Finalists for the North West in a new Ƶ-wide awards initiative championing the best in start-ups and entrepreneurial activity can been revealed.
The has been launched to recognise the booming startup scene across the Ƶ which has accelerated since the pandemic began. In 2020, when most of the world was shutting down, more than 400,000 startups were set up in Britain, with similar increases seen in other European countries.
This marked boost in nascent entrepreneurship is mirrored by a huge 2,500 applications which have been received in response to the Startup Awards National Series’ first ever call for entries.
The North West startups that made the shortlist are a true snapshot of the future economy, with a collective turnover of over £36m and employing 676 people between them.
One finalist said: “The people of the north have a real tenacity about them, and you don't have to go far to find a mentor who has been there and done it.
“The talent is excellent as well, with the continued development of some serious universities and colleges. We have benefited from government backed growth hubs and continue to work closely with community programmes for SMEs.”
The cohort of finalists will be considered for the regional prizes by a panel of seasoned judges with experience founding or supporting entrepreneurial ventures. This includes North West-based Ash Jones, founder of personal branding agency Great Influence, and Chris Legh, founder of Junkyard Golf.
Supported nationally by BT, EY, Dell & Intel, the programme will celebrate the achievements of the amazing individuals across the Ƶ who have turned an idea into an opportunity and taken the risk to launch a new product or service.
Co-founded by the team behind the , the new series follows the success of the Wales StartUp Awards, after organisers recognised the exceptional potential in the startup scene across the other British regions.
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans , the creator of the StartUp Awards National Series, said: “New firms are important for generating economic prosperity, employment opportunities and innovation. Since 2016, the Wales StartUp Awards have celebrated this amazing annual contribution to our economy by entrepreneurs and the impact they have on communities across the nation.
“Given the sheer volume of phenomenal startups we’ve heard from since then, as well as the huge post-pandemic shift in people’s desires to take their career in a new direction and set up a business against the odds, we felt it was the right time to take the programme nationwide. We’ve been blown away by the standard of entries from the North West in this first year and truly look forward to crowning the winners.”
The awards will be held on July 5th at Cotton Sheds in Manchester.
This year’s StartUp Awards National Series finalists from the North West are:
B2B Services StartUp
Founded by Ryan & Heather Metcalfe
, Founded by Sebastian Burgess & Max Fone
, Founded by Naima Lacerna
Founded by Ciarán Harkin
, Founded by Steve Waters, Suneta Bagri & Debbie Van Tonder
B2C Services StartUp
Founded by Neil Gokcen & Stephen Dunne
Founded by Olivia Norman
, Founded by Lynda Leadbetter
Founded by Claudiu Cogalniceanu
, Founded by Lucie Grech
Construction & Building Services StartUp
, Founded by Angela Drakeford
, Founded by Nick Bamber
Founded by John Lugsden
Founded by Mike Dunn
Creative StartUp
, Founded by Oliver Hodgson
Founded by Gaby Mendes
, Founded by Freedom Doran
, Founded by Claire de Bezenac
Founded by Erin Buch
Digital StartUp
Founded by Luke Flannery
, Founded by Sam Crawford
Founded by Jane Toner
Founded by Robin Gibson & Andrew Isherwood
Founded by Jody Riley
Fintech StartUp
Founded by Jonathan Thompson
, Founded by Laura Pomfret & Holly Holland
Founded by Amy Whitell & Pete Casson
Food and Drink StartUp
Founded by Jon Walsh & Dr Megan Rossi
Founded by Anita Rae
, Founded by Sam Watson & Amy Yarker
, Founded by Thomas Pedley & Greg Adams
Global StartUp
Founded by Simon Bradbury
Founded by Joshua Griffin
, Founded by Aaron Spinks & Sean McCullough
Graduate StartUp
Founded by Tim Keaveney & Matthew Aubrey
, Founded by Yulanda Duff
Founded by Sarah Stringer & Amarn Gulamhusein
Green StartUp
, Founded by Chantelle Brandwood
, Founded by Kiki Lam
Founded by Jimmy Murray & Gabrielle Bourret-Sicotte
Founded by Claire Turpin
Innovative StartUp
, Founded by Rebecca Taylor
Founded by Alexandra Ferguson & Natasha Richards
Founded by Shay O'Carroll, Rob Hilton & Andy Sands
, Founded by Aaron Mcwilliam
Mobile & Emerging Technologies StartUp
, Founded by Jack Houghton, Christine Davies, Barrie Hadfield, Wic Verhoef & William Evans
Founded by Sophie Edwards, Will Turner & Phil Steele
, Founded by Joe Bleasdale
Founded by Holly Ward & Dom Raban
Online Retail StartUp
Founded by Kerry Cunliffe
Founded by Natalie Baker
, Founded by Dan & Charlotte Hawthorne
Founded by Josefina Villanueva-Alonso
Founded by Siobhan Dudley
Professional Services StartUp
, Founded by Lee Chambers
Founded by Julie Mombielova & John Gaskell
, Founded by Matt Jagger
Founded by Danny Seals & Sam Davies
Founded by James Drinkwater & Mark Greeve
Social StartUp
Founded by Christian & Ross Laing
, Founded by Neal Maxwell
, Founded by Gaynor Tennent
Tourism & Leisure StartUp
Founded by James Cole
, Founded by Derry Green
, Founded by Corin Craig Jackson
Young Entrepreneur
, Founded by Freedom Doran
Founded by Olivia Norman
Founded by Jack Houghton, Christine Davies, Barrie Hadfield, Wic Verhoef & William Evans
, Founded by Julie Mombielova & John Gaskell
Rising Star Award
, Founded by Nicola Mills
, Founded by Allegra Foxlie
Founded by Chloe Blair
, Founded by Catherine Meardon & Laura Walton
Founded by Victoria Kennedy
, Founded by Kelly & Sarah Owen
, Founded by Daniel Boyle
Founded by Eleanor Harry
Founded by Harika Parmer
Greater Manchester StartUp
Founded by Ciarán Harkin
Founded by Shay O'Carroll, Rob Hilton & Andy Sands
Founded by Jack Houghton, Christine Davies, Barrie Hadfield, Wic Verhoef, William Evans
Founded by Olivia Norman
Merseyside Start-Up
Founded by Aaron Spinks & Sean McCullough
Founded by Aaron Mcwilliam
Founded by Freedom Doran
Founded by Neil Gokcen & Stephen Dunne
Cheshire Start-Up
, Founded by Jon Walsh & Dr Megan Rossi
Founded by Mike Dunn
, Founded by James Drinkwater & Mark Greeve
Founded by Dan Hawthorne & Charlotte Hawthorne
For the full list of national finalist click
