Businesses are being encouraged to apply for the Natwest Great British Entrepreneur Awards before the 18 August deadline.
Now in its fifth year, the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards acknowledges the hard work and inspiring stories of British entrepreneurs and businesses in Great Britain. The Awards have celebrated some outstanding entrepreneurs who have gone on to become household names, including; James Watt of Brewdog, Julie Dean of the Cambridge Satchel Company and Alexander Solomou of the LADBibleGroup.
For the 2017 programme, with increased support from NatWest, the organisers have been able to extend the coverage of the Awards across the UK with ceremonies now being held in five cities – Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and London – compared with two in previous years.
Creator of the Awards, Francesca Russell, believes that it is vital that British entrepreneurs are championed. She explained: “Entrepreneurs inject competition into markets, create jobs and spur innovation. In many cases their businesses change the ways in which we live and work. These awards are different because they celebrate the story behind these people – true entrepreneurs are as much about their story as they are about their balance sheet.”
A snapshot of the 2017 categories include:
- High Street Entrepreneur of the Year
- Young Entrepreneur of the Year
- Scale-Up Entrepreneur of the Year
- Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year
- Innovation Entrepreneur of the Year
- Creative Industries Entrepreneur of the Year
The full list of categories can be found here.
The NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards differ from other awards within the UK as they focus on the entrepreneurial story, rather than on the balance sheet.
Gordon Merrylees, Head of Entrepreneurship for NatWest, said: “Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of the UK Economy. There are more businesses in the UK than ever before and it is clear that entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. NatWest is thrilled to be supporting these Awards again this year and allowing other UK cities to celebrate their entrepreneurs.”
Applications for the awards are now open. To enter, visit the Great British Entrepreneur Awards website.