The Connector Awards

Celebrating the innovators who are shaping the future of audit, risk, compliance, and infosec.

Categories

Showcase the groundbreaking work you and your team are doing.

Team Category

Visionary

Celebrating the forward-thinking architects of the modern audit, risk, infosec, and compliance function. This award recognizes the teams that are fearless in adopting new technologies—specifically Optro AI and automation—to change how work gets done. These pioneers aren't just managing risk; they are using intelligent insights to see around corners, automate the routine to focus on the critical, and prove that technology is the ultimate force multiplier for human expertise.

Criteria for Category:

Operational Velocity

Demonstrates a shift from manual to modern—using Optro AI capabilities to automate time-consuming workflows like evidence collection, fieldwork testing, or sample annotation to move faster than ever before.

Connected Intelligence

Showcases the ability to turn fragmented data into a clear narrative, using advanced Optro AI insights to identify trends across the business and spot risks before they become issues.

Strategic Elevation

Highlights how the team has used Optro AI technology to elevate their role and provide real-time, data-driven insights into risks to the organization.

Team Category

Excellence in Action

Honoring those who turn strategy into success by using Optro to achieve measurable outcomes. From streamlining processes to surpassing goals, these changemakers demonstrate the power of innovation and execution to deliver lasting impact.

Criteria for Category:

Demonstrated Impact

Clear before-and-after improvements with measurable results in efficiency, reduced costs, or increased performance.

Operational Excellence

Effective use of Optro to scale, streamline workflows, and drive continuous improvement.

Business Growth & Performance

Proven success in cost savings, decision-making enhancements, or overall expansion.

Team Category

Bridge Builders

Recognizing teams that break silos and use Optro to align audit, risk, compliance, and infosec functions. These champions drive cross-team collaboration, scalability, and connected decision-making to create a more resilient organization ready to tackle future risk.

Criteria for Category:

Cross-Team Collaboration

Effective use of Optro to unify audit, risk, and infosec teams, leading to stronger alignment and decision-making.

Scalability & Adaptability

Proven ability to scale Optro to meet evolving organizational needs while maintaining resilience and efficiency.

Connected Risk in Action

Implementation of a connected risk approach that increases visibility, improves stakeholder engagement, and drives measurable impact.

Team Category

Cyber Resilience

Recognizing the security and IT leaders who have built a dynamic defense strategy, transforming compliance from a checkbox exercise into a driver of cyber resilience. This award honors teams that proactively mitigate cyber and vendor risks, leveraging automation to stay ahead of a rapidly changing threat landscape. These defenders utilize a unified data approach to ensure the business is not just compliant but continuously secure and ready to weather any storm.

Criteria for Category:

Adaptive Risk Management

Rapidly identifies and responds to emerging cyber threats and vulnerabilities across the enterprise. Demonstrates the use of continuous data feeds and risk assessments to adjust security posture in real-time, ensuring the organization stays ahead of the evolving threat landscape.

Continuous Assurance

Utilization of Optro’s automation capabilities to shift from reactive, manual checks to continuous monitoring or automated control testing that strengthens security posture.

Business Enablement

Leveraging Optro to provide a unified view of cyber or third-party risk, reducing friction for business stakeholders, and enabling data-driven security decisions.

Individual Category

Agent of Change

Highlighting visionary leaders who inspire transformation and champion the strategic use of Optro. These industry influencers elevate the role of audit, risk, compliance, and infosec, empowering their teams to thrive while advancing best practices for the broader industry.

Criteria for Category:

Championing Innovation

Advocates for Optro’s adoption, influencing teams to maximize its value.

Industry Impact

Elevates audit, risk, compliance, and infosec through leadership, innovation, and strategic decision-making.

Expertise

Actively contributes to industry discussions, sharing insights through speaking engagements, media, or community involvement.

Qualifications

Timeline

Nominations will be accepted April 7, 2026 - May 21, 2026. Finalists will be notified by July, and winners will be notified in August. Winners will be announced at CRX in October 2026 and invited to attend the event.

Eligibility

Only open to registered businesses in the U.S, UK, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Canada (excluding Quebec) that are current Optro customers.
Companies may submit one entry per category, with a maximum of five (5) category submissions in total.
All participants must agree to the Connector Awards Terms and Conditions to submit and be eligible to win.

Thoughtful Submission

For the best chance of winning, submissions should be as thoughtful and detailed as possible, including qualitative and quantitative results. Refer to the submission guide for a full overview of categories and questions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Company

The Connector Awards

Categories

Showcase the groundbreaking work you and your team are doing.

Visionary

Criteria for Category:

Operational Velocity

Connected Intelligence

Strategic Elevation

Excellence in Action

Demonstrated Impact

Operational Excellence

Business Growth & Performance

Bridge Builders

Criteria for Category:

Cross-Team Collaboration

Scalability & Adaptability

Connected Risk in Action

Cyber Resilience

Adaptive Risk Management

Continuous Assurance

Business Enablement

Agent of Change

Championing Innovation

Industry Impact

Expertise

Qualifications

Timeline

Eligibility

Thoughtful Submission

Frequently Asked Questions

How many categories can a customer submit?

When is the submission deadline?

Who is eligible/Who can apply?

What makes a winning submission?

How do I apply?

What happens after I submit?

When will winners be announced?

How do nominations work?

I need help, who can I contact?

Explore past Connector Award winners

Visionary

Criteria for Category:

Operational Velocity

Connected Intelligence

Strategic Elevation

Excellence in Action

Demonstrated Impact

Operational Excellence

Business Growth & Performance

Bridge Builders

Criteria for Category:

Cross-Team Collaboration

Scalability & Adaptability

Connected Risk in Action

Cyber Resilience

Adaptive Risk Management

Continuous Assurance

Business Enablement

Agent of Change

Championing Innovation

Industry Impact

Expertise

How many categories can a customer submit?

When is the submission deadline?

Who is eligible/Who can apply?

What makes a winning submission?

How do I apply?

What happens after I submit?

When will winners be announced?

How do nominations work?

I need help, who can I contact?