Last updated: 04.09.2026
The ETA Awards are back for a fourth consecutive year, this year held on 5 November 2026 at Landing Forty Two.
After discovering the search fund model himself, our CEO Carl Lundberg, set up the awards to celebrate the achievements of searchers and acquisition entrepreneurs internationally, with the competition growing stronger each year.
Now, with the addition of The Found & Funded Podcast, the ETA Awards has become a central hub for searchers to gather and network, speak face to face with investors, operators and lenders, and reflect on the dedication and tenacious efforts of their peers who have successfully completed a search.
This year, there are six award categories up for grabs:
A strong award entry is not about volume, it is about judgement. The 2026 ETA Awards will recognise submissions that demonstrate clear thinking, disciplined execution and measurable outcomes. While each category has its nuances, the underlying principle is consistent: judges are looking for substance over storytelling.
Using the Deal of the Year criteria as a benchmark, here is how to shape an entry that resonates across categories.
Every successful entry begins with a well-defined foundation. You should explain:
The aim is to help judges quickly understand the significance of your work. Clarity at this stage creates confidence in everything that follows.
Avoid overloading with background and focus on what informed your decisions and why your approach was commercially sound.
Judges will read many submissions that are technically competent. Few will stand out.
To differentiate your entry, articulate:
Be specific about what you did differently and why it was effective. Distinctiveness is often found in execution, not just concept.
Strong ideas only become award-worthy through delivery. Your submission should demonstrate:
Where relevant, explain any innovative thinking behind your approach. Judges are particularly interested in how you translated strategy into action.
No meaningful achievement is without complexity. Rather than avoiding challenges, use them to strengthen your entry:
This is an opportunity to show resilience, adaptability and sound judgement.
Entries that acknowledge and navigate difficulty tend to carry more weight than those that suggest a smooth path throughout.
A strong entry connects effort with purpose. You should outline:
This ensures your submission is not viewed in isolation. Instead, it becomes part of a bigger, more compelling narrative.
Impact is a defining feature of a winning entry. Consider how your work has influenced:
This reflects a more rounded view of success. Outcomes should not be measured purely in financial terms, but in the broader value created.
Entries that demonstrate balanced, responsible impact consistently stand out.
At its core, an award entry must show results. Where possible, include:
Equally, outline what comes next. Forward-looking insight shows that your work has momentum and sustainability.
Judges want to understand what you did. Be clear on:
This should feel confident but measured. Focus on accountability rather than attribution, the strongest entries demonstrate leadership through action and responsibility.
A winning entry is built on clarity, evidence and intent.
When you take the time to articulate not just what you did, but why it mattered and what it achieved, you create something far more powerful than a submission – you create a compelling case for recognition.
Approached in this way, the process itself becomes valuable and the outcome tends to follow.
If you’re considering entering the awards there’s still time! The deadline for submissions will close at midnight on 30, September 2026. Don’t miss your chance to be recognised for your achievements in The ETA space.
