This category recognises world class, privately-owned UK companies with turnover of up to £10m in their last completed financial year. Successful growing businesses are extraordinarily important to the UK economy, driving innovation and creating jobs and wealth. Judges will look at sustainable growth, positive or disruptive impact on the sector, innovation in products or services and customer engagement.

This category recognises world class, privately-owned UK companies with turnover of between £10m and £25m in their last completed financial year. Successful growing businesses are extraordinarily important to the UK economy, driving innovation and creating jobs and wealth. Judges will look at sustainable growth, positive or disruptive impact on the sector, innovation in products or services and customer engagement.

This category recognises world class, privately-owned UK companies with turnover of between £25m and £50m in their last completed financial year. Successful growing businesses are extraordinarily important to the UK economy, driving innovation and creating jobs and wealth. Judges will look at sustainable growth, positive or disruptive impact on the sector, innovation in products or services and customer engagement.

This category recognises world class, privately-owned UK companies with turnover of between £50m and £100m in their last completed financial year. Successful growing businesses are extraordinarily important to the UK economy, driving innovation and creating jobs and wealth. Judges will look at sustainable growth, positive or disruptive impact on the sector, innovation in products or services and customer engagement.

This category recognises world class, privately-owned UK companies with turnover of more than £100m in their last completed financial year. Successful growing businesses are extraordinarily important to the UK economy, driving innovation and creating jobs and wealth. Judges will look at sustainable growth, positive or disruptive impact on the sector, innovation in products or services and customer engagement.

This individual award recognises established entrepreneurs with a history of business success and excellence, as well as emerging entrepreneurs challenging industry norms and achieving remarkable accomplishments. Judges will be looking for candidates who have established significant scalable businesses or brands, demonstrated personal ambition, leadership and commercial acumen, and impact their industries through disruption or setting high standards.

This individual award recognises established entrepreneurs with a history of business success and excellence, as well as emerging entrepreneurs challenging industry norms and achieving remarkable accomplishments. Judges will be looking for candidates who have established significant scalable businesses or brands, demonstrated personal ambition, leadership and commercial acumen, and impact their industries through disruption or setting high standards.

The award for the dynamic next generation of entrepreneurs serves as a launchpad for emerging talent in the UK. This category is open to individuals aged 35 or under as of November 26, 2026. Judges will be looking for candidates who have established scalable businesses or brands, demonstrated personal ambition, leadership and commercial acumen, and impact their industries through disruption or setting high standards.

Celebrating innovation and excellence in growing B2B businesses, this award recognises market-leading, high-growth, and innovative B2B companies with significant scaling potential. The judges will be looking for strong and consistent topline growth and profitability as well as potential for future growth, innovation in products or services, and high engagement amongst business customers and staff.

This award recognises UK businesses in the construction and property services sector that are creating new markets and disrupting existing markets. This award celebrates companies challenging traditional industry practices and building successful businesses. The judges will look at product and service innovation, quality customer engagement and positive or disruptive impact on the industry, as well as strong financial performance and potential for future growth.

This award recognises UK education or training businesses that are creating new markets and disrupting existing markets. This award celebrates companies challenging traditional industry practices and building successful businesses. The judges will look at product and service innovation, quality customer engagement and positive or disruptive impact on the industry, as well as strong financial performance and potential for future growth.

This award recognises UK financial or professional services businesses that are creating new markets and disrupting existing markets. This award celebrates companies challenging traditional industry practices and building successful businesses. The judges will look at product and service innovation, quality customer engagement and positive or disruptive impact on the industry, as well as strong financial performance and potential for future growth.

The Healthcare Business of the Year award recognises UK healthcare businesses that are creating new markets and disrupting existing markets. This award celebrates companies challenging traditional industry practices and building successful businesses. The judges will look at product and service innovation, quality customer engagement and positive or disruptive impact on the healthcare industry, as well as strong financial performance and potential for future growth.

This award recognises UK businesses in the marketing, advertising and public relations sector that are creating new markets and disrupting existing markets. This award celebrates companies challenging traditional industry practices and building successful businesses. The judges will look at product and service innovation, quality customer engagement and positive or disruptive impact on the industry, as well as strong financial performance and potential for future growth.

The Technology Business of the Year award celebrates companies that have leveraged technology to drive growth or disrupt existing markets. This award recognises businesses utilising technologies like AI, robotics, CRM, or automation to enhance their operations or revolutionise competitive industries. Judges will look for clear strategy behind technology developments, innovative products or services and positive or disruptive impact on the industry or sector through technology solutions.

This award acknowledges businesses that have achieved growth through the attraction and retention of a loyal customer base. It aims to honour UK businesses that consistently deliver exceptional customer experiences, leading to tangible commercial performance and business growth. Judges will look for evidence of customer engagement across a variety of metrics, such as retention rates, feedback and referrals, as well as clear examples of proactive customer engagement, sustainable financial growth and scalability of business operations.

Celebrating UK companies succeeding in the international marketplace, the Export Champion of the Year Award honours UK companies expanding or launching operations overseas. In particular, this award recognises firms whose recent international achievements inspire other UK companies to trade internationally. The judges will look for a strategic approach to international expansion with a clear understanding of target markets, evidence of innovation in export strategy, and specific examples of success outside the UK.

The Positive Impact Award celebrates successful businesses that drive positive change for people and/or the planet, emphasising social and environmental benefits. Judges will look for businesses that have continued to deliver positive impact while growing and scaling.

This award recognises companies that prioritise their teams and leverage this focus as a catalyst for organisational growth. It evaluates how companies invest in their employees and the resulting positive impact on company growth. Judges will look for clear employee engagement strategies with demonstrable impact on business growth, high standards of people management, motivation and remuneration, and effective strategies for recruitment and retention of talent.

The award for world-class family-owned UK companies celebrates businesses demonstrating exceptional growth and influenced by multiple generations of a family. These organisations have a single family as the majority owner. Judges will look for sustainable, profitable growth and scalability of business operations, positive or disruptive impact on the industry, excellent customer engagement and succession planning, as well as an insight into the benefits of keeping the business family-owned.

The Investor-backed Business of the Year award recognises businesses that have received backing from investors and have demonstrated significant, sustainable growth and success as a result of this support. Judges will look for effective communication and collaboration with investors, alignment of the business’s strategy with the investor’s goals, and positive influence on the sector as a result of investor backing.

This category recognises exceptional businesses based in London. As well as sustainable growth, innovation in products or services and customer engagement, judges will look for evidence of how the business has supported its home region through job creation or community initiatives. In order to qualify for this category, a company’s head office and/or its largest premises in terms of number of employees must be in the London region.

This category recognises exceptional businesses based in the South East. As well as sustainable growth, innovation in products or services and customer engagement, judges will look for evidence of how the business has supported its home region through job creation or community initiatives. In order to qualify for this category, a company’s head office and/or its largest premises in terms of number of employees must be in the South East of England.

This category recognises exceptional businesses based in the South West. As well as sustainable growth, innovation in products or services and customer engagement, judges will look for evidence of how the business has supported its home region through job creation or community initiatives. In order to qualify for this category, a company’s head office and/or its largest premises in terms of number of employees must be in the South West of England.

This category recognises exceptional businesses based in the Midlands. As well as sustainable growth, innovation in products or services and customer engagement, judges will look for evidence of how the business has supported its home region through job creation or community initiatives. In order to qualify for this category, a company’s head office and/or its largest premises in terms of number of employees must be in the East Midlands or West Midlands.

This category recognises exceptional businesses based in the East of England. As well as sustainable growth, innovation in products or services and customer engagement, judges will look for evidence of how the business has supported its home region through job creation or community initiatives. In order to qualify for this category, a company’s head office and/or its largest premises in terms of number of employees must be in the East of England.

This category recognises exceptional businesses based in the North West. As well as sustainable growth, innovation in products or services and customer engagement, judges will look for evidence of how the business has supported its home region through job creation or community initiatives. In order to qualify for this category, a company’s head office and/or its largest premises in terms of number of employees must be in the North West of England.

This category recognises exceptional businesses based in Yorkshire or the North East. As well as sustainable growth, innovation in products or services and customer engagement, judges will look for evidence of how the business has supported its home region through job creation or community initiatives. In order to qualify for this category, a company’s head office and/or its largest premises in terms of number of employees must be in Yorkshire or the North East of England.

This category recognises exceptional businesses based in Scotland. As well as sustainable growth, innovation in products or services and customer engagement, judges will look for evidence of how the business has supported its home region through job creation or community initiatives. In order to qualify for this category, a company’s head office and/or its largest premises in terms of number of employees must be in Scotland.

This category recognises exceptional businesses based in Wales. As well as sustainable growth, innovation in products or services and customer engagement, judges will look for evidence of how the business has supported its home region through job creation or community initiatives. In order to qualify for this category, a company’s head office and/or its largest premises in terms of number of employees must be in Wales.

This category recognises exceptional businesses based in Northern Ireland. As well as sustainable growth, innovation in products or services and customer engagement, judges will look for evidence of how the business has supported its home region through job creation or community initiatives. In order to qualify for this category, a company’s head office and/or its largest premises in terms of number of employees must be in Northern Ireland.