Official Rules

1. Sponsor

The IGNICON Awards (the "Awards") are sponsored by Synergy University Education LLC, doing business as Synergy Education Holdings Group, 10891 Northgreen Drive, Wellington, Florida 33449 ("Sponsor" or "IGNICON"). Questions go through the contact form at ignicon.net/contact.

2. Who may take part

1. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. Paid entry is not available to residents of states listed on the entry page as restricted; those residents may still be nominated free of charge but may not complete a paid entry.

2. Adults 18 or older may nominate and enter. Junior IGNICON nominees are under 18; a parent or legal guardian must create the account, enter, pay and accept these Rules on the minor's behalf. Communications go to the parent or guardian only.

3. Employees and contractors of Sponsor, judges, and their immediate families and household members may not win.

3. How to take part

1. Nominate (free): anyone may nominate a person or organization at ignicon.net/nominate. A nomination alone is not judged.

2. Enter (paid): the nominee, or a person entering for themselves, completes the entry form and pays the entry fee shown on the award page at the time of entry. Featured-award early-bird pricing ends December 1, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET). Industry awards are $25 early bird through December 5, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET, then $35 regular entry starting December 6, 2026. Judging entry opens soon. Entry fees cover judging and administration. Paying a fee does not guarantee a win or improve a score.

3. Capital Grant application: a non-refundable $15 application review fee applies. The fee covers review and administration and does not affect scoring.

4. Entries close December 31, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsor's server clock is the official time.

5. One paid entry per person per award. Entries must be truthful, original and the entrant's own; false or plagiarized entries are disqualified without refund.

4. Featured awards judged this cycle

The Idea Award · Junior IGNICON · The Capital Grant · The Change Maker Award · The Visionary Award · IGNICON Legend · Student of the Year Award. Industry awards accept nominations year-round and are judged quarterly in 2027 under the dates posted on each award page.

5. Judging

1. Paid entries are scored by an Independent Panel of practitioners and leaders in the relevant field. Judges score each entry on: Impact (30 points) · Innovation (25) · Leadership (20) · Results and growth (15) · Community and purpose (10), for 100 points.

2. Judges declare conflicts of interest and do not score an entry where one exists.

3. Social sharing, likes, votes and purchases of courses or other products do not count toward judged scores.

4. Top 5 finalists for each featured award are notified in mid-January 2027. Winners are announced by January 31, 2027.

5. Ties are broken by the higher Impact score, then by a second panel review. Judges' decisions are final.

6. People's Pick is a separate honorary recognition decided as described on the People's Pick page. It carries no cash prize and has no effect on judged results.

6. Prizes

1. Featured award winners: the IGNICON winner's trophy (shipped after the winner form is completed), a feature interview in the IGNICON digital magazine, a feature on SEHG's The Blue Whale podcast, a digital winner's badge, and any sponsor perks listed on the award page at the time of entry.

2. The Capital Grant: awarded monthly once applications open: $500 cash, $250 in SEHG courses and one hour with an established entrepreneur in the recipient's industry. Sponsor may increase the cash amount; any increase is announced on the Capital Grant page. The Capital Grant is a private, judged award; it is not a government grant.

3. Complimentary courses: confirmed nominees and paid entrants receive the complimentary SEHG courses described on the award page. Course access is provided by SEHG, is personal and non-transferable, and must be claimed within 12 months. Course cohorts begin December 1, 2026; entrants may complete their courses before entries close on December 31, 2026. Completing a course is not a condition of entry and does not affect judging.

4. Prizes are awarded as stated, with no cash substitute except at Sponsor's discretion. Winners are responsible for taxes and may be asked for a W-9 where the law requires it. Approximate retail values are listed on each award page.

7. Winner verification

Finalists and winners must reply and complete the winner form within 10 days of notice. Sponsor may verify identity, eligibility and claims made in the entry. An unresponsive or ineligible winner may be replaced by the next-highest-scoring finalist.

8. Refunds

Entry fees and the Capital Grant review fee are non-refundable once an entry is submitted, except where Sponsor cancels an award or an entrant is found ineligible because of residence before judging begins.

9. Publicity and content

By entering, entrants allow Sponsor to publish their name, city and state, photo, business name and entry summary in connection with the Awards, without further payment, except where prohibited by law. Junior IGNICON publicity uses only what the parent or guardian approves in writing. Entrants keep ownership of their content.

10. General conditions

Sponsor may disqualify any entry that is fraudulent, offensive or tampers with the process, and may change dates or cancel an award if circumstances beyond its control require it, with notice on the site. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late or incomplete entries or technical failures. These Rules are governed by Florida law; disputes are resolved in the state or federal courts of Palm Beach County, Florida.

11. Winners list

The winners list is posted at ignicon.net by February 15, 2027.