ABOUT | Unicorn Awards 2026

WHAT ARE THE UNICORN AWARDS?

Founded in 2012, the competition, formerly known as the Conventa Best Event Award, sought to unearth Europe’s most impressive events. Since then, the competition has become a benchmark for leading industry events across the Baltics, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans. The rebranding into the Unicorn Awards is a logical step in the competition’s evolution, aspiring to showcase something scarce – unicorns – events that leave a lasting imprint, create communities and push the envelope.

But how to find a unicorn event?

Not every horse with a horn sticking out from its forehead can be labelled a unicorn. By the same token, not every event can be named the winner of the Unicorn Awards. What makes an event stand out is the combination of ten interconnected elements: creativity, relevance, innovation, execution, event results, communication, sustainability, legacy, impact, and risk management.

Who better to ask about the competition’s mission than its founder? Gorazd Čad, the founder ofthe Unicorn Awards, sees the competition as a movement building a legacy: “What started as a competition has grown into a movement. With the Unicorn Awards, we’re not just celebrating excellence—we’re building a legacy that inspires, educates, and elevates the entire European event community.”

While event organisers who win the coveted accolade bathe in the glory of their new title each year, the competition itself has a more lasting significance. All the projects competing in the competition serve as inspiration for the entire events industry. The project’s legacy is far-reaching and a catalyst for the future development of the creative side of the business.

Joining the event every year are event managers, creative heads, marketing experts, event organisers, providers of meeting services, representatives from companies, agencies, associations, and everyone else co-crafting the events, advertising and marketing landscape. The competition also offers ample opportunities to listen to keynote speakers who have successfully transformed their events and are recognised as the pioneers of our new reality.

THE PARTNERS