Startups Awards 2018: Entries now open!

The search is on to find the UK’s best small businesses as the Startups Awards launches entries for its 15th year.

Giving you the chance to receive industry validation, endorsement and widespread publicity, the Startups Awards celebrates the UK’s most exceptional and innovative small businesses that have been trading for up to four years.

The longest-running awards of its kind, the Startups Awards has a history of identifying high-potential companies – some of which have gone on to become household names.

Personalised gift company Notonthehighstreet.com, online furniture retailer Made.com, healthy childrens’ food company Ella’s Kitchen, and AIM-listed property agent PurpleBricks are just some of the past winners.

Enter the Startups Awards 2018 here

In 2017, renewable energy supplier Bulb was crowned The Start Up Loans Start-up of the year and shaving subscription provider Cornerstone scooped the coveted People’s Champion award (voted for by fellow businesses and the public) for a record third year in a row.

The Start Up Loans Company – the government-backed scheme providing low-interest loans for small businesses – has returned as headline sponsor for 2018.

Is my business eligible for the Startups Awards?

The Startups Awards are open to privately-owned UK-based businesses that must have started to trade no earlier than 1 August 2014 and no later than 31 July 2017.

Our esteemed panel of judges will assess entrants on the criteria including:

• A great concept
• Revenue growth
• Profitability
• Major client wins

Who are the Startups Awards 2018 judges?

Once again, we’ve assembled a panel of expert judges from the world of UK business including renowned entrepreneurs and investors – some are even past Startups Awards winners.

Their experience and success in business make them the perfect candidates to judge the potential of the thousands of promising entrants we receive every year.

The entrepreneurs, investors, and high-profile business leaders who will be judging your business include:

• Griselda Togobo, founder of Forward Ladies
• Alex Chesterman OBE, founder of Zoopla Property Group
• Charles Tuke, director of Home House and UK CFO for Fairford Holdings Ltd
• Titus Sharpe, co-founder and president of MVF
• Sahar Hashemi OBE, best-selling author and founder of Coffee Republic and Skinny Candy
• Giles Brook, CEO of Vita Coco EMEA
• Nick Wheeler, founder and chairman of Charles Tyrwhitt Shirts
• Jon Wright, Co-founder, innocent drinks, JamJar Investments and the Wright Family Foundation
• Justine Roberts MBE, founder and CEO of Mumsnet
• Julien Callède, co-founder of Made.com

Find out more about the Startups Awards judges here.

New Startups Awards categories announced for 2018

Startups.co.uk is keen to recognise the achievements of all that the UK enterprise space has to offer with 13 different categories to enter for the Startups Awards 2018, including Export Business of the Year, Innovative Business of the Year and Venture Funded Business of the Year.

We’re also proud to unveil three new categories to enter for 2018:

• Side Hustle of the Year – sponsored by GoDaddy, this award recognises entrepreneurs making the seemingly impossible, possible – running a part-time business whilst holding down a day job
• Family Business of the Year – whether you’re a mother and daughter team, father and son duo, siblings or even a whole family, this is awarded to founders balancing work and personal life
• Best Place to Work – accolade to celebrate small businesses with a great culture that keep their teams happy, productive and moving forward

All shortlisted start-ups will be eligible for the People’s Champion Awards, which is voted on by the public and industry peers. The shortlist will be unveiled on 8 October 2018.

One category winner will also be in the running for the overall award of The Start Up Loans Company Start-up of the Year. The full list of Startups Awards categories and their descriptions can be found here.

The winners of the Startups Awards 2018 will be unveiled at an illustrious awards ceremony at the Royal Garden Hotel, London on Thursday 21 November 2018.

And, once again, Oli Barrett will be bringing his agreeable blend of humour and bonhomie to the stage as the Startups Awards host. A regular speaker at events around the world, Barrett has a huge variety of ventures under his belt, having co-founded StartUp Britain, Tenner, social innovation agency Cospa and Speednetwork the Globe.

Entries for the Startups Awards 2018 close on Friday 14 September. Don’t hesitate. Enter here.