Home2026 Awards how to enter

2026 Awards how to enter

In its 24th year, the Central & Eastern European Quality Awards gala welcomes 700 company and sector leaders from across Europe to celebrate success and recognise business excellence in real estate investment across Central & Eastern Europe.

Entry submissions open 8 January and close 5 March

See the list of categories below to submit your entry.

Entry for the awards is free of charge. Any building, company or industry professional from across the sector can enter the awards by submitting an entry form.

Widely regarded as the most prestigious industry recognition in Central & Eastern European real estate, winning a CEEQA award can serve to motivate teams, partners in the context of business excellence and market shaping achievement.

CEE MARKETS: Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Submitting an entry form provides the jury with accurate information to support the nomination and improves a candidate’s chances of success. Providing more detail to support your nomination gets you in front of some of the sector’s most influential and experienced leaders of the CEEQA Jury.

Candidates short listed for an award as well as the eventual winners receive extensive market visibility to the jury and the market place.

The short list of candidates following the first round of judging is published on 15 April. The winners are announced on 20 May at the 2025 CEEQA Gala at the prestigious Wyscigi racecourse in Warsaw.

2026 Awards itinerary

SAVE THE DATES
There is plenty of time to prepare your entry for submission by 6 March.
6 March entries close
16 March publication of 2026 long list of candidates
14 April announcement of 2026 Short List of candidates following the first round of judging.
19 May Jury Dinner and final voting round
20 May 20th annual CEEQA Gala

About CEEQA

CEEQA is free to enter and is the most prestigious and influential industry recognition and flagship annual event for industry leaders in CEE & SEE commercial real estate. Established in the market place for more than 20 years, the awards recognise excellence in commercial real estate investment, development finance and consulting across 11 countries in Central & Eastern Europe, regarded in the industry as sector’s the most trusted measure of business achievement and market influence.

CEEQA collaborates each year with business leaders at the highest level of industry experience and influence in CEE & SEE commercial real estate investment, comprising the CEEQA Jury panel, to assess and decide the annual award winners from more than 600 entries each year for the best performing buildings, companies and industry professionals of the year across 18 countries.

See who are the members of the 2026 CEEQA Jury here
Find out more about the 2026 CEEQA Gala here
Reserve you place at the 2026 CEEQA Gala here

2026 award categories & entry forms

TRANSACTION AWARDS

For influential investment transactions of the year completed during the last calendar year up to and including 31st January 2026, in two categories:

ENTER Single asset transaction of the year category sponsor Juilius Meinl Living
ENTER Portfolio asset transaction of the year

BUILDING AWARDS

For best-in-class real estate projects of the year completed for occupancy during the last calendar year up to and including 31st January 2026, in five categories:

ENTER Office development of the year category sponsor Erste Group
ENTER Retail development of the year
ENTER Residential & hotel development of the year
ENTER Mixed use development of the year category sponsor Cushman & Wakefield
ENTER ESG Champion building of the year

To register for this year’s awards and make a submission go here.

The winners and other highest placed entrants in each category from the above listed CEE and SEE markets in the first online scoring judging round are automatically put forward for voting for the overall Building of the year award. It is not possible to enter this category separately:

Building of the year

COMPANY AWARDS

For outstanding companies of the year in business achievement and sector leadership in commercial real estate during the last calendar year up to and including 31st January 2026, in nine categories:

ENTER Developer of the year category sponsor Helaba
ENTER Industrial developer of the year
ENTER Investor of the year category sponsor Panattoni
ENTER Lender of the year category sponsor AFI
ENTER Legal & financial consulting firm of the year category sponsor AFI
ENTER Property management company of the year
ENTER Development and construction services company of the year
ENTER Tech provider of the year * NEW CATEGORY
ENTER Rising star company of the year category sponsor pbb Deutsche Pfandbriefbank

To register for this year’s awards and make a submission go here.

The winners in each category from the above listed are automatically put forward for voting by the CEEQA Gala audience in a live electronic vote to decide the winner in the following category. It is not possible to enter this category separately:

Company of the year

AGENCY AWARDS

For outstanding business achievement and leadership in commercial real estate agency during the last calendar year up to and including 31st January 2026, in three categories.

ENTER Agent of the year sponsor CTP
ENTER Capital markets agent of the year sponsor Penta Real Estate
ENTER Local agent of the year

To register for this year’s awards and make a submission go here.

GRAND AWARDS

For overall market leadership including buildings, companies & people in five categories. The only category in this section for which entries can be submitted is for individual business performance during the past calendar year up to and including 31st January 2026:

ENTER Industry professional of the year in partnership with RICS
ENTER Rising star industry professional of the year

To register for this year’s awards and make a submission go here.

We wish all award entrants the best of luck. Any companies wishing to explore commercial partnership with CEEQA 2025 please contact us.

SECTOR LEADERSHIP AWARD

CEEQA’s garland annual award is for an individual who has made a significant and durable contribution to the sector regionally and internationally. This award is given by the organiser in consultation with the jury, and is the only award announced before the Gala. It is not possible to enter this award category:

Lifetime achievement in real estate Category sponsor Generali Real Estate.
The sector’s garland award for significant and durable contribution to the CEE & SEE real estate market place.