Last chance to enter Startups Awards 2014

Companies across East of England urged to beat the deadline

Sponsored by Simply Business and organised by Startups.co.uk, the number one website for start-ups and small businesses, the 11th Startups Awards look like being bigger than ever with a high standard of entries already received.

Winners will be announced at a prestigious ceremony at Kensington Roof Gardens, London, on Thursday 27 November, 2014; but to be there, UK companies that have been trading for three years or less need to act quickly as the deadline is approaching fast.

David Lester, founder of Startups.co.uk, commented: “With only days to go until entries close on September 12, now is the time for businesses to act. If you are proud of what your business has achieved then take a look – there are a wide variety of categories and the recognition gained from just taking part, let alone winning, is so valuable. We aim to make this year’s Awards night the best yet and already the standard of entries is very high. So my advice to anyone thinking of entering is to do so as soon as possible.”

Previous winners of the Awards have included some of the UK’s fastest rising brands, such as BeatThatQuote.com (sold to Google for £37.7m), The Cambridge Satchel Company, Raspberry Pi, Ella’s Kitchen, Naked Wines, Notonthehighstreet.com, YPlan, Joe & Seph’s Gourmet Popcorn and Secret Escapes.

Alongside such international success stories have been a plethora of small, but fantastic, businesses in categories for franchisees, freelancers and home-based businesses, and women who have balanced raising young children with starting their own companies.

This year there are 15 awards on offer, with categories including Innovative Business of the Year, Service Business of the Year and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, alongside two new awards for 2014: Independent Shop of the Year and Restaurant of the Year. The main prize is the much coveted title of Simply Business Startups Business of the Year, the recipient of which is selected from the winners of the other categories.

Additionally, the People’s Champion award will go to one of 50 companies that make the long list of outstanding entrants before the finalists are announced and will be voted for by readers of Startups.co.uk.

Twenty-one high-profile judges, including entrepreneurs, CEOs and managing directors of the country’s most successful companies, as well as media experts, will select the remaining winners.

Head of Marketing & Communications at Simply Business, Jasper Martens, commented: “There is simply no better celebration of business achievement in the UK right now than these awards, so it’s time to take the plunge. Some of the country’s greatest business brains are on our judging panel and the awards bring real prestige – as well as a fantastic opportunity to network with the most exciting young businesses in the UK.”

To enter simply visit www.startupsawards.co.uk

Deadline for submissions is 12 September 2014.