OSSUM Awards
Celebrating the Trailblazers of Startup Marketing
The OSSUM Awards honor marketing innovators, teams, and their partners who drive growth and inspire through bold ideas and exceptional execution.
About The Awards
The OSSUM Awards spotlight marketing professionals who excel in startup environments, where agility, creativity, and a relentless pursuit of excellence define success. From strategic storytelling to tech-driven campaigns, these awards recognize the impact and innovation driving startup growth
Who Are the Awards For?
Individual Awards
Team Awards
Partner Awards
Meet The Judges
David Fossas
Principal, ReciprocityCo.
EB Moss
Founder, Moss Appeal
Jeanne Meyer
Authentic Intelligence LLC
Jessica Brandt
Senior Director of Marketing, Lily AI
Jon Greenlee
Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Sparkfly
Kelly Walton
Head of Global Brand & Integrated Marketing, Amazon Music
Mari Kim Novak
Founder/CEO, MKnCo
Mary Ellen Dugan
Former CMO, Envestnet
Miriam Kendall
Chief Marketing Officer, Kairos Growth Advisors
Terri Walter
Managing Director, SalientMG
Mari Kim Novak
Founder/CEO, MKnCo
Mary Ellen Dugan
Former CMO, Envestnet
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Award Categories
Recognizes a marketer who excelled at using data and analytics to inform decisions, optimize campaigns, and deliver measurable impact to the business.
Highlights outstanding achievement in social media strategy, content creation, and community engagement, showcasing a unique ability to connect with audiences and drive conversations.
Honors marketers who put customers at the center of their strategy, delivering exceptional experiences, increasing loyalty, and driving retention through personalized and thoughtful engagement.
Celebrates a rising star in the startup marketing landscape who has made significant strides in building their brand and career with creativity, innovation, and bold thinking.
Honors a product marketer who demonstrates an exceptional ability to bridge the gap between product and audience, crafting messaging and positioning that drive user engagement, adoption, and satisfaction.
Honors an exceptional Chief Marketing Officer (whether fractional or full-time) who has made a significant impact on their startup’s growth through visionary leadership, strategic thinking, and results-driven marketing efforts.
Celebrates a marketing professional working in-house for a venture capital firm, highlighting their role in helping portfolio startups succeed through marketing expertise, strategic guidance, and resourceful support.
Honors the best use of storytelling to build a memorable, authentic, and emotionally resonant brand narrative, helping to establish a deep connection with the target audience.
Celebrates marketers and teams who have built seamless, collaborative relationships with sales teams to drive alignment, create impactful campaigns, and achieve shared goals.
Honors the startup marketing team or individual who has leveraged AI technology to optimize processes, streamline workflows, or enhance productivity, demonstrating the power of AI to drive efficiency.
Celebrates marketers and teams who have demonstrated innovation and creativity in leveraging marketing technology tools to streamline operations, optimize campaigns, and enhance customer experiences.
Recognizes a digital agency that excels at helping startups grow and succeed, delivering creative strategies, measurable results, and seamless collaboration that make them an invaluable partner.
Celebrates the AI provider whose technology or services have been instrumental for startups, helping them scale efficiently, drive innovation, and achieve meaningful growth.
Honors a marketer who has mastered the art of search engine optimization, driving organic growth and increasing visibility in an ever-competitive digital space.
Recognizes exceptional skill in creating and executing highly effective paid advertising strategies across platforms, ensuring high returns on investment and business growth.
Celebrates an outstanding leader in the startup marketing space who has demonstrated visionary thinking, led successful teams, and made a lasting impact on their brand and industry.
Recognizes outstanding efforts in communications and public relations, celebrating the PR pros who drive awareness, credibility, and engagement for startup brands through creative storytelling and strategic media outreach.
Celebrates a podcast host who provides exceptional insights, thought leadership, and compelling discussions that inspire and inform the startup marketing community, helping listeners stay connected to industry trends and best practices.
Recognizes a solo marketer who has made an outsized impact despite limited resources, handling multiple roles, and driving growth through exceptional dedication, creativity, and grit.
Celebrates the most creative and forward-thinking marketing campaign that disrupted the market, introduced a fresh perspective, or achieved outstanding results through innovative approaches.
Recognizes the most effective content marketing programs that demonstrate an ability to drive engagement, educate, entertain, and ultimately convert audiences.
Recognizes a standout brand or product launch that captured the market’s attention through meticulous strategy, creative execution, and impressive results, setting the tone for the brand’s trajectory.
Recognizes the team or marketer who uses AI to spark creativity, from campaign ideation to content creation, showing how AI can bring new levels of innovation to the creative process.
Honors the martech provider whose solutions have been transformative for startups, enabling them to scale, optimize campaigns, and achieve impactful results through innovative technology.
Celebrates the PR firm that specializes in working with startups, driving brand awareness and credibility with tailored communications, media strategies, and impactful storytelling that help startups make their mark.
Submission Process
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Submission Timeline & Fees
Early Bird Entry Pricing (11/13-11/29)
Regular Entry (11/30-12/31)
Important Note on Fees: Note that fees are non-refundable and must be paid by credit card for online submission completion.
StartUp Marketer annual members enjoy exclusive discounts! Access your discount code in the Membership Perks space in the community.
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