This Elevate Award has a local focus on the Austrian state of Styria (Steiermark). While sharing the same values and criteria as the International Elevate Award, this award has a clear local/regional focus.

After the call for nominees the winner out of the top five contestants was chosen by the audiences of Kleine Zeitung and ORF Steiermark in October 2012. There was an online voting process, held at the website of Kleine Zeitung.

This award initiative is supported by Franz Voves, the governor of the state of Styria, as well as the culture department of the city of Graz.