Pathfinder Awards FAQs
We developed this resource to address the most frequently asked questions for the Pathfinder Awards.
Have a question?Contact us at awards@eightfold.ai.
What are the Pathfinder Awards?
Who can enter?
Eightfold customers that have a live Eightfold instance from any size company or company type may enter. Customers must be open to being mentioned in a press release announcing the winners and sharing their story publicly. Entries must be submitted in English.
How do I enter the 2026 Pathfinder Awards?
What is the deadline to submit?
Submissions close March 20, 2026 at 11:59pm Pacific Time (PST).
What are the categories?
There are five categories for the 2026 awards program: Talent Attraction, Career Compass, AI Innovation, Workforce Innovation, and Pathfinder of the Year (individual award) See more details in The Awards section.
Can I enter more than one submission?
Yes, you may enter up to one submission per category per company. However, we ask that you enter a different program, initiative or project if you are entering in more than one category.
Are the awards open to companies or individuals?
The Pathfinder of the Year Award will celebrate an INDIVIDUAL. All other awards will celebrate a COMPANY or ORGANIZATION. See the full details in The Awards section.
Can I nominate someone for the Pathfinder of the Year Award?
Yes. Individuals may either enter themselves or have a representative from their company nominate them for the Pathfinder of the Year award.
How many finalists and winners will be announced in each category?
When will finalists and winners be announced?
What are the prizes for finalists?
Each finalist will receive one complimentary conference pass to Cultivate 2026, where winners of the 2026 Pathfinder Awards will be announced and celebrated. Finalists will also receive a Pathfinder Awards plaque and publicity through a finalist announcement, story highlighted on the Eightfold website, social media promotion, and a Social Media Package containing Pathfinder Awards finalist logo, social media graphics and posts that the finalist may share on their social channels.
What are the prizes for winners?
In addition to the prizes awarded to each finalist noted above, winners will receive a Pathfinder Awards Trophy (in lieu of a Pathfinder Award Plaque) and a $2,000 USD donation to a charity of their choice.
Each award winner will also receive promotion and media exposure via a Eightfold Customer Story Package to include customer stories, social media promotion, award recognition on the Eightfold website, Eightfold press release, and a Social Media Package containing Pathfinder Awards winner logo, social media graphics and posts that the winner may share on their social channels. The customer story package may include video and / or other media and PR opportunities.
What makes a winning entry?
In general, our judging panel gives preference to submissions that are able to demonstrate:
- Innovative approach: compelling use case, innovation and transformation
- Impact: solved a business challenge, made a significant impact on the business and / or talent experience
- Success / value: demonstrated success with quantifiable outcome metrics
What are the judging criteria for the categories?
Please refer to the Eligibility and Criteria section for complete details on the judging criteria.
Who are the judges for the competition?
Each category will have a unique panel of judges made up of Eightfold stakeholders from various departments. Judges will use the judging criteria and submission strengths to make finalist and winner selections in each category without any bias given to entrants regardless of relationships.
If I cannot attend Cultivate can I still enter? Can I still win?
Although we would like all of our finalists to attend Cultivate where winners will be announced, you do not need to be present to win.