Technology Platform of the Year

Open to independent companies providing technology platforms or digital tools designed for use within the professional hair industry. Platforms entered must demonstrate active professional use, innovation and relevance within salon or stylist environments during the eligibility period.

Winning this award positions your platform among the businesses helping modernise and support the professional hair industry, reinforcing credibility, innovation and professional trust. It provides a powerful platform to strengthen visibility, attract new professional users and highlight the role your technology plays in supporting salons and stylists day to day. Winners will also be invited to join the judging panel for The Indies - Salon & Stylist Awards UK.

• A written submission outlining the platform, its functionality and professional industry impact.

• Evidence of professional usage, salon engagement, user growth or platform performance.

• Supporting materials including campaigns, case studies, education, technical support or platform activity relevant to the eligibility period. Future direction and plans for continued innovation or platform development may also be included.

• All activity must relate to the period 1 May 2025 – 30 April 2026.

How This Category Will Be Judged

Entries will first be reviewed based on the written submission, supporting evidence and overall impact within the professional hair industry. Judges will consider innovation, usability, reliability, salon relevance and the way the platform supports professionals, salons or businesses within their day-to-day operations.

Judges may also consider user experience, education, customer support, problem solving, industry adoption and the overall value the platform brings to the professional salon industry.

Where appropriate, shortlisted entrants may be invited to provide platform demonstrations, walkthroughs or temporary access for professional review and evaluation.

To keep the process fair and independent, entries may be reviewed across multiple judging stages by different members of the judging panel.

This category is not open to conglomerate-owned or publicly listed companies. Venture-backed businesses are permitted, provided the platform operates independently within the professional market. Platforms without active professional salon relevance or industry usage will not be considered.

To protect the integrity of the awards, all judges are required to declare any professional, commercial or personal relationships with entrants prior to scoring. Any judge with a declared conflict of interest will not be permitted to review, discuss or score the relevant entry or category.

Entry Recommendations

Strong entries should clearly demonstrate how the platform supports salons, stylists or professional businesses within the hair industry. Judges are looking for platforms that genuinely improve workflows, education, communication, client experience or day-to-day business operations through innovation, usability and real professional value.

Supporting platform demonstrations, screenshots, case studies, testimonials, educational content and examples of professional industry impact are strongly encouraged.

Entry Deadline

Final entry deadline for this category is 6 September 2026.

Shortlisted entrants may be contacted directly regarding additional judging stages, platform demonstrations or further supporting information where applicable.