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Birmingham Post

Business

Sion Barry

North West finalists for the StartUp Awards National Series revealed

North West James Drinkwater Megan Rossi Mike Dunn

Finalists for the North West in a new UK-wide awards initiative championing the best in start-ups and entrepreneurial activity can been revealed.

The StartUp Awards National Series has been launched to recognise the booming startup scene across the UK 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 UK 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 Great British Entrepreneur Awards , 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: