Up-and-coming restaurants across the country have been given one last chance to enter Startups Awards 2014 after the deadline was extended to Friday 26 September.
Sponsored by Simply Business and organised by Startups.co.uk, the number one website for start-ups and small businesses, the 11th Startups Awards are shaping up to be the most exciting in recent memory.
Now, following overwhelming demand, UK companies that have been trading for three years or less have been given until 26 September, with winners announced at a prestigious ceremony at Kensington Roof Gardens, London, on the afternoon of Thursday 27 November, 2014.
The judges are looking for an eatery that’s shaking up the restaurant industry. Whether known for outstanding food, excellent service or creative menu.
Business can enter online here
David Lester, founder of Startups.co.uk, commented: “The quality of entries so far has been very high, and due to high demand we have decided to extend the deadline to give everyone a chance to enter. 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.”
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.
New for 2014: Restaurant of the Year
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.
The Judges
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.
The full list of judges for Startups Awards 2014 is: Michael Hayman MBE (co-founder, Seven Hills and StartUp Britain), Iqbal Wahhab OBE FRSA (founder of the Cinnamon Club and Roast restaurants), Paul Lindley (founder of Ella’s Kitchen), Elizabeth Varley (co-Founder & CEO at TechHub), Chris Slater (Chief Operating Officer, Simply Business), Laura Tenison MBE (founder and managing director, JoJo Maman Bébé), Greg Ingham (Chief Executive, MediaClash and Chair, Creative Bath), Howard Graham (CEO, Made Simple Group), Andrew Haigh (Executive Director, Client Propositions, Coutts & Co), Rebecca Burn-Callander (Enterprise Editor, The Daily Telegraph), Duncan Cheatle (CEO and founder, The Prelude Group and The Supper Club), James Hurley (Enterprise Editor, The Times), Natasha Frangos (partner, haysmacintyre), Bex Bradburn (Brand Manager UK Domain Portfolio, Nominet), Mitesh Soma (founder of Chemist Direct), Marc O’Dwyer (CEO, Big Red Cloud), Luke Lang (co-founder, Crowdcube), David Lester (co-founder, Startups.co.uk), Ian Wallis (Editorial Director, Startups.co.uk), Justine Roberts (CEO and Founder of Mumsnet), Dale Murray CBE (Non-Executive Director and business angel investor).
2014 Startups Awards Categories
- Simply Business Startups Business of the Year
- Venture Funded Business of the Year (sponsored by haysmacintyre)
- Service Business of the Year (sponsored by Big Red Cloud)
- Tech Business of the Year (sponsored by Nominet)
- Young Entrepreneur of the Year (sponsored by The Made Simple Group)
- Innovative Business of the Year
- People’s Champion
- Crowdfunded Business of the Year
- Franchisee of the Year (Small & Sweet)
- Home-based Business of the Year (Small & Sweet)
- Independent Shop of the Year
- Mumpreneur of the Year (Small & Sweet)
- Product Business of the Year
- Restaurant of the Year
- Woman in Business Award
About Startups.co.uk
Startups.co.uk is the number one website for start-ups and small businesses. Established in 2000, it is specifically designed to answer any start-up business questions a user may have, as well as boasting an extremely active forum where readers can exchange ideas. Startups’ popularity continues to increase with small business owners and new businesses consistently rating Startups.co.uk as the UK’s leading source of information for entrepreneurs.
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