Top tips from judges for the CRN Asia Channel Awards 2026

There will be 14 judges from both the vendor and partner ecosystem in Asia judging the CRN Channel Awards Asia 2026

With the deadline for entries for the CRN Channel Awards Asia 2026 just under 40 days, the judges for this year’s awards are already looking forward to judging the finalists. This year, there are 30 different categories available for partners, vendors and IT companies in the Asian region.

New categories include Sustainable Data Center Vendor of the Year, ASEAN Distributor of the Year, Indian Distributor of the Year as well as Best In House AI Use Case Developed and Best Marketing Campaign for AI Adoption.

Last year, the most popular categories included Security Vendor of the Year, Channel Manager of the Year, AI Initiative of the Year for a Vendor and non-vendor as well as Woman of the Year for Vendor and non-Vendor.

There will be 14 judges judging the entries this year, representing both vendors and the partners from the region. The full list of judges can be found here.

Returning as a judge for 2026 awards, Ananth Lazarus, Managing Director for APJ at GTDC shared that the best submissions are grounded in measurable outcomes focusing partner revenue growth, customer wins, enablement success, innovation, and the strength of collaboration across the ecosystem.

“What matters most is hard core evidence: Numbers, a compelling case study, and a clear story about how it created real value for its partners,” said Lazarus.

He also hopes to see more examples of innovation that are practical and scalable, particularly around helping partners grow sustainably, responsible AI adoption, and thereby delivering better customer outcomes. This includes strong impactful stories about ecosystem collaboration, skills development, and long-term partner success will really stand out.

“My advice to anyone submitting is simple: be authentic, be specific and be relevant to current challenges and opportunities. Focused, structured and backed by data and facts. Third party endorsement by partners or customers will be a tremendous plus point,” he added.

Another returning judge, Nelson Soon, Vice President of Channels and Alliances for Asia Pacific and Japan, Proofpoint, believes a truly outstanding entry goes beyond just listing achievements.

“It must distinctly articulate a unique value proposition, demonstrating how a solution or strategy stands out in a competitive market. Most importantly, it should be backed up with tangible impact through quantifiable data or use cases – not just activities, but actual outcomes,” said Soon.

Soon was also impressed with the diverse representation of organisations from across the region in last year’s submissions. Specifically, he felt the AI category stood out as it showcased innovative examples from early adopters in the industry.

“This year, I’m particularly keen to see entries exhibit even greater creativity and deliver truly impactful solutions to complex, real-world customer challenges. My focus will be on how partners are moving beyond transactional product sales to integrate technologies holistically, provide comprehensive services, and deeply understand their clients' pain points to deliver transformative value. I also look forward to witnessing deeper, more strategic partnerships that extend beyond simple transactions, and as always, clear, measurable evidence of ROI and sustainable customer success,” added Soon.

Soon also advised those submitting entries this year to be incredibly clear, concise, and most importantly, demonstrate your positive outcomes with robust data-driven insights and compelling use cases.

“Don't just tell us what you did, tell us why it truly mattered, what specific problem it solved, and what measurable outcomes it achieved,” he said.

Meanwhile, Andy Waroma Director, Corporate Sales APAC, Google Cloud suggested entries have a clear, concise, relatable and personal story with stated impact is 10X more powerful than a lengthy, generic, marketing pitch.

“A great entry consists of a few internal and external testimonies from colleagues, managers, partners, or customers. These testimonies or quotes help bring the story alive, and make it relatable,” said Waroma.

Representing the partner ecosystem, Howie Lau, Chief Corporate Development and Synergy Officer, NCS Group stated, “in our fast, complex and evolving AI infused tech industry, good partnerships become even more critical than ever to bring the right set of solutions to market”

For Lau, CRN Channel Asia awards remain a key recognition of best practices and leadership in channel and partnership management.

The deadline for entries is May 22^nd, 2026.