Young Guns Oli Barrett, Holly Tucker and Sarah Curran awarded MBEs

Members of the Young Guns alumni Oli Barrett, Holly Tucker and Sarah Curran have been announced as Members of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s birthday honours list.

Barrett, a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of the national enterprise campaign StartUp Britain, was awarded the title for his services to entrepreneurship and business. The Growing Business columnist has launched a raft of enterprise-related ventures in recent years including the Make your Mark with a Tenner initiative, latterly backed by Dragons’ Den’s Peter Jones which challenged school children to build a business from a £10 loan.

Since 2008, he has also led a series of export related initiatives under the ‘Mission’ banner to Silicon Valley, Boston, and India. Focused on the web, future health and cleantech, the latest trip to help start-ups establish a beachhead in a key overseas market is the Clean and Cool Mission to Brazil.

Tucker, co-founder of the online retail business Notonthehighstreet.com along with co-founder Sophie Cornish, was recognised with her business partner for their contributions to small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Providing start-ups with the ability to showcase their wares, the announcement follows the co-founders recent success having secured £10m in a funding round led by Fidelity Growth Partners Europe and achieving a turnover of £100m at the end of 2012.

Curran, co-founder of the designer retail website My-Wardrobe.com, and former Fast Growth Business Awards finalist, gained the title for her services to the fashion industry having achieved an international presence with over £1.6m visitors to the site.

A Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) was also awarded to entrepreneur and Angel investor Dale Murray for her services to business and former Dragons’ Den investor Hilary Devey for her services to the transport industry and charitable work.

In the New Year’s honours list entrepreneurs recognised included Lastminute.com co-founder and digital champion Martha Lane Fox, who became Baroness Lane Fox of Soho; DCS Europe PLC founder Denys Shortt OBE for services to the economy including the growth of his £150m-plus turnover business; jewellery designer Stephen Webster MBE; and entrepreneur turned angel investor Sherry Coutu CBE, who launched the Silicon Valley Comes to the UK events, for her services to entrepreneurship.

To find out who else has been awarded as Members of the Order click here.