{"id":54294,"date":"2025-04-23T07:50:16","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T07:50:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/?p=54294"},"modified":"2025-07-15T07:58:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T07:58:57","slug":"founder-update-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/insights\/founder-update-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Turning Disruption into Growth: A Zealous Roadmap for 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:clamp(1.403rem, 1.403rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.121), 2.3rem);\"><strong>Finding Opportunity in Disruption<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At the start of each year, I look back on the previous one reflecting on our progress \u2013 and often end up celebrating the same things \u2013 a bigger network, more features, and most importantly featuring some fantastic artists from our community. This year I\u2019m looking at progress differently \u2013 focusing on the world today, sharing the challenges we all face and understanding our role in all of this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For those of you who are curious I will also share company progress at the very end.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:clamp(1.403rem, 1.403rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.121), 2.3rem);\"><strong>Navigating A.I.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no doubt the creative industries (and humanity as a whole) is at an inflection point with the emergence of increasingly powerful generative AI tools. Some will see these tools as an opportunity to create more efficiently \u2013 bringing ideas to life quicker with lower budgets, others will identify their intellectual property being hoovered up by large companies to be repackaged and sold without consent, nor payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The argument that these algorithms are just mimicking humans and using patterns to produce something completely new is true for some scenarios, but not others. \u201cDraw me a cat\u201d, or \u201cDraw me a cat like Hayao Miyazaki\u201d are completely different premises \u2013 where one is generic, the other is heavily dependent on the AI model having been trained on Hayao Miyazaki\u2019s work, likely without permission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"650\" height=\"365\" src=\"about:blank\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/rGWi7jUwOKg?si=CLOl2lpQ1nTMQcrq\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-small-font-size\">&#8220;The Last Chance to Celebrate the Creator&#8221; by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/pelagiemay\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">The Clockwork Collective<\/a> (Zealous Amplify Longlist 2025)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This extends beyond IP, with these tools allowing us to quickly prototype, think more deeply and research topics immediately and support us best where we struggle \u2013 putting across an idea no longer depends on you being able to write well. This is balanced with the mass creation of fake information, phishing and the impact subservient \u201cAI girl\/boyfriends\u201d will have on future relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are so many unanswered questions which will deeply impact our society:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-cc5218b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How do these processes integrate with our education \u2013 should we blindly embrace it and ensure children know how to use these tools or be mindful that repetition and the grind are a big part of learning. Someone far smarter than me said using AI in a school is like personal trainers allowing you to bring a forklift in the gym.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How can organisations supporting creative communities embrace some of these systems to help them amplify their impact, without encroaching on the intellectual property of those they are trying to help? And how do they know what works, and what doesn\u2019t when the landscape is moving so quickly?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How do creators keep afloat of all this change, reap the benefits of these new tools, and know how to best use them in their craft, whilst at the same time protecting their work from being hoovered up by large corporations?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what can Zealous do to help?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With so many companies integrating AI within their platforms to satisfy a trend and pressure from external funders \u2013 we want to take a human centric approach to how AI is used to support you. Zealous has always been about allowing hosts to support and celebrate people\u2019s work by helping them manage submissions for their awards, competitions, grants\u2026we should never get in the way of that. AI is fantastic in allowing for a more accessible experience (e.g. alt information on images being created automatically) and can help organisations create simpler guidelines and question if they are inclusive. This year we will explore creating tools for you \u2013 but our promise to you is that we will never use AI to replace the human process \u2013 only to empower all of us to do better. We will also seek to create transparency on how and where machine learning is used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although hiding under a rock might feel like the best solution to this, it won\u2019t help. It\u2019s best to educate ourselves to understand how this new world will impact us. We&#8217;re in a great position to act as Sherpas through all this noise. I studied AI in university way before it became cool. We\u2019ll be sharing more content on how to make the most of it, and if possible \u2013 host conversations around the topic to allow you to make your own decision on how to best use these new tools.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:clamp(1.403rem, 1.403rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.121), 2.3rem);\"><strong>Political and economic uncertainty<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Sitting on the boards of two arts organisations in the UK and serving many more through Zealous it\u2019s obvious the last 5 years have taken their toll. A series of black swan events have left reserves depleted, funding has been frozen in a time of inflation and teams exhausted. Organisations supporting creators are starved for resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To add to that, this year the World seems to be spinning that little bit faster. The political change in US policies is creating friction with globalisation &#8211; a system which has underpinned development across the globe since the 1950s. The worries of the US electorate which pushed for change can be felt everywhere and is likely to spread across other nations once we are required to once again go to the polls. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1986\" height=\"1986\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-54334 lazyload\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1986px) 100vw, 1986px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/zealous.co\/wpadmin2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/Metropolis-Metaverse-OK-2.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/zealous.co\/wpadmin2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/Metropolis-Metaverse-OK-2.jpg 1986w, https:\/\/zealous.co\/wpadmin2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/Metropolis-Metaverse-OK-2-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/zealous.co\/wpadmin2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/Metropolis-Metaverse-OK-2-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-small-font-size\">&#8220;Metropolis-Metaverse&#8221; by <a href=\"http:\/\/artofok.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Oskar OK Krajewski<\/a> (Zealous Amplify Longlist 2025)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This is exacerbated by the fact that \u201cSocial media\u201d is no longer \u201csocial\u201d. Instead, these platforms have evolved to get our attention and maintain it for as long as possible. These algorithms focussed on engagement have created destructive patterns that increase rifts between communities and radicalise ideas (MIT discovered fake information is 70% more likely to be shared than real stories, Ragebait is 6x more likely to spread, 27% of Americans report Doomscrolling\u2026and we\u2019re scratching the surface with new terms being added all the time Sadfishing, Grief exploitation, Trauma dumping, Moral grandstanding\u2026.). These systems have their uses, but we must also be mindful of their impact on our future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most efficient tool against any type of extremism is empathy \u2013 it\u2019s harder to hate someone when you feel you know them. Telling rich human stories and creating empathy with one another is essential to support a healthy society and build a better future together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s now more important than ever to support creators from all sectors to be able to tell these rich stories and celebrate them, no matter what their initial beliefs are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no right or wrong in the decisions people make when voting, everyone has their own hopes and dreams and hear what they want to hear within speeches. It\u2019s no different from there being nothing right or wrong about being a \u201cBoomer\u201d, \u201cMillennial\u201d, \u201cGen Z\u201d\u2026 or being from different countries, different social backgrounds, having different beliefs\u2026 What is most important is that we are all people, we share far more in common than we care to admit to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What we do as individuals matters far more than the groups we inhabit (you are of course welcome to widely dislike someone, just don\u2019t let that extend beyond them based on one of their traits). A little kindness goes a long way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re toying with ideas on how to celebrate creators and their stories through any type of open calls, we\u2019re there for you (my email is in the footer if you want to contact me directly) \u2013 you can also refer to <a href=\"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/resources\/awards-management-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">our absolute guide for running awards<\/a> which contains a decade of insights on how to run more effective programs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:clamp(1.403rem, 1.403rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.121), 2.3rem);\"><strong>Community, community, community<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In a world filled with tech and increasingly extreme ideology we\u2019re doubling down on bringing people together this year. We want to allow for the sector to thrive, for creatives to find opportunities which match their skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1986\" height=\"1323\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-54328 lazyload\" style=\"object-fit:cover\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1986px) 100vw, 1986px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/zealous.co\/wpadmin2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/6_png-72.png\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/zealous.co\/wpadmin2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/6_png-72.png 1986w, https:\/\/zealous.co\/wpadmin2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/6_png-72-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/zealous.co\/wpadmin2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/6_png-72-1536x1023.png 1536w\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-small-font-size\">&#8220;Brotes de Jilotes&#8221; by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/pelagiemay\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Ben Stephenson<\/a> (Zealous Amplify Longlist 2025)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I won\u2019t lie, Zealous moved towards facilitating calls from other industries in the past couple of years to ensure we raise enough money to continue on our quest to bring the creative sector together. We have no investors other than ourselves, and this has been vital in our development. This has in some way put focus on creating features for other sectors to allow them to use us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This year we\u2019re going back to our roots, we will focus on ensuring our community is recommended the opportunities that best match their skills, build more tools for managing awards, competitions and grants to save creative organisations vital resources to continue the work they are doing on reduced budgets. We will continue to serve other industries so we can reinvest this income into our creative sector, but our creative community will be at the core of our decisions going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We remain open to any ideas you might have; these have informed <a href=\"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/company\/roadmap\/deployments\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">our roadmap in the last couple of years<\/a>, and this year will be no different.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:clamp(1.403rem, 1.403rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.121), 2.3rem);\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout history, periods of uncertainty have sparked our greatest cultural revolutions. The Renaissance emerged from plague, jazz found its voice during profound social upheaval, and countless artistic movements were born in times of economic challenge. This isn&#8217;t coincidence \u2013 disruption forces us to question, adapt, and reimagine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For those of you who see the glass half-full, what we&#8217;re experiencing now isn&#8217;t just a series of challenges \u2013 it&#8217;s the fertile ground from which the next creative renaissance will grow. The collision of AI advancement with political realignment and social fragmentation creates precisely the conditions that precede cultural transformation. Those who navigate this transition thoughtfully won&#8217;t just survive; they will define what comes next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s where I believe Zealous fits into this story. Enabling human connection through creativity isn&#8217;t just nice \u2013 it&#8217;s essential. When algorithms drive us apart, creative expression brings us together. When AI threatens to homogenize, human creativity provides the antidote of authentic diversity. When political forces fracture communities, shared creative experiences rebuild bridges of understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"480\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 848 \/ 480;\" width=\"848\" controls src=\"https:\/\/zealous.co\/wpadmin2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/whatsapp_video_2025_02_24_at_13_50_07_mp4.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-small-font-size\">&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.igcfashion.africa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Lubugo- This earth we walk<\/a>&#8221; by Hannah Allchurch (Zealous Amplify Longlist 2025)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Our commitment to supporting the creative sector and helping unleash opportunities remains unchanged after 14 years. If anything, it&#8217;s strengthened by the recognition that what we&#8217;re doing matters more now than ever before. By working together \u2013 hosts, creators, judges, and platforms like ours \u2013 we can ensure creative voices lead us forward through these transformative times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My <a href=\"mailto:guy.armitage@zealous.co\" title=\"\">inbox remains open<\/a>, as always, for your thoughts, concerns, and ideas. After all, our best innovations have come from conversations with you, and navigating this new world will require all our collective wisdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are curious about how the above will be translated into tangible action \u2013 read on.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-base-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-594587f7 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\"><strong>Looking at 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While I never shy away from sharing thoughts on the world around us, we also need to get on with the business of supporting you. Here&#8217;s what we&#8217;re focusing on this year:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Global Reach for Local Voices<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While our roots remain in the UK, we recognize that creativity transcends geographic boundaries. We&#8217;re working to make Zealous more accessible globally by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-239f6faa wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Supporting more currencies to better serve our international community<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Building features that accommodate different time zones and regional judging workflows<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Highlighting diverse voices and perspectives that enrich our collective understanding<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Practical Support in Challenging Times<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The economic pressures facing creative organizations require thoughtful solutions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-239f6faa wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Our flexible pricing model continues, designed to accommodate organisations of all sizes and circumstances.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We are actively developing more tools to simplify your process \u2013 including conditional questions on application forms and judging criteria, importing judges and submissions, richer judge allocation and richer application forms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>With your help we would like to build you the tools needed for you to help you make a case for the funding you need to run your programs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Strengthening the Community<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our platform&#8217;s true strength lies in the connections it fosters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-239f6faa wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We\u2019ll continue creating thoughtful resources for both opportunity hosts and applicants to help them navigate these changing times.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Our feedback systems are evolving to capture deeper insights into what matters most to you, so we can better our processes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We\u2019re rebuilding our explore page and recommendations emails from scratch, and who knows you might also be given a follow function to keep track of all the opportunities and artists whose works you care about.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Ethical Innovation in the Age of AI<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As AI continues to evolve, our approach remains centered on ethics and creator protection:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-239f6faa wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Our commitment stands firm: we will never train generative AI algorithms on your work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We are exploring how AI can responsibly enhance accessibility (like automatic alt text for images) and streamline administrative tasks without replacing human judgment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We&#8217;re investigating protective technologies like Nightshade and Glaze to help safeguard your intellectual property from unauthorized AI training.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We will spend time to build transparency into our processes so you always know exactly how your data is being used.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Share more resources on how to make the most of AI when applying and managing competitions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-base-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-80fb368b wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\"><strong>Key Stats for 2024<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-239f6faa wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Our creative community has grown beyond 110,000 individuals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We facilitated a 41% increase in submissions last year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Our price lock was maintained through 2024.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We&#8217;ve implemented <a href=\"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/company\/roadmap\/deployments\/\" title=\"\">your most-requested features<\/a>: enhanced judging tools for more insightful evaluation and flexible submission options that adapt to your specific needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group au_row is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7fd5456c wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:0;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized has-custom-border au_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-44104 lazyload\" style=\"border-radius:30px;aspect-ratio:1;object-fit:cover;width:60px\" data-src=\"http:\/\/zealous.co\/wpadmin2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2023\/11\/guy-armitage-zealous-1.webp\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group au_txt_block wp-container-content-8eb0bdf3 has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9ec41e88 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading au_name\" style=\"font-size:clamp(0.875rem, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 0.406), 1.2rem);\"><strong>Guy Armitage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"au_pos has-medium-font-size\">Founder<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"mailto:guy.armitage@zealous.co\" title=\"\">guy.armitage@zealous.co<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/guyarmitage\/\" title=\"\">Linkedin<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Each year I reflect on progress. This year I&#8217;m looking differently \u2013 at the creative industries today, our shared challenges &#038; Zealous&#8217;s role in all of this.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":56727,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"wp-custom-template-post-news","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[499],"tags":[891],"class_list":["post-54294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insights","tag-founder"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54294","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54294"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54294\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}