Judges announced for 2014 Startups Awards
The judging panel for the 11th annual Startups Awards has been announced, with some of the greatest business brains in Britain set to assess entrants across the South West.
Nineteen high profile judges have been selected, including entrepreneurs, CEOs and managing directors of the country’s most successful companies, as well as media experts.
They will assess all 15 awards on offer, with winners announced at a prestigious ceremony at Kensington Roof Gardens, London, on Thursday 27 November, 2014.
Sponsored by Simply Business and organised by Startups.co.uk, the number one website for start-ups and small businesses, the Awards – open for entry until September 12 - recognise the success of Britain’s newest businesses which have been trading for three years or less.
Previous winners 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.
Head of Marketing & Communications at Simply Business, Jasper Martens, commented: “To see the list of judges for this year’s Startups Awards is very exciting. The amount of talent and experience on the panel is remarkable and underlines why we are so proud to be involved. Anyone entering these Awards can be confident their entry is being assessed by the very best in the business.”
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
• 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
• Marc O’Dwyer - CEO, Big Red Cloud
• Luke Lang - Co-founder, Crowdcube
• David Lester - 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
Categories for this year’s Awards include 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 winner 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.
Businesses are invited to enter by simply downloading an entry form online.
The deadline for submissions is 12 September 2014.
