Eligibility Criteria

TrailblazHER™ Businesswoman Award

• Women-led Business: The business must be founded or co-founded by a woman who holds a significant leadership role.
• Business Size: The business should employ up to ten individuals.
• Demonstrated growth and innovation in the business: The business should show clear signs of growth, such as increased revenue, customer base, or market presence, and should incorporate innovative practices or products.

1. Business Growth and Development: Evidence of business expansion, such as increased revenue, market reach, or team size. 
2. Innovation and Creativity: Introduction of new ideas, products, services, or approaches that improve business outcomes. 
3. Impact on the Community and Industry: Positive contributions to the wider community or industry. 
4. Sustainability and Responsible Practices: Adoption of environmentally friendly, ethical, or socially responsible business practices.

Technology TrailblazHER Award

• Nominees must identify as a woman and work professionally in a technology, science or engineering-related field.
• Nominees must demonstrate a track record of technological innovation, either through new products, research breakthroughs, digital transformation, or the application of technology in novel ways.
• Open to early-career professionals as well as seasoned experts who meet the above criteria.

1. Technological Innovation and Advancements: The use or development of new technologies, tools, or creative solutions to address challenges or improve outcomes.
2. Leadership and Influence: Demonstrated leadership in teams, projects, or organisations, and influence on others or the direction of technology within their field.
3. Industry and Societal Impact: Positive results from their work, whether through business success, industry recognition, or social impact such as improving access, sustainability, or equity.

Sustainability TrailblazHER Award

• Open to individuals who identify as women and are actively working in the field of sustainability.
• Nominees must have demonstrated commitment and contribution to sustainable development, climate action, circular economy, biodiversity, social sustainability, or related areas.
• Nominees have a proven track record of implementing or leading initiatives with measurable sustainability outcomes.

1. Innovation: Introduction of novel approaches, models, or technologies that address sustainability challenges in new or more effective ways.
2. Leadership: Evidence of vision, influence, and the ability to inspire and mobilise others toward sustainable goals.
3. Impact: Tangible environmental, social, or economic benefits resulting from the nominee’s work, including scalability or replicability.
4. Legacy and Reach: Enduring contribution to the sustainability field and potential to influence future generations or broader systems change.

TrailblazHER™ Community Hero Award

• Open to individuals of any gender or identity.
• Must demonstrate active community engagement and leadership in creating or supporting social impact initiatives.
• Applications from individuals not currently engaged in paid employment are particularly welcomed.

1. Social Impact and Community Engagement: Depth and reach of engagement with the community.
2. Leadership and Advocacy: Role in mobilising change or advocating for a cause.
3. Sustainability and Long-term Impact: The lasting benefits and potential replicability of the nominee’s work.

TrailblazHER™ Allyship Award

• Open to individuals of any gender who are actively mentoring or sponsoring women.
• Must demonstrate a sustained commitment to the advancement of women through mentorship, sponsorship, or allyship.

1. Effectiveness of Mentorship and Sponsorship: Depth, quality, and consistency of the nominee's efforts.
2. Leadership and Advocacy: Their role in advocating for gender equity and creating systemic change.
3. Impact: Evidence of personal or professional growth for others and sustained outcomes.

DEI TrailblazHER Award

• Open to individuals of any identity, as well as formal initiatives or teams actively engaged in DEI work.
• The nominee must demonstrate a track record of meaningful DEI outcomes, such as improved access, increased representation, inclusive policy change, training, or community engagement.

1. Innovation in DEI Practices: Novel or creative approaches, tools and collaborations to inclusion, equality, or accessibility.
2. Leadership in DEI Advocacy: Active championing of inclusive values and impact influencing and inspiring others.
3. Impact: Evidence of reach, scale and sustainability with clear, measurable changes in culture, policies, representation, engagement, or wellbeing. 

TU Dublin TrailblazHER Award

• Open to individuals who identify as a woman.
• Nominees must be an enrolled student at TU Dublin during the year 2025. This includes full-time and part-time students undertaking access programmes, apprenticeships, undergraduate or postgraduate courses.
• Nominees must demonstrate leadership and positive impact on campus, in the community, or in their field of study.

1. Leadership Through Initiative and Innovation: Demonstratable leadership to create positive change, willingness to learn and engage new opportunities, inspiring others to participate or think differently.
2. Contribution to the University Community: Evidence of helping to foster an inclusive, vibrant, and supportive campus culture through their actions and involvement. Whether through participation or leadership societies, peer mentoring, student wellbeing, or inclusion initiatives, the individual helps to strengthens community ties and uplifts underrepresented or vulnerable groups.
3. Social Impact and Civic Engagement: Commitment to making a difference beyond the university through hands-on engagement with social, environmental, or cultural causes including volunteerism, advocacy, or service projects that benefit others.

TrailblazHER™ Future Leaders Award

• Open to individuals who identify as a woman.
• Nominees must be within the first five years of their career after graduation.
• Applications are open to all career pathways (e.g., academia, research, education, apprenticeships, sole traders, entrepreneurs, employees).
• Show strong potential as a future leader through initiative, integrity, resilience, and a drive to lead or influence change.

1. Emerging Leadership: Demonstratable initiative, ambition, and potential to lead or innovate in their area of interest or work and shows courage, resilience, or a willingness to challenge the status quo.
2. Inspiration to Others: Serves as a positive role model or motivator to peers, colleagues, or younger students, promoting inclusion, equity, or collaboration in their work or community.
3. Impact and Drive: Visible contribution, big or small, that shows promise for continued growth and influence, and a clear commitment to a future of meaningful contribution.

Trailblazing Alumna Award

• Open to all individuals who identify as a woman and are a graduate (alumna) of the university (apprenticeship, undergraduate or postgraduate from TU Dublin, Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, Institute of Technology Tallaght or Dublin Institute of Technology).
• Nominees must have demonstrated significant career achievements, leadership, or societal impact.

1. Career Achievements and Leadership: Demonstratable excellence and leadership, driving innovation, mentoring others, and achieving meaningful impact in their field. 
2. Contribution to the Industry and Society: Actively advances their industry or community through thought leadership, collaboration, and initiatives that promote positive societal change. 
3. Impact on the University Community: Demonstrates lasting commitment to the university through mentorship, engagement, and efforts that strengthen connection and opportunity.

Trailblazing Returners Award

• Open to all individuals who identify as a woman.
• Nominees must have taken a break in employment and returned to work within the last 5 years.
• Nominees must have demonstrated professional impact since returning, such as innovation, leadership, collaboration, or mentoring others.

1. Resilience and Adaptability: Overcoming barriers to re-entry and demonstrating commitment to growth with flexibility in learning, adapting, or shifting focus.
2. Impact Since Return: Making a positive difference within their organisation or industry by delivering results, innovation, or leadership since their return.
3. Inspiration and Mentorship: Serving as a role model for other returners or underrepresented professionals by supporting inclusion or helping others navigate transitions.

TrailblazHER™ DEI Research and Development Award

• Open to all individuals, teams, initiatives and organisations performing research and development in the DEI space.
• Nominees must have demonstratable delivery of research, practices and policies and impacts.

1. Innovation in DEI Research and Innovation: Demonstrates original, creative, or boundary-pushing research that advances new thinking in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
2. Contribution To Practices: Contributions to research supported practices, data-driven improvements in DEI-related policies, programmes, or actions.
3. Impact On Organisations and Community: Evidence of tangible impacts of research and development within organisations or communities, including influence, uptake, or lasting change.