generation of women in tech.
Nominations close on 8 February at 23:59 SAST.
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