Talmyn Founder of the Year
An annual recognition for a founder whose decisions this year actually shaped what their company became — nominated by teammates, investors, customers, or the founder themself.
What this offers
A profile about decisions, not just titles
The feature focuses on specific calls the founder made this year and what happened because of them.
Nominee recognition either way
Strong nominees are featured on the current nominees list even if they're not the year's final pick.
No cost to nominate
Nominating someone, including yourself, is free.
A platform for the harder story
We're as interested in a tough call that paid off as we are in a clean success story.
Who this is for
Founders, co-founders, or CEOs of founder-led companies at any stage — pre-seed to public — who made a real, specific decision this year worth writing about.
How it works
- Submit a nomination. Who, what company, and the specific decision or moment worth recognizing.
- An editor researches the story. We look for the actual decision and its consequences, not just a title change.
- Strong nominees are featured. Added to the nominees list for the current year.
- The year's pick is announced. A full feature on the decision that earned it.
Rules & eligibility
- This is free to enter, and always will be — we never charge a submission fee.
- No age, location, industry, or follower-count requirement. Selection is about the work itself, not who you are.
- Submitting doesn't guarantee publication or a reply beyond the automatic confirmation — we get more submissions than we can feature, and we'd rather say that upfront than overpromise.
- One nomination per person or company at a time. If yours isn't selected this round, you're welcome to be nominated again later.
- Selection is editorial, not a public vote — we're not obligated to name a winner every single cycle if nothing meets the bar.
How do I actually apply?
I describe one specific decision this founder made — not a general "they're great" nomination, but an actual moment: a pivot, a hire, a call to say no to something. I include what happened as a result. That specificity is what an editor can actually research and write from.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it cost anything to submit?
No. It's free to submit to Talmyn Founder of the Year, and free to be featured if selected. We don't charge for consideration, and we never will.
How long does it take to hear back?
If your nomination is selected, you'll hear from an editor directly. If it isn't, we don't send a rejection notice — the volume we receive makes that impractical.
Can I submit on behalf of someone else?
Only with their knowledge and involvement — we want the real details, and that usually means hearing from the person or team directly.
What happens if I'm not selected?
Nothing gets published without being selected first. Unselected submissions simply aren't used, and you're welcome to submit again later.
Does this run every year?
Yes — Talmyn Founder of the Year is evergreen. It runs all year, every year, with no deadline to catch.
Selection is editorial and unpaid on both sides — no one is charged to submit, and no one is paid for work we publish. Talmyn's editorial standards apply the same way here as everywhere else on the site. See can companies pay to appear in Talmyn's rankings or awards for the full answer.
Submit
Current nominees
The first entries are being reviewed now — check back soon, or be one of the first to submit yours below.