March 11, 2016

Accenture launches inaugural Accenture Consumer Innovation Awards

Finalists to present to leading brands, influencers and investors in the retail industry

LONDON; Mar. 11, 2016 – Accenture today announced that it has created the Accenture Consumer Innovation Awards, which recognize early stage start-up businesses that play a major role in changing and improving the way people shop and engage with brands.

As a leading sponsor of the Millennial 20/20 summit, Accenture is inviting emerging and start-up brands, creators of marketing tools or e-commerce platforms and retail technology providers to apply for the four awards. The categories are enhancing customer experience and personalisation; increasing sales revenue and footfall; improving product design sourcing and delivery; and enabling an instore digital workforce.

From the applications 12 finalists will be invited to present an overview of their business to an exclusive panel of judges including representatives from Argos, Balderton Capital, Dixons Carphone, Sainsbury’s, Specsavers and Fjord, Design and Innovation from Accenture Interactive. It will take place at the London studios of CNBC.

The winners of the four categories will be announced at the Millennial 20/20 summit on April 13th in London. In addition to receiving their award, winners will be given access to a team of experts at Accenture to obtain advice and consultation on how to improve select areas of their business and gain access to clients. They will also secure a three month showcase spot in Accenture’s Innovation Hub, an area that is visited by many of the UK’s foremost retailers and brands.

Teo Correia, global managing director of Accenture’s Consumer Goods and Services practice at Accenture, said: “We are very proud to be launching Accenture’s new Consumer Innovation Awards, which will celebrate and showcase those start-ups and smaller organisations that are making huge waves within the retail sector. For those entrants that successfully make it through to the final, the awards will allow them valuable time to showcase their existing brands and aspirations in front of many of the country’s most influential figures in the retail industry – an opportunity we hope will make a lasting difference to their businesses.”

Start-ups and emerging companies that are any one of the following are invited to apply: less than three years old, angel or venture funded or are pre-revenue or in beta product phase and there are no geographic restrictions on entries. The deadline for entry submissions is 20th March, 2016, with more information on how to enter the Accenture Consumer Innovation Awards is available at http://millennial20-20.com/whatson/theawards/.

About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions—underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network—Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With approximately 373,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

Accenture is a leading sponsor of the two-day Millennial 20/20 summit, where the winners of the Accenture Consumer Innovation Awards will be announced. The summit aims to explore the future of business from the perspective of a digitally-savvy consumer with a micro focus on 10 key pillars: Retail, Marketing, Advertising, Mobile, Payments, Video, Social, E-Commerce, CRM and Big Data.

Held on the 13th and 14th April in Victoria House, London, the summit will see the gathering of over 3,000 start-ups, brands, retailers and corporates. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from 150 world-class speakers, visit 40 experiential exhibitors, attend four live immersive showcases and a series of networking opportunities.

# # #

Contact:

Katie Potts
Accenture UK
+ 44 7710 977249
katie.potts@accenture.com