Jungle Creations takes home Top Gun at Young Guns 2017 awards

Jamie Bolding, the 26 year-old founder of Jungle Creations – the digital media company that boasts the title of being the fifth most watched media property in the entire world – has received the prestigious accolade of haysmacintyre Top Gun at the Young Guns 2017 awards.

This was the 15th year for Growing Business’s prestigious index, which celebrates the UK’s 30 most exciting fast-growth companies run by founders aged 35 and under. To be eligible, these businesses must have either £1m in revenues or have raised more than £1m in funding.

Awarded to the business which the judges feel stands out the most, it’s not hard to see why Jungle Creations clinched the Top Gun title.

Its 17 social media channels – including Twisted, VT (the most viewed channel on Facebook), Food Envy, Four Nine, and Nailed it – entertain a combined audience of 43 million followers worldwide; a global influence that has helped it attract the likes of Oreo, Doritos, Unilever, Apple, Iceland, Knorr, Budweiser, Dr. Oetker, Heinz as clients.

Bolding joins an esteemed list entrepreneurs that have been awarded Top Gun over the last decade, including last year’s winners Jemma Fennings and Lesa Bennett of watch brand Olivia Burton – which was recently acquired by Movado Group in a £60m deal – Crafters Companion’s Sara Davies MBE, and Mark Pearson, founder of MyVoucherCodes.co.uk.

Made up of 40 founders, the Class of 2017 came together at an exclusive event hosted by Kensington Roof Gardens on 15 September to toast their success and network with like-minded entrepreneurs. This year’s businesses have collectively raised more than £204m, employ 1,210 people between them and have an average turnover of £6.8m – rising significantly from last year’s £4m.

Commenting on his win, Bolding said: “I am very honoured to have been awarded Top Gun given the incredible competition I was up against.

“Looking at the size of the company and what we have built in just three years without any funding gives me a lot of confidence for the future and where we’ll be in another three years as we aim to build the most viewed media company in the world. We are at a really exciting stage in Jungle Creations’ growth and this accolade is definitely a sign of more great things to come.”

Natasha Frangos, partner and head of creative media and technology at haysmacintyre, added: “Jamie Bolding massively impressed us as a pioneer in a now congested market, with his business leading the pack. To see such a relatively young business entrusted with the vision of the largest brands is a huge achievement for a 26-year-old entrepreneur.

“The lifeblood for this business’ success is Jungle Creations’ brilliant use of social media as a tool to spur interest from millions online – and so much of that comes from the team of people and creative, fun culture Jamie has managed to foster.

“In just over three years this Top Guns business has become the third most viewed media property in the UK and fifth in the world. The business owns one of most viewed channels on all of Facebook. In July 2017 alone the company took the top three spots for the most shared branded campaigns on Facebook. It’s pretty astounding and we’re very proud to name Jamie Top Gun for the Class of 2017.”

You can see the entire Class of 2017, as well as our Five to watch here.