RTIH AI IN RETAIL AWARDS FAQs

The 2027 RTIH AI in Retail Awards will open for entries in October.

The 2027 RTIH AI in Retail Awards will open for entries in October, with our winners being announced during an evening event at The HAC (Prince Consort Rooms) in Central London on Thursday, 11th March 2027.

Key dates for 2026/27

Friday, 2nd October 2026: Awards open for entries

Friday, 22nd January 2027: Awards entry deadline

Tuesday, 26th January: 2027 finalists revealed

Wednesday, 27th January - 10th February: Judging days

Thursday, 11th March: Winners announced at the 2027 RTIH AI in Retail Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC (Prince Consort Rooms) in Central London

2026 RTIH AI in Retail Awards

Brarista, IBM Consulting, Foundit!, Quorso, Vusion, Sensei, Reckon.ai, EE, Walkbase, Globant, Riskified, and Goddiva were among the winners at the 2026 RTIH AI in Retail Awards, sponsored by VenHub Global, 3D Cloud, EdTech Innovation Hub, and Retail Technology Show.

Our 2026 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The Barbican in Central London on Thursday, 29th January, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Lucy Porter.

For further information on our finalists, download our awards brochure here.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “According to Amazon’s Andy Jassy: AI is a once in a lifetime reinvention of everything we know, and the largest technology transformation since the cloud.”

“Whether that’s overstating it or not, we're certainly seeing an increasing number of innovative, potentially game changing developments in this space across both traditional and digital retail spaces.”

“And that is reflected in tonight's finalists, who are boosting customer experiences and tackling retailers' painpoints across the likes of physical stores, online, omnichannel, supply chain, and payments.”

“To quote one of our judges: I have to admit, judging these awards was so difficult. So many that would have been worthy winners. And great to see how AI has moved firmly into delivery mode. Firmly into delivering for customers and driving huge innovation.”

Congratulations to our 2026 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended our Thursday, 29th January gathering.

Please email our Editor, Scott Thompson, if you have any questions or need further information: scott.thompson@retailtechinnovationhub.com

FAQs

Is there a fee to enter the awards?: No, it is free of charge.

Can I enter across multiple categories: Yes.

Do I need to complete all the sections in the entry form? No, but the more information you provide, the better chance you have of producing a successful submission.

Is there a certain timeframe for nominated projects, initiatives etc? Yes, nominated projects, initiatives etc should have been completed (or substantially completed) during the last 12 months.

Who has visibility of our completed entry form and what information will be public should we win or be shortlisted? Only our Editor, Scott Thompson, and judging panel will view submissions. The information provided in the summary section of the entry form will be made public.

Do you only accept entries from UK-based companies? No, we accept entries from all parts of the world.

What is the shortlists process? Shortlists will be announced in January 2027, then shortlisted entries will be sent to our independent judging panel who will decide upon the winners and highly commended submissions. Shortlisted companies will be invited to attend an awards ceremony in Central London on Thursday, 11th March 2027.

Do winners and highly commended companies receive post-event coverage? Yes, post-event coverage includes articles on our website and also an in-depth awards review in our printed magazine. There is also the opportunity for a company profile type piece to be published on our site and within our magazine.

When is the deadline for 2027 submissions? Friday, 22nd January 2027.

When will the 2027 winners be revealed? Winners will be announced at an event at The HAC (Prince Consort Rooms) in Central London on Thursday, 11th March 2027. This will kick off with a drinks reception, followed by a three course meal, awards ceremony, and after party until 1am.

Who will be judging the RTIH AI in Retail Awards?

Glen Richardson, Non-Executive Director, PoundFun and former COO, The Range

Dan McGrath, JD Group Customer Operations, JD Sports

Dr. Astha Purohit, Director of Product Management, Customer Data and Identity, Walmart

Vineta Bajaj, Group CFO, Holland & Barrett

Christiana Hawes, Senior Director Retail Experiences Technology, Worldwide Studio Tours & Retail, Warner Bros. Discovery

Graham Broomfield, Managing Director, Austen & Blake

Rob Smith, Technology Officer, East of England Co-op

Nadine Neatrour, Chief Marketing Officer, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants

Michael Guzzetta, Omnichannel and Product Leader

Steve Webster, Founder and Principal, Barking Cat Advisory

Andrew Grill, AI Keynote Speaker, Leading Futurist, Bestselling Author, Brand Ambassador