Inspire Awards

Celebrate the people, content, and creativity that make our tech community thrive!

ESPC Inspire Awards 2025

The ESPC Inspire Awards honour the standout contributors whose tutorials, videos, podcasts, innovations, and community spirit truly made an impact in 2025.

Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations and cast their votes in this year’s Awards. Your participation helped shine a light on the individuals and moments that inspired us all.

Below, you’ll find the 2025 winners! Congratulations to them all, and thank you for their contributions to our community that earned each a well-deserved place in the spotlight!

Best Tutorial

We’re celebrating the tutorial that made everything click – the one that left attendees inspired, energised, and ready to apply what they learned. The winner will be the tutorial with the highest attendee rating from the Tutorial Feedback forms. The winner will be announced post ESPC

Best Session

Some sessions leave a lasting impact – packed with insights, fresh ideas, and moments that shift your thinking. The winner will be the top rated ESPC session based on the ESPC Session App ratings. The winner will be announced post ESPC.

Best Sponsor Booth

We’re recognising the sponsor booth that truly stood out – through great conversations, smart demos or just an unforgettable experience. The winner will be selected by ESPC Attendees and announced live at the ESPC Sponsor Prize Giveaway during Thursday’s lunch time at the Innovation Stage.

Best Social Post

We’re celebrating the post that captures the spirit of ESPC25 – whether it’s insightful, uplifting or just perfectly timed. Our judging panel will choose the winner from posts shared using #ESPC25, announced live at the ESPC Sponsor Prize Giveaway during Thursday’s lunch time at the Innovation Stage.

Our community thrives because of people who support, inspire, and lead others. Some lift others up and make everyone feel welcome, while others share knowledge through podcasts, YouTube, and mentoring. Many champion inclusion, create opportunities, and lead teams in ways that help others grow. Others push boundaries, explore new ideas, and inspire the community to think bigger about what’s possible.

Best Community Contributor

Markus Franz

Congratulations to Markus Franz, the 2025 Best Community Contributor! Markus was nominated for his positive, supportive presence online and in person, his active help on Microsoft forums, social media, and user groups, and his role in building the Austrian Power Platform community. He was also recently recognised as a Microsoft MVP. Congratulations to the other finalists, Ejaz Hussain and Sebastián Zamorano.

Best Podcast

Copilot Connection

Congratulations to Copilot Connection (Zoe Wilson and Kevin McDonnell), voted Best Podcast! The community praised Copilot Connection for its clear, practical, and accessible coverage of AI and Microsoft Copilot, including walkthroughs, demos, and myth-busting. The hosts and guests were noted for making complex topics engaging and easy to understand. Well done also to the other finalists: Code, Deploy, Go Live! and Office 365 Distilled.

Best YouTube Channel

Shane Young

Congratulations to Shane Young for winning Best YouTube Channel! The community highlighted Shane Young for: Clear, practical explanations that simplify complex Power Apps and Power Platform topics. Videos that address real-world problems with honest insights and workarounds. Content that builds true understanding of Power Platform concepts beyond simple demos. Congratulations also to the other finalists, Kaz Demos and Vlad Talks Tech.

Diversity Leader

Zoe Wilson

Congratulations to Zoe Wilson, our Diversity Leader! The community nominated Zoe for launching the New Speakers Workshop, which helps people across tech gain confidence and find their voice on stage. Her work elevating diverse perspectives has already resulted in seven new MVPs and many new speakers presenting at events worldwide. Congratulations also to the other finalists, Femke Cornelissen and Emily van Putten.

Best Mentor

Sharon Smith

Congratulations to our 2025 Best Mentor winner, Sharon Smith! Sharon was nominated for her outstanding impact through Women in Power and The Mentoring Hub, dedicating significant time and resources to support others. She also founded the Mentoring Hub charity, creating a structured network of mentors and mentees and supporting career-switchers entering the Microsoft ecosystem. Well done also to the other finalists, Vlad Catrinescu and Simon Owen.

Tech Leader

Zoe Wilson

Congratulations to Zoe Wilson, voted Tech Leader 2025! The community nominated Zoe for her inspirational leadership at Avanade, helping the organisation win the inaugural Copilot Partner of the Year award. She is a consistent champion of women in IT, plays a key role in the Scottish Summit leadership team, actively speaks at events worldwide, and mentors new MVPs to help emerging talent thrive. Congratulations also to the other finalists, Sami Laiho and Sebastián Zamorano.

Tech Trailblazer

Reshmee Auckloo

Congratulations to our 2025 Tech Trailblazer, Reshmee Auckloo. The community recognized her for sharing clear, high-quality insights on AI and agents, supporting others generously with complex concepts, and inspiring everyone with her enthusiasm for learning and experimenting with new technologies. Congratulations as well to finalists Andrew Connell and Adam Wójcik.

The Judging Panel

Our brilliant Programme Team, the minds behind the ESPC25 conference schedule, will be serving as our 2025 Judging Panel. With their deep knowledge of the tech landscape and a sharp eye for standout content and community impact, they’re perfectly placed to decide who is a finalist for a 2025 Inspire Award!

Luise Freese

MVP | Germany

Maarten Eekels

Microsoft RD & MVP | Netherlands

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