2022 RTIH Innovation Awards: shortlists announced, winners revealed this month

Over the past week, we’ve been announcing the shortlists for the 2022 RTIH Innovation Awards. And now we’re pleased to bring them all together in one place.

Drum roll, please…

2022 shortlists as follows:

Category 1:

Bricks and Mortar Innovation - Sponsored by CADS

This award will go to a retailer enabling physical spaces to thrive via innovative technology, even as online shopping continues to grow.

We’re looking for examples of reducing friction in the customer journey, offering improved experiences, and blurring the lines between channels.

Shortlist:

Brain Corp

Deep North

Jigsaw and Mercaux

MiniGo

Musgrave and Pricer

Nudie Jeans and Sitoo

Ribble Cycles

Sook

Category 2:

Supply Chain Innovation

This award highlights companies that are re-inventing and re-thinking retail supply chains via innovative advancements in technology.

Shortlist:

1MRobotics

Berkshire Grey

Fashinza

Focal

ProGlove

Quiet Platforms

Tapestry and e2open

Tesco/Starship Technologies

Category 3:

Payments Innovation – Sponsored by FreedomPay

This award recognises payment initiatives that are both innovative and customer and retailer friendly.

We’re looking to reward a project that has the potential to increase a retailer’s competitiveness and effectiveness, and to improve the shopper experience. Bonus points if the project could be considered a first in the market.

Shortlist:

BEL

CellPoint Digital

Compass Group/AiFi

Grabango

InComm

Zippin

Category 4:

Most Innovative UK Retailer  - Sponsored by Critizr

Who has been the UK’s most innovative, customer focused retailer this year? Judges are asked to look at the tech deployments, pilots etc listed alongside each retailer and decide which one has been the most consistently forward thinking and customer centric in 2022.

Shortlist:

B&Q

Boots UK & Ireland

Currys

Marks and Spencer

Tesco

The Very Group 

Category 5:

Most Innovative Retailer (Rest of World)

Who has been the most innovative, customer focused retailer (rest of world) this year? Judges are asked to look at the tech deployments, pilots etc listed alongside each retailer and decide which one has been the most consistently forward thinking and customer centric in 2022.

Shortlist:

Amazon

A.S. Watson Group

Carrefour

Fanatics

Ikea

Walmart

Category 6:

Most Innovative Pureplay

Who has been the most innovative, customer focused pureplay this year? Judges are asked to look at the tech deployments, pilots etc listed alongside each retailer and decide which one has been the most consistently forward thinking and customer centric in 2022.

Shortlist:

boohoo

FarFetch

PrettyLittleThing

Secret Sales

Vinted

Category 7:

Omnichannel Retail Initiative of the Year

This award will go to a tech centric approach to retail that provides customers with a fully integrated shopping experience across bricks and mortar stores, online, mobile, and everything in between.

Shortlist:

emiigo

Furniture Village/Red Ant

Jisp

Lightspeed

Printemps

Ribble Cycles

Volumental

Zitcha

Category 8:

Technology Vendor of the Year (UK)

This category celebrates companies that have developed innovative technologies and worked with retailers to transform the customer experience or back-end operations or both.

Shortlist:

Anthill

Jisp

LoyaltyLion

Red Ant

Retail247

Rotageek

Xiatech

Zyler

Category 9:

Technology Vendor of the Year (Rest of World)

This category celebrates companies that have developed innovative technologies and worked with retailers to transform the customer experience or back-end operations or both.

Shortlist:

Lily AI

Loop

Mason

Nsign.tv

Obsess

Scanbot

ShipStation

SWIPEBY

Category 10:

Startup of the year (UK)

This award will recognise the UK-based startup with the most innovative technology offering and the company which is best placed to succeed in the long-term (management, funding, the retailers it is working with etc).

Shortlist:

be Retail Social

HyperFinity

Ocula Technologies

Personify XP

SeeChange

SEIKK

Category 11:

Startup of the Year (Rest of World)

This award will recognise the startup (based outside of the UK) with the most innovative technology offering and the company which is best placed to succeed in the long-term (management, funding, the retailers it is working with etc).

Shortlist:

Avataar

Cart.com

CM Robotics

ConverSight

Flowcode

refive

Serve Robotics

Shipium

Spacee

Zipline

Category 12:

Technology Implementation of the Year (UK)

This award recognises UK retail technology project excellence, both in delivery and outcomes.

Implementation should have been completed between August 2021 and November 2022.

Judges will be looking for clear project objectives, effective and innovative implementation and tangible and demonstrable results.

Shortlist:

Astrid & Miyu and LoyaltyLion

boohoo/Akeneo

Currys/Movable Ink

Motor Fuel Group/TLM Technologies

Pets at Home/TPP Retail

Skinnydip London/Wunderkind

VST/dunnhumby

Category 13:

Technology implementation of the year (rest of world)

This award recognises rest of world retail technology project excellence, both in delivery and outcomes.

Implementation should have been completed between August 2021 and November 2022.

Judges will be looking for clear project objectives, effective and innovative implementation and tangible and demonstrable results.

Shortlist:

Assa Abloy/Akeneo

DoorDash/Social Mobile

MANO/MoEngage

NOBULL/Bluecore

Norrøna/Sitoo

Walmart/Focal

Category 14:

Best Retailer/Technology Supplier Relationship

This award recognises a successful partnership between a retailer and a technology supplier, with an emphasis on the last 12/18 months and how said partnership has gone from strength to strength during that period.

Shortlist:

Afresh/CUB

Carrefour/Pricer

Clekt/Spurs

Lounge Underwear/Patchworks

MillerKnoll/Marxent

Studenac/Wolt

Ted Baker/THRIVE

Vivino/AfterShip

Category 15

Overall Winner:

The judges will pick their stand out entry from across the aforementioned 14 categories.

Category 16:

RTIH Editor’s Choice Award - SPONSORED BY 3D Cloud By Marxent

RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, will pick his stand out entries from across the 14 aforementioned categories.

And the winner is…

It’s now over to our judging panel to decide the winner, who will be revealed at an exclusive event in central London on Tuesday, 6th December.

If you’re interested in attending this networking/roundtable discussion/three course Christmas themed meal event, please fill out the form at the end of this article and we’ll get back to you asap.

RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, says: “Innovation and technology play a critical role in the success of the retail sector, so it is great to recognise standout examples through our awards.”

“Thanks to all those who have entered the 2022 event. We received a record number of submissions and many fantastic examples of the continued resilience and dynamism of the retail space during hugely challenging times.”

“I’m now looking forward to deciding the winners with our judging panel and announcing them at our central London event in December.”

2022 RTIH Innovation Awards judging panel as follows:

Warren Richmond, CEO and Founder, Situ Live and Revium Group

Mike Cadden, Technology and Business Transformation Director, Start-Rite Shoes

Peter Waugh, Digital & Data Director, Compass Group

Paula Bobbett, Chief Digital Officer, Boots

Dan Saunders, Retail E-commerce Manager, Stanley Black & Decker

Martin Newman, Founder, The Customer First Group 

Toby Pickard, Global Insight Leader, IGD

Matt Taylor, Technology Transformation Leader at EY, Retail and Consumer Products

Amodini Chhabra, Investor, Compass Digital Ventures

Gary Newbury, Supply Chain Advisor and Delivery Executive

Sharon Peters, Head of Technology - Corporate Functions, Marks & Spencer

Nadine Neatrour, Marketing Director, Selfridges 

Wizz Selvey, CEO, WIZZ&CO

Simon Curtis, Chief Commercial Officer, PMC Retail 

David Polinchock, Co-Founder/President, Unified Brand Experience Lab

FOURTH TIME AROUND

Now into their fourth year, the RTIH Innovation Awards, sponsored by PMC, 3D Cloud by Marxent, CADS, FreedomPay, and Critzr, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.