Hedgeweek® European Awards 2026

Please provide a brief overview of your business (up to 100 words) and a compelling case in 250 words or fewer on why your service deserves an award for excellence throughout 2025.

You may also include a client testimonial to support your entry—this is optional but encouraged.

Additionally, there’s an option to upload any supporting documents that might strengthen your submission.

Our in-house judging panel will select the finalists who will then go to public vote. The overall winner will be determined based on both popularity and quality of submission. To be eligible, you must be based in, or have offices in Europe.

Please note that you can only enter up to a maximum of 7 categories.

Free to enter | Entry deadline Friday 23rd January, midnight

Audit/Accounting

Accounting Firm of the Year
This winning firm will be able to show evidence of exceptional performance in delivering comprehensive, reliable, and innovative accounting services across the financial sector.

Audit Firm of the Year: Start-up
The winning start-up audit firm in this category will be able to prove excellent customer satisfaction in the period under review. Consider case exampes of intitiatives that led to an exceptionally positive client impact. To be considered a start-up, service providers will deal with funds that are 0-3 years old and with an AUM of up to $100m.

Audit Firm of the Year: Middle Market
The winning middle market audit firm in this category will be able to prove excellent customer satisfaction in the period under review. Consider case exampes of intitiatives that led to an exceptionally positive client impact. To be considered middle-market, service providers should deal with funds that are 3-5 years old and with an AUM of up to $1billion.

Audit Firm of the Year: Overall
The winning overall audit firm in this category will be able to prove excellent customer satisfaction in the period under review. Consider case exampes of intitiatives that led to an exceptionally positive client impact. To be considered overall winner of this category, service providers should deal with funds that are 5+ years old and with an AUM of over $1billion.

Compliance

Custodian

Data

Data Management Solution of the Year
This winning firm provides technology that is both sturdy and scalable. Entrants should be able to outline how their platform increases efficiency and productivity for their clients.

Data Provider of the Year
This winning firm provides a platform that arms its clients with intelligence in a speedy and effective way. Entrants should provide information on what data type their organisation offers, and how this adds more value to fund managers than its competitors.

Fund Administrator

Fund Accounting & Reporting Software of the Year

This winning software solution will go to the firm that enhances accuracy, transparency, and efficiency in fund accounting and reporting processes for investment firms. Fund Administrator of the Year: Client Services FUND ADMINThis category will reward exceptional client service, focused on responsiveness, expertise, and client satisfaction.

Fund Administrator of the Year: Client Services
This category will reward exceptional client service, focused on responsiveness, expertise, and clientsatisfaction.

Fund Administrator of the Year: ESG

This category will reward the winning administrators commitment to supporting ESG initiatives and delivering sustainable investment solutions.

Fund Administrator of the Year: Offshore

The winner in this category will show expertise in offshore services, offering compliance, flexibility, and efficiency for offshore funds.

Fund Administrator of the Year: Technology

The winning service provider in this category will be able to showcase that its cutting-edge technology has streamlined operations, enhanced transparency, and supported overall client success.

Fund Administrator of the Year: Start-up & Emerging Funds

This winning administrator will offer tailored services to their clients, supporting growth and operational needs of start-up and emerging funds.

Fund Administrator of the Year: Middle Office Services

This category will reward a fund administrator's excellence in providing reliable, scalable middle-office services that enhance operational efficiency.

Fund Administrator of the Year: Overall

This award is open to fund administrators of any size. Entrants should show outstanding performance, demonstrating best-in-class services, scalability, and innovation across a broad range of client needs.

Legal

Law Firm of the Year: Alternative Credit

Alternative sources are becoming increasingly more prevalent in the market. This winning law firm's specialised knowledge in alternative credit and highly specialised service will enhance its clients operations.

Law Firm of the Year: Client Service

This winning law firm will be dedicated to client service excellence, ensuring satisfaction and guidance across various legal needs.

Law Firm of the Year: Fund Domicile

This award will celebrate a law firm’s expertise in fund domicile selection, providing legal guidance that optimises jurisdictional benefits for clients.

Law Firm of the Year: Start-up & Emerging Funds

This law firm's tailored legal support for start-up and emerging funds will be stand out. Entrants should show how they address clients' growth and compliance needs.

Law Firm of the Year: Overall

This award will celebrate the law firm that demonstrates excellence across various legal service areas. Entrants should show proven support of fund managers and comprehensive legal expertise.

Marketing

Marketing Agency of the Year

This award will go to the firm that shows exceptional success in delivering effective marketing services that support client growth. Examples of successful campaigns would be advantageous for entrants.

PR and Communications Firm of the Year

This award will go to a PR and communications agency with proven success in shaping brand narratives, enhancing visibility, and supporting client growth in the financial industry.

Third Party Marketing Firm of the Year

This winning firm will have a substantial track record of raising investment capital for hedge funds. Entrants will show how they adapt to meet the demands of their clients using case scenarios.

Operations

Forex Solution Provider of the Year

This winning solution will demonstrate exceptional efficiency, innovation, and reliability in facilitating seamless foreign exchange transactions and risk management.

Index Provider of the Year

This category rewards a provider’s ability to deliver innovative and reliable indexes that support informed investment strategies.

Insurance Solution of the Year

This award will go to the leading provider that demonstrates innovation, reliability, and broad applicability across various investment sectors.

Portfolio Management Service (PMS) of the Year

This winning financial service will excel in helping investors manage their investments through personalized investment strategies, asset allocation, and ongoing monitoring.

Risk Management Software of the Year

This winning software will enhance risk management capabilities. Entrants will outline how their software supports clients in mitigating and managing risks.

Tax Advisory Firm of the Year

This category recognises a tax advisory firm’s expertise in offering tailored, efficient tax strategies that optimise client outcomes.

Platforms

Hedge Fund Platform of the Year

This category will reward top of the range hedge fund software, offering a one-stop-shop for managing investments. Entrants should outline what their platform provides and why they are the leader in their field.

Managed Accounts Platform of the Year

This award will recognise innovation and reliability in delivering tailored managed accounts services that meet client needs.

Seeding Platform of the Year

Seed investment deals between a new hedge fund manager and a seed investor can be a key first step to launching a first fund. This category will award the platform that excels in providing seeding solutions, supporting fund growth and investor partnerships.

UCITS Platform of the Year

This winning provider will show excellence in supporting compliant, efficient UCITS operations for clients.

Prime Broking

Prime Broker of the Year: Capital Introduction

This award celebrates a prime broker's success in capital introduction, connecting clients with investor networks. Entrants should have a strong track record of valuable introduction services during the period under review.

Prime Broker of the Year: Client Service

This winning prime broker will show dedication to exceptional client service, enhancing satisfaction and support. Client testimonals will be especially advantageous in this category.

Prime Broker of the Year: Specialist Markets

This award will go to the prime broker showing excellence in serving specialist markets with tailored solutions and expertise that enhance the operation of the hedge fund

Prime Broker of the Year: Technology

This category rewards prime broker technology that is reliable, efficient, and scalable to meet client needs. Entrants should show that they offer a comprehensive suite of services to meet the needs of the client.

Prime Broker of the Year: Start-up & Emerging Funds

Starting up a fund is a battle, regardless of which jurisdiction the manager chooses. This award will go to the prime broker showing excellence in serving emerging funds with tailored solutions and expertise that enhance the operation of their client.

Prime Broker of the Year: Overall

This award will be given to the prime broker that shows all-round excellence in delivering comprehensive, reliable services to support client needs.

Recruitment

Solutions

New Solution Provider of the Year

The winning service provider, new to the market, will demonstrate innovative capabilities and proficiency in delivering impactful solutions that address industry challenges.

Solution Provider of the Year: ESG

This category recognises a solution provider that offers innovative ESG-focused services, empowering clients to achieve their sustainability goals and meet investor demands.

Solution Provider of the Year: ManCo

This award celebrates a management company solution that excels in providing governance, compliance, and risk management services, supporting client success.

Solution Provider of the Year: Order and Execution Management System (OEMS)

This award recognises a comprehensive OEMS that provides industry leading solution and seamlessly integrates order management and execution capabilities. The winning solution will demonstrate excellence in supporting the complete trading lifecycle, from portfolio construction and order generation through smart order routing and execution analytics. Entrants should showcase how their system enhances trading efficiency, compliance monitoring, and execution quality across multiple asset classes.

Solution Provider of the Year: Order Management System (OMS)

OMS's are hugely important for supporting electronic trade. This winning digital tool will streamline orders, improving workflow and communication among portfolio managers, traders, and compliance officers.

Solution Provider of the Year: Outsourcing

This winning solution provider’s excellence in delivering outsourced services will enhance operational efficiency for clients.

Solution Provider of the Year: Regulatory Hosting

With the FCA's increased scrutiny on regulatory hosting, the bar has never been higher for providers. This award will showcase the hosting solution’s excellence in compliance, providing secure and reliable regulatory support.

Solution Provider of the Year: Regulatory Reporting

Regulatory reporting is a critical capability for investment funds. This winning solution simplifies reporting by enhancing accuracy, compliance, and efficiency.

New Product of the Year
This award celebrates an innovative product launched within the review period that addresses a specific industry challenge or creates new opportunities for hedge funds. Entrants should demonstrate the product's unique value proposition, market impact, and adoption success. Judges will consider originality, practicality, and measurable benefits to clients.

Technology

Cloud Services Provider of the Year

The winning CSP should understand the needs and challenges of fund managers. Entrants should consider outlining their infrastructure's security and reliability. What features and services do you provide that set you apart from your competitors?

Cyber Security Service of the Year

With cyberattacks becoming ever more sophisticated, the winning service provider in this category will be exceptional in risk detection and management. This firm will have a variety of market leading approaches to safeguard their clients from data breaches.

Cyber Security Solution of the Year

Quant Technology Solution of the Year

This award recognises a quantitative technology solution that enhances investment insights and data-driven decision-making.

Trading Technology Partner of the Year

Trading technology is a key part of hedge fund opertions. This winning technology partner's innovation and reliability in delivering tools will support clients in data flow, risk management and compliance, to name a few.

Technology Provider of the Year: AI

This category will reward infrastructure specialist providers that support technology and data platforms, flexible service models, and white-glove support for their clients.

Technology Provider of the Year: Client Services

This category will reward exceptional client service, focused on responsiveness, expertise, and client satisfaction.

Technology Provider of the Year: Infrastructure

This category will reward infrastructure specialist providers that support technology and data platforms, flexible service models, and white-glove support for their clients.

Technology Provider of the Year: Innovation

This category will reward the disruptors in the market. Entrants should outline what makes their technology more innovative to their competitors.

Technology Provider of the Year: Overall

The category will reward the winning provider's innovation and impact in delivering technology solutions that enhance client operations.

Trading and Treasury

Exchange of the Year

This award recognises exchanges excelling in service quality and market accessibility for hedge funds. Entrants should demonstrate, for example, strong client impact, liquidity enhancement, regulatory compliance and operational excellence.

Exchange of the Year: Innovation

This award will go to an exchange that has proven innovation in the past year. Entrants should outline how their service is impacting the market. Judges will look favourably upon entries with support material or testimonials to back up the entry.

Outsourced Trading Provider of the Year

As outsourced trading increases in demand, this winning provider will show reliability and expertise in offering outsourced trading services such as trade execution, research, middle office activities, and access to international markets.

Trading & Execution Platform of the Year

The right trading platform plays an essential role in determining the success or failure for the client. This winning platform will be user friendly, the provider understanding and prioritising the needs of various types of investor.

Trading Technology Partner of the Year

Trading technology is a key part of hedge fund operations. This winning technology partner's innovation and reliability in delivering tools will support clients in data flow, risk management and compliance, to name a few.

Treasury Management Solution of the Year

This solution excels in treasury management. Entrants should outline how functionality, security, ease of use and other such tools enhance liquidity and cash flow control for clients.

Asset Growth

Institutional Traction of the Year
Business Growth

Number and quality of new institutional mandates won, consultant ratings improvements, pension fund/sovereign wealth allocations, institutional AUM growth.

Net Flows of the Year
Business Growth

Absolute £ growth in AUM (subscriptions minus redemptions), quality of new investors, capital retention, breadth of fundraising success.

Percentage Growth (Sub-£1bn funds) of the Year
Business Growth

% AUM growth year-over-year, sustainable growth trajectory, quality of capital raised, client retention alongside new capital.

Innovation

Alternative Data Use of the Year

Alpha Generation

Novel data sources integrated into investment process, proprietary data collection methods, data science capabilities, demonstrated alpha from alternative data, cost-effectiveness, competitive moat created through data.

Best Risk-Adjusted Returns of the Year

Alpha Generation

Sharpe ratio over 3+ years, Sortino ratio, maximum drawdown and recovery, correlation to traditional markets, consistency of monthly returns, performance during market stress, risk management framework.

ESG Integration of the Year

Alpha Generation

ESG framework embedded in investment process (not just screening), engagement with portfolio companies, ESG risk management, transparency and reporting, innovation in ESG methodology, regulatory preparedness (SFDR).

Technology Innovation of the Year

Alpha Generation

Proprietary technology development (algorithms, platforms, tools), automation of investment/operational processes, use of ML/AI/advanced analytics, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity innovation, technology as competitive advantage.

Operational Excellence

Infrastructure Build-Out of the Year

Operations

Scalability of operations and technology, risk management framework maturity, compliance preparedness, third-party service provider management, technology infrastructure investment, operational efficiency metrics.

Investor Relations Programme of the Year

Operations

Quality and frequency of investor communications, transparency around performance and risk, responsiveness to queries, investor portal functionality, client retention rates, proactive communication during market stress.

Marketing & Communications of the Year

Operations

Quality of thought leadership, digital presence and brand consistency, conference presence, PR coverage quality, content marketing effectiveness, brand differentiation, lead generation metrics.

Rising Star Manager of the Year

Operations

Track record quality (risk-adjusted returns), team pedigree, differentiated investment strategy, asset growth trajectory, institutional traction, infrastructure relative to size, strategic vision and scalability.

Performance

Emerging Performance of the Year: Alternative Equity

Emerging Manager (<£500m AUM)

Net performance for market neutral and event-driven strategies, low correlation to equity markets, risk-adjusted returns, special situations alpha.

Emerging Performance of the Year: Credit Strategies

Emerging Manager (<£500m AUM)

Net performance, risk-adjusted returns (Sharpe/Sortino), consistency of returns, drawdown management, peer group comparison. Combines distressed, long/short, and relative value credit strategies.

Emerging Performance of the Year: Equity Long/Short

Emerging Manager (<£500m AUM)

Net performance, alpha generation vs equity indices, long/short positioning effectiveness, sector selection, risk-adjusted returns.

Emerging Performance of the Year: Fund of Funds

Emerging Manager (<£500m AUM)

Net performance, manager selection skill, portfolio construction, due diligence process quality, fee structure competitiveness.

Emerging Performance of the Year: Macro & Managed Futures

Emerging Manager (<£500m AUM)

Net performance across systematic and discretionary global macro strategies, diversification benefit, drawdown management, consistency across market cycles.

Emerging Performance of the Year: Multi-Strategy

Emerging Manager (<£500m AUM)

Net performance, strategy allocation effectiveness, risk management across strategies, portfolio construction quality, consistent alpha generation.

Performance of the Year: Alternative Equity