Additionally, Six Emerging Creative Entrepreneurs to Receive Financial Support from the 2nd Annual Elevate Creatives Fund
NEW YORK, November 21, 2024 – The Shorty Impact Awards returned for its 9th annual celebration, honoring culture-defining campaigns that made a significant social impact. Held at The Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, CA, the event also marked the 2nd annual Elevate Creatives Fund, giving 120,000 USD through the partnership with money management platform Wave to uplift emerging talent in the rapidly growing creator economy.
This year’s Shorty Impact Award winners highlighted the transformative potential of digital media to drive meaningful change through innovative storytelling and creative execution. Winners include Authentic, Critical Mass, The Right to Read, Smile Train, Diablo IV, AARP Studios, Mastercard, Doritos®, Vaseline, Wondery, World Surf League, Weber Shandwick, and Edelman. View the full list of this year’s winners here.
“One of the most striking trends in this year’s work is how creators use their platforms to reflect diverse lived experiences, and how brands and organizations increasingly lean into creators to connect with their audiences,” said Junmian Sun, Managing Director of the Shorty Awards. “From tackling social injustice to advocating for mental health or sustainability, the winners show a deep understanding of culture’s power to shape perceptions and behaviors.”
The Elevate Creatives Fund, now in its second year, continues its mission of supporting creative entrepreneurs who are shaping the digital future. This year, six recipients will each receive 20,000 USD to accelerate their creative endeavors: Nicole Casperson (journalist, author, creator, and founder of Fintech is Femme), Lachi (singer-songwriter, producer, actress, author, disability advocate, and cultural activist), Jacob Simon (climate educator & Good News reporter), Nuria Madrenas (artist and founder of Tacit Collective), Peter O'Hara (photographer and filmmaker) and Jason Hoang (ASL personal trainer & nutritionist, founder of Accessfit).
“Not only are creators one of the fastest growing small business segments, but they are also community builders. From education to entertainment, creators impact our lives daily,” said Zahir Khoja, CEO of Wave. “Through the Elevate Creatives Fund, which includes access to Wave’s Pro Tier Plan and accounting coaching with our Wave Advisors, we are proud to help creators grow their businesses and do more of what they love.”
Read more about the recipients and their creative businesses or projects here.
Press Contacts:
Jade Nguyen, [email protected]
Laura Hughes, [email protected]
About The Shorty Awards:
The Shorty Awards (also known as “The Shortys”) honor the most innovative work in digital and social media, by organizations in all sectors and sizes, as well as individual creatives and creators from around the world.
Founded in 2008, the Shortys’ mission is to celebrate, inspire and push the boundaries of excellence in digital storytelling. Entries are judged on the merits of creativity, strategy, and engagement by the Real Time Academy, a body of hand-selected industry experts and leaders.
The public can also select their favorite Shorty Awards contenders during Audience Honor voting. Notable winners include brands, agencies, nonprofits, media, and production companies such as Airbnb, Marvel Studios, HBO, HRC, UNICEF, Nestle, BMW, Paramount+, Digitas, Wieden + Kennedy, 72andSunny etc, as well as influential artists, scientists, authors, and activists such as Greta Thunberg, Bill Nye, Michelle Obama, Trevor Noah, Taylor Swift, Malala Yousafzai, Conan O’Brien, Lady Gaga and more.
Currently, the Shortys have two annual competitions, the flagship Shorty Awards and Shorty Impact Awards dedicated to honoring the best work with a positive social impact.
About Wave:
Wave Financial Inc. (waveapps.com) provides simple money management solutions for small businesses. Wave’s comprehensive platform includes accounting, invoicing, payroll, and payments software solutions, as well as bookkeeping services. More than 300,000 small businesses use Wave’s small business software. Wave has won awards for growth, innovation, and company culture, including Deloitte Fast 50, Deloitte North American Fast 500, KPMG Fintech 100, CB Insights Fintech 250, Canadian Innovation Awards (Financial Services) and more. Wave is a subsidiary of H&R Block.
