The reach of our team
A global network of senior practitioners
Dark navy: Countries where our Founders, Founding Advisory Council, Regional Ambassadors, and Jury Panel members are physically based. Light blue: Additional countries within the regions they cover through their roles, networks, and industry experience. Grey: Geographies not yet represented in the inaugural year. Our Founding team continues to grow as additional members are confirmed.
The opportunity
A Global Platform Built for Every Scale of Excellence
For the first time, individuals, SMEs, and enterprises are recognized on a single global stage under the same rigorous framework.
Most global awards programs naturally favor scale. Larger corporations often have bigger teams, stronger brand visibility, and dedicated resources for award submissions. As a result, exceptional work delivered by individuals, SMEs, and smaller operations can go unnoticed despite creating meaningful business impact.
The World Opex Awards 2026 was created to change that. It provides a credible global platform where operational excellence is recognized through transparent standards, independent evaluation, and a structure designed to value substance over size.
Our framework spans nine categories covering Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, Digital Operations, Shared Services, Supply Chain, SME Excellence, Practitioner Leadership, and Emerging Talent.
Excellence is evaluated not by company size, but by the quality of thinking, strength of execution, measurable results, and sustainability of impact. What matters is the value created, the rigor applied, and the outcomes achieved.
A practitioner transforming a 200-person factory deserves recognition alongside a global enterprise initiative when both demonstrate real results. An SME solving complex operational challenges with limited resources deserves equal visibility beside multinational programs with larger infrastructure.
For the first time, individuals, SMEs, and global organizations are recognized on one stage through the same rigorous framework. Because operational excellence is not defined by size. It is defined by impact.
Why sponsor
Six Reasons Your Brand Belongs Here
A focused decision-maker audience, founding-year exclusivity, global visibility, and brand authority that traditional advertising cannot replicate.
Program credibility
The Leaders Behind the Program
The World Opex Awards is supported by senior operational excellence leaders from across the globe who have chosen to align with the platform because they believe in the need for credible, inclusive, and practitioner-led recognition.
Our Founding Advisory Council, Regional Ambassadors, and Jury Members are not paid endorsers. They are respected professionals who see value in building a global stage that recognizes real operational excellence across individuals, SMEs, and enterprises.
Collectively, they bring deep experience across manufacturing, supply chain, quality, digital operations, business transformation, and enterprise performance in some of the world’s most demanding organizations.
Independent voices. Global credibility. Genuine purpose.
Sponsorship packages
Four Ways to Join the Founding Year
Founding Sponsor recognition is a permanent first-year distinction and reserved exclusively for confirmed partners. Active sponsorship benefits apply only for the contracted program year. Slots are strictly limited. All sponsorship placements are limited and allocated on a first-confirmed basis.
Title Partner · 1 Slot
- For global technology, consulting, or solutions companies whose audience is the Opex, quality, and manufacturing leadership community.
- 1st position logo on 11 platform pages
- Slot 1 of 3 in all system emails
- Logo on all 9 application documents
- 5-min ceremony slot + brand throughout
- Recognition on all winner communications
- Standalone social feature
- Permanent Founding recognition
Associate · Max 2
- For regional or specialist companies that want strong program visibility without the full Title commitment.
- 2nd position logo on 11 platform pages
- Slot 2 or 3 in system emails
- Logo on all 9 application documents
- 2-min ceremony slot + named by host
- Recognition on all winner communications
- Featured social media post
Category · Max 9
- For companies whose expertise aligns with one specific category. The most targeted association available.
- 3rd position logo on 11 platform pages
- Logo on your category’s application document
- Brand announced at category winner reveal
- Tagged in program social media
Knowledge · Max 4
- For recognised professional bodies, industry associations, and academic institutions. Consulting firms not eligible.
- 4th position logo on 11 platform pages
- Mentioned on application documents
- Named in opening credits at ceremony
- Tagged in program social media
*GST at 18% applies to Indian entities only. International sponsors pay the USD price without GST.
Tiers side by side
| Benefit | Title | Associate | Category | Knowledge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logo on 11 platform pages | 1st position | 2nd position | 3rd position | 4th position |
| Logo in system emails | Slot 1 of 3 | Slot 2 or 3 | – | – |
| Clickable link in emails | Yes | Yes | – | – |
| Logo on application documents | All 9 | All 9 | 1 category | Mentioned |
| Virtual ceremony | 5-min slot + brand throughout | 2-min slot + named by host | Brand at reveal | Named in opening |
| Winner communications | Yes | Yes | – | – |
| Social media | Standalone post | Featured | Tagged | Tagged |
| Permanent Founding recognition | Yes | – | – | – |
| Pricing (USD) | USD 5,000 | USD 2,500 | USD 1,000 | Non-financial |
| Pricing (INR) | INR 4,60,000* | INR 2,30,000* | INR 92,000* | – |
| Slots available | 1 only | Max 2 | Max 9 | Max 4 |
Award categories
Nine Categories. One Global Stage.
Each Category Sponsor gains exclusive name association with one category – on the awards page, all category communications, and the ceremony winner announcement.
Three additional honors – Lifetime Achievement, World Opex Pioneer, and Founding Year Hall of Fame – are bestowed by the Founding Advisory Council and are not open to sponsorship.
Key dates
The 2026 Sponsorship Window
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Apr-May 2026 | Sponsorship window open – secure your tier |
| Jun 1, 2026 | Entries open at awards.worldopex.com |
| Aug 31, 2026 | Entry submission deadline |
| Sep-Oct 2026 | Jury evaluation period |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Winner announcements and virtual ceremony |