Startups Awards 2016: Now open for entries

The UK’s most exceptional new businesses have the chance to receive endorsement, major publicity, validation and more with entries now open for the 13th annual Startups Awards.

The longest-running awards of its kind, the Startups Awards has earned a reputation for identifying some of the country’s finest entrepreneurial businesses, with previous winners having gone on to achieve monumental success such as The Cambridge Satchel Company, Notonthehighstreet.com, and most recently Appear Here and PurpleBricks (which recently listed on AIM).

Who are the sponsors of the Startups Awards 2016?

We’re extremely proud to have a stellar roster of sponsors for the Startups Awards. This year, multi-national enterprise software company Sage is headline sponsor, while government-backed loan organisation Start Up Loans and Simply Business; the UK’s largest online small insurance broker, are the awards silver sponsors.

The Startups Awards 2016 also has an impressive portfolio of bronze sponsors including online print destination printed.com, chartered accountants and tax advisers haysmacintyre, domain name and web hosting services 123Reg, company formations group Made Simple, media agency All Response Media, and real estate advisors DeVono Cresa.

Learn more about the awards sponsors here.

What are the categories for the Startups Awards 2016?

For 2016, there are 15 awards categories – catering for businesses across all industries and sectors. Categories include Product Business of the Year, Retail Business of the Year, App of the Year, Venture-funded Business of the Year, Women in Business Award and many more. View all of the categories here.

The overall prize of Sage Startups Business of the Year will be awarded to the most impressive business from all of the categories.

There is also an accolade voted for by business peers and the public; the People’s Champion Award, which all Startups Awards finalists are eligible for. People’s Champion is a chance to award any business, big or small, the impressive accolade of people’s favourite.

All category finalists will be eligible for the overall prize of Startups Business of the Year which is selected by a high-profile judging panel. Cath Kidston MBE, Secret Escapes co-founder Tom Valentine, Innocent Drinks co-founder Jon Wright, Emma Sinclair MBE, and Charles Tyrwhitt founder Nick Wheeler are already confirmed among the line-up, with more judges to be revealed over the coming weeks.

A shortlist of 50 start-up businesses will also compete for the Startups Awards’ People’s Champion title, voted for by Startups.co.uk’s readers and your peers.

The winners will be announced at an esteemed awards ceremony held at The Royal Garden Hotel on the evening of Thursday 17 November 2016.

Startups.co.uk editor, Lucy Wayment, said:

“Year-on-year, the Startups Awards unearths innovative, disruptive new businesses and entrepreneurs that continue to make people sit up and pay attention to the start-up community.

“From home businesses, to venture-backed companies, young entrepreneurs and inspiring women, we’re looking forward to receiving entries from the start-ups that will become leaders in their fields in years to come.

“Last year’s winners were phenomenal and we expect to see a similar calibre of entries this year!”

The entry deadline for the Startups Awards 2016 is Friday September 16 2016. If you think your business has what it takes to win, enter here now!