Maastricht Awards 2025: from open call to centre stage and beyond
SESSIBON is the production house that turns award shows into year-round programmes rather than one-night events, covering everything from the nomination process and the show itself to the content that keeps it moving afterwards. For the Maastricht Awards, the show celebrating entrepreneurship in Maastricht, SESSIBON was the creative and production partner.
At a glance
Open nomination process · preliminary rounds, semi-finals, final · nominees as ambassadors · more entries than in previous years · minimal spend, maximum reach
The brief
Create an award show that doesn’t just make an impact on the night itself, but stays visible and relevant throughout the year. For the municipality. For entrepreneurs. For the city.
Before: building reach without throwing budget at it.
We opened up the nomination process and activated networks across the city. No closed shortlist, but an open invitation to Maastricht’s entrepreneurial community. The result: several times more entries than in previous years.
We turned the nominees themselves into ambassadors. They shared their nomination, their story and their network, bringing their own audiences into the build-up.
Smart programming: from first round to final.
Instead of building towards a single moment, we created a journey: preliminary rounds, semi-finals, final. Every round became a new content opportunity and another wave of attention. Stretching the build-up across months rather than weeks.
That’s how SESSIBON approaches programming: not one peak, but momentum.
During: the experience
On the night itself, nominees, partners and guests came together around three categories: the Rabo Made in Maastricht Award, the Maastricht Business Take-off Award and the Hospitality Award.
SESSIBON took ownership of the full picture: show structure, content moments, visual direction, energy on stage and on-site coordination.
After: the show keeps moving.
The night ends. The story doesn’t. Content from the show: imagery, quotes, winner moments becomes the foundation for year-round communication: social content, stories about the winners and the build-up to the next edition.
The result
One night became a year-round, 360-degree programme. From the first announcement to the final follow-up, with the same entrepreneurs and the same city at the heart of it all.
More reach with less budget. More entries than ever before. And an award show that doesn’t disappear when the lights go down.
What does SESSIBON do for an award show?
SESSIBON develops and produces the show itself, but also builds the journey around it: from nominations, ambassadors and network activation beforehand to content, storytelling and follow-up afterwards.
What makes this different from a traditional event agency?
A traditional event agency delivers the night. SESSIBON builds a year-round programme around it, turning nominees into active ambassadors rather than passive participants.
Who is this relevant for?
Municipalities, industry organisations and companies looking to create an award show, festival or other live event with an impact that lasts longer than the event itself.
Ready for an event that lasts longer than one night?
Talk to SESSIBON about your award show or live event!
Client
Maastricht awards
Year
2025
Expertise
Services
