Abstract Software
Session Builder and Scheduling
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End-to-End Competition Software for Associations & Higher Ed
Launch your most successful awards program or contest yet with OpenWater, the industry’s most intuitive and comprehensive competition management platform. From streamlined entries to seamless judging, we help associations, foundations, and universities power every stage of their contests.
Trusted by 750+ Organizations
TESTIMONIALS
What Our Contest Management
What Our Contest Management
Software Users Say
Based on stellar reviews on
"Our team deals with over 80 different programs that are reviewed by 80 different committees who each have 3-12 volunteers. OpenWater makes it easy for us to collect the information that needs to be reviewed and enforce unique and diverse applicant requirements. This year, OpenWater has allowed our team to process over 1,200 applications reviewed by around 320+ volunteers."
"We use OpenWater not only for our awards programs, but also for grants, fellowships and generally anything that requires an application or judging process. All of this in one central system that integrates nicely with our association management system."
"ASHA uses the OpenWater platform for awards programs, grant and scholarship applications, mentoring enrollment, course registration, volunteer applications and leadership programs. The flexibility of the OpenWater platform functionality is crucial to efficiently and successfully manage these various types of programs, each with unique requirements."
"OpenWater is a company that treats you with a personal touch and we find that of great value. We have enjoyed the relationship we have built with them and have come to rely on them for the support that we need to continue to grow our program."
"The Awards and Prizes team at the Institution of Engineering and Technology operates several awards, prizes and scholarship schemes, all with different entry and reporting requirements. The flexibility and functionality of the platform has led to many improvements and efficiencies in how IET awards are run. The support from the OpenWater team has been excellent."
“Applications are very intuitive and easy to build (even with layers of complexity and if/then processes, and judging options are very customizable, reporting options are extensive and detailed. I did not have any experience building an application and do not come from a technical background, but I was able to build our application without issues due to the ease of using the program and the prompt and helpful assistance of customer support.”
Key Features of OpenWater’s Application & Review Software
OpenWater’s platform is uniquely designed to handle every aspect of every application-based process your organization might leverage (more on this later!). Here is an overview of the tools you can use to streamline all of these activities.
01Application Website Creation
Develop an eye-catching website that’s branded to your organization and showcases your opportunities to prospective applicants directly in OpenWater—with no coding required!
02Drag-and-Drop Form Builder
Customize your submission forms to capture all essential information and accept attachments of any size in multiple file formats, all within an interface that’s simple to navigate.
03Multi-Round Review
Upload standardized review rubrics to collect data in one place, then assign each submission to multiple judges so they can complete their evaluations with just a few clicks.
04Session Builder
Once your team approves abstracts, organize them by topic or presentation style within OpenWater to establish the flow of your conference sessions.
05Public-Facing Conference Calendars
Display the conference sessions you’ve built on an easy-to-navigate, branded calendar so attendees can browse their options and plan their event days in advance.
06Mobile App
Give attendees control over their conference experience and make the process convenient by meeting them where they likely already are—on their smartphones.
07Email Wizard
Keep your community in the loop about calls for proposals, submission deadlines, decisions, conference plans, and other important updates with our customizable email templates.
08Reporting & Analytics
Collect and review data on your abstract management efforts to fine-tune the process for both administrators and applicants.
09Integrations Hub
Connect OpenWater with more than 60 popular management systems, directories, payment gateways, and databases (including iMIS, Salesforce, and Higher Logic) to ensure seamless information transfer.
Key Features of OpenWater’s Competition Software
Whether you’re running a global design challenge, a university pitch fest, or a prestigious industry award, OpenWater provides the infrastructure to manage thousands of entries without the headaches that come with manual processes. From the first call for entries to the final winner announcement, our platform ensures a professional experience for entrants and a seamless workflow for your team
01Contest Website Creation
Launch a fully branded, mobile-responsive home for your competition. Build landing pages that house your rules, eligibility, and enter buttons with no coding required.
02Drag-and-Drop Form Builder
Create complex entry forms in minutes. Support high-resolution file uploads (videos, PDFs, images), and use conditional logic to show specific questions based on the category selected.
03Multi-Round Review
Narrow the field systematically. Move top-tier entries to a review round featuring custom weighted rubrics, multiple judges, and comparative data.
05Progress & Fund Tracking
Monitor your program's health in real time. Track entry volume by category and, for grant or scholarship competitions, manage fund disbursements from a central dashboard.
06Winner Showcase Galleries
Transform your competition into a public-facing asset. Automatically generate searchable galleries of finalists and winners, complete with social sharing tools to amplify your reach.
07Email Wizard
Automate your call-for-entries and deadline reminders. Create templates to easily notify winners and non-winners with a single click.
08Reporting & Analytics
Generate instant, customizable reports on judge progress, entry demographics, and revenue. Export data to Excel, PDF, or CSV for board-ready presentations.
09System Integrations
Connect your contest to the tools you already use. OpenWater integrates seamlessly with over 65 platforms, including Salesforce, iMIS, and payment gateways such as Stripe and PayPal.
Explore All of OpenWater’s Contest Management Capabilities
Beyond competition management, OpenWater offers a suite of specialized tools to streamline your most complex application and review cycles. See how we power excellence across awards, grants, fellowships, and more.
Abstract Software
Robust abstracts software that can power your conference management. Abstract collection, peer review, session scheduling and mobile app integration — all made easy in OpenWater.
Awards Software
All-in-one awards management platform designed to streamline and simplify your entire awards program. Forget manila folders. Ditch the spreadsheets. OpenWater Awards does it all.
Grants
Create the impact you want with streamlined grants applications, a user friendly reviewer portal, and powerful features for program administrators.
Scholarships
Our all-in-one scholarship software manages the entire multi-step, multi-review process smoothly, moving applicants to scholarship recipients.
Fellowships
Create a memorable fellowship website, promote your fellows and alumni, and control the entire process, all in one system.