Celebrating Giorgi Tukhashvili's Legacy with Inaugural Startup Award

Tbilisi will host the inaugural Giorgi Tukhashvili Startup Award on May 28, 2024, honoring the memory and contributions of a visionary who profoundly impacted Georgia's startup landscape.

The award aims to perpetuate Giorgi's legacy, recognizing individuals and organizations embodying his spirit of innovation and dedication to societal improvement.

The Georgian startup community faced a heartbreaking loss at the start of 2024 with the passing of Giorgi Tukhashvili. As a co-founder of the successful startup Kernel, director of Startup Grind, and head of the Crystal Young Entrepreneurs School program, Giorgi was instrumental in nurturing Georgia's entrepreneurial ecosystem. His untimely death has left a void not only among his family and friends but across the entire nation.

In the wake of this loss, those who knew Giorgi feel a renewed commitment to advancing the causes he championed and to supporting his family. Giorgi was known for his strong values, boundless positivity, and ceaseless pursuit of personal growth. He was a beacon for the startup community, tirelessly working to connect and uplift others, all while balancing his roles as a father, husband, athlete, and advocate for healthy living and faith.

To honor Giorgi's memory, the Giorgi Tukhashvili Startup Award has been established. The award features eight categories open for self-nomination or the nomination of others, reflecting the principles Giorgi lived by. The categories, to be detailed in the upcoming application form, will recognize both individual and organizational achievements that align with Giorgi's values. A panel of jurors will review the nominations and select the award recipients, celebrating those who continue to drive Georgia's startup ecosystem forward in Giorgi's name.