PRAdsterra
wrote March 27, 2026
PRAdsterra
wrote March 27, 2026
World AdTech Day is a global annual event that brings together everyone pushing the adtech industry forward. Since 2024, it has quickly become a key date for professionals worldwide: from developers and marketers to media buyers, platforms, and niche communities.
Annually on March 27, the industry celebrates more than just a calendar milestone. It’s about recognizing the people who turn adtech into a real engine of change. In 2026, the initiative takes a major step forward.
World AdTech Day Awards 2026: expanding the vision
This year marks a new chapter with a debut of a large-scale initiative – World AdTech Day Awards. The goal is simple: highlight what truly matters in the industry and give credit to the people behind its growth. It’s a way to acknowledge those who consistently move adtech forward.
Why awards?
Since day one, World AdTech Day has seen strong engagement across the ecosystem. Companies, media platforms, and industry voices have actively contributed: sharing insights, supporting peers, and amplifying the celebration.
Launching an awards program was the natural next step. Here, we stand for the key drivers of adtech: people, expertise, communities, and bold thinking.
The awards recognize impact beyond revenue and KPIs, focusing on contributions such as:
- educational efforts
- community building
- innovation and product development
- media impact
Open voting, real recognition
Transparency sits at the core of the awards. There was no closed jury or centralized decision-making. Instead, winners were chosen through open voting by the adtech community itself – the people who work in the field every day and understand who’s actually making an impact.
That’s what makes this recognition stand out: it’s authentic, community-driven, and earned.
Nominations that actually matter
Unlike traditional industry awards, World AdTech Day Awards skip the usual “best network” or “top tool” nominations. Instead, the focus is on contributions that often go unnoticed but play a critical role in shaping the industry.
The four main categories are:
- Passion to Educate: for those driving education and sharing knowledge
- Community Builder: for an input into professional communities
- Industry Voice: for those who know a thing or two about shaping a narrative
- Bold Innovator: for out-of-the-box tech wizzes
The first-ever shortlist and pack of winners
The 2026 shortlist was packed with some of the biggest names in adtech, making the competition strong and worthy. See for yourself what a powerful list this is: RichAds, Kadam, AdCombo, Adcash, BeMob, Binom, CPARoll, CPV Lab, Voluum, RedTrack, Alphaleads, Golden Goose, Trafee, Mobidea, Affmaven, CrakRevenue, TrafficStars, Affpaying, affLift, OfferVault, Partnerkin, AffiliateBooster, Push.House, 3SNET, RollerAds, Royal Partners, and Galaksion.
Following the community vote, we announce the winners today, marking the third World AdTech Day as a day of industry wins:
- Bold Innovator 2026: Binom
- Passion to Educate 2026: Voluum
- Community Builder 2026: Adcash
- Industry Voice 2026: affLift
How the community celebrates World AdTech Day 2026
Despite the introduction of the awards, the core idea behind World AdTech Day remains unchanged – it’s a celebration built by the community itself.
There are plenty of ways to take part:
- share a post using #WorldAdTechDay
- host a meetup or online event
- tell your story in adtech
- support your colleagues and partners
As always, brands, bloggers, and industry influencers join in with enthusiasm, making the celebration visible across platforms. Recognizing award winners has also become a key highlight this year.
World AdTech Day partners are the ones who truly make this celebration unique. The number of events we see emerging as a part of the World AdTech movement is ever-growing. That inspires us to share and build on.
Why World AdTech Day matters
World AdTech Day was created to fill a gap the industry had long felt: the need for recognition. For years, adtech was seen as a behind-the-scenes function. Today, it’s a driving force that:
- sets trends
- impacts business performance
- shapes entire markets
At its core, this day is about the people behind the tech, the ideas that move the industry forward, and the community that connects it all.
Initiative setter
World AdTech Day was initiated by Adsterra, a company actively contributing to the evolution of advertising technology. The first celebration in 2024 was a step toward uniting the global adtech space and establishing a new tradition, a dedicated day to recognize the industry.
Today, it is more than a celebration, it’s a global movement cherished and supported by many people in adtech, from major players to emerging teams, from technical experts to creative minds.
Join the movement
World AdTech Day 2026 is now more about recognition and community than ever! With the new awards introduced, March 27 is the day when adtech makes a loud statement about the way we do things.
Join the conversation, share your story, and be part of a global industry that continues to evolve together.
