Service Business of the Year 2015

Start-up name: ForrestBrown
Founder: Simon Brown
Started in: 2013
Based in: Bristol
Business description: Business consultancy focused on R&D tax credits

ForrestBrown’s hugely successful year in 2014 helped to ensure the business consultancy started by Simon Brown was named Service Business of the Year at the 2015 Startups Awards.

In 2014 alone, ForrestBrown helped its clients to recover more than £9.5m in tax credits and continues to foster the growth of innovative UK start-ups.

Founded in 2013, the company provides specialist research and development tax services to businesses across tech, digital, engineering, manufacturing and healthcare, to help them navigate the government’s R&D tax credit scheme and access the maximum relief available.

Since launch, ForrestBrown has had a 100% success rate in claims submitted by clients, which it says is thanks to its teams comprehensive knowledge of the scheme, technical experience and “keen interest in science and technology”.

Despite entering a highly competitive market, the consultancy has remained unperturbed by the presence of the ‘Big Four’ and grown to a 21-strong team, with ambitions to generate £70m of savings for its clients by the end of 2016.

ForrestBrown saw off second-placed IT services provider Roc Technologies and third placed home cleaning booking platform Housekeep to take home the award.

The other nominees for Service Business of the Year were business transformation consultancy Gate One, by-the-box storage company LOVESPACE and online adventure holiday marketplace Much Better Adventures.