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The Fourth Wales Start-Up Awards Have Been Launched

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The fourth Wales Start-Up Awards have been launched this week to celebrate the contribution that new entrepreneurial firms make to job creation, creativity and innovation across the Welsh economy.

Launched in 2016 by Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE and Liz Brookes, managing director of Grapevine Event Management, the Wales Start-Up Awards are the only regional awards in the UK to focus on start-up firms and are unique in that only new businesses launched within the last three years are eligible to enter.  A number of high growth start-ups have been honoured by the awards including Amplyfi, Brighter Foods, Freight Logistics Solutions, One Team Logic, Phytoponics and University Cribs.

As in previous years, the awards will be held at The Depot in Cardiff in an informal atmosphere that is ideal for networking and where attendees will be provided with craft beer and street food, setting the perfect tone for the evening.

With seventeen awards covering a range of important sectors such as food and drink, financial and professional services, creative digital and life sciences, they are an important indicator as to the future economic direction of the prosperity of the Welsh nation.

Two new awards have been introduced this year namely the graduate start-up of the year (supported by HEFCW) which is focused celebrating new businesses emerging from the Welsh university sector; and the rural start-up business of the year, sponsored by business support specialist Business in Focus which has recently established two enterprise hubs in Carmarthen and Newtown.

The overall sponsor for this year’s awards is Capital Law – a leading provider of commercial legal services to private and public sector clients throughout the UK, Europe and beyond. Other organisations sponsoring this year include NatWest Cymru, Abel and Imray, WCVA, and last year’s overall winner, Freight Logistics Solutions.

Commenting on the launch of the 2019 awards, Alys Thomas of Capital Law said

“In these times of economic and political uncertainty for many big businesses, Wales’s start-up scene is going from strength to strength. The Wales Start Up Awards succeeds in distilling the energy and optimism of our early-stage companies, and provides a fantastic springboard for further growth. Capital Law is proud to be supporting the awards again – we look forward to meeting all the nominees and ultimately celebrating with the winners!”

Kevin Morgan, Director of NatWest Cymru Board, said:

“Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of the Welsh economy driving growth, innovation and enterprise and it is vital we continue supporting them. That is why we have invested in facilities like our entrepreneur accelerator in Cardiff, which has helped more than 600 businesses from across Wales since its launch in 2016. In supporting the Wales Start-Up Awards we are proud to be recognising and celebrating the hard work, ambition and success of Wales’ entrepreneurs. Each has their own inspiring journey to success and together they have firmly placed Wales on the map as a centre of entrepreneurial excellence. That is why we should all be proud of what they have achieved.”

Entries are now open and can be made online via http://www.walesstartupawards.com/

Entries close on July 8th with the awards ceremony taking place on Friday 20th September 2019 at The Depot, Cardiff.

The full list of awards is as follows:

  • Construction Start-up of the Year
  • Creative Start-up of the Year
  • Digital Start-up of the Year
  • Financial and Professional Services Start-up of the Year
  • Food and Drink Start-up of the Year
  • Global Start-up of the Year
  • Graduate Start-Up of the Year
  • Green Start-up of the Year
  • Innovative Start-up of the Year
  • Manufacturing Start-up of the Year
  • Retail Start-up of the Year
  • Rural Start-Up of the Year
  • Services Start-up of the Year
  • Social Enterprise start-up of the Year
  • Technology Start-up of the Year
  • Tourism & Leisure Start-up of the Year
  • Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Business News Wales