The 2016 Winners & Shortlist
Finance Provider of the Year
This award recognises the bank or mainstream finance institution that has best addressed the needs of smaller businesses, with the judges considering factors such as access to and supply of debt, customer service and SME-focused initiatives.
2016 Winner: Close Brothers Retail Finance
2016 Shortlist:
Barclays Bank
Bibby Financial Services
Boost Capital
Close Brothers Retail Finance
Fleximize
Liberis
OakNorth Bank
Silicon Valley Bank
Wesleyan Bank
Alternative Finance Provider of the Year
The judges will assess online finance providers such as crowdfunding sites and peer-to-peer lenders. They will look for the operators most notable in financing small companies, considering factors such as volume of funds provided, innovative services and a dedicated SME offering.
2016 Winner: Crowdcube
2016 Shortlist:
Amicus
Code Investing
Crowdcube
Funding Circle
Growth Street
RateSetter
Seedrs
ThinCats
Sponsored by:
Service Provider of the Year
This award acknowledges the service provider that manages the needs of small businesses better than its competitors, with judges considering the best value, customer service, and reliability.
2016 Winner: Yü Energy
2016 Shortlist:
Enrolsme
Frontier Voice and Data
Pink Telephone Company (App2Chat)
TalkTalk Business
XLN Telecom
Yü Energy
Sponsored By:
Technology Provider of the Year
This category rewards the technology provider that has placed an SME service at the heart of its offering, displaying innovation, impressive customer care and a product to help small companies run efficiently and grow.
2016 Winner: Xero
2016 Shortlist:
FreeAgent
Miura Systems
Neopost
Ormsby Street
Sage
Salesforce
Scale Computing
Xero
Professional Services Firm of the Year
The judges will assess the firm that has gone the furthest to target and help smaller companies, with quality of client service and value for money being prime considerations.
2016 Winner: Crunch
2016 Shortlist:
Berg
Crunch
Legal & General
KPMG Small Business Accounting
PwC
Shelley Stock Hutter
Workspace of the Year
In this category, the judges will consider the co-working or serviced office space most attuned to the needs of small businesses. Quality of facilities, location(s), technology-enabling capabilities and value for money will be the key factors discussed, as well as their overall influence on the SME ecosystem.
2016 Winner: Workspace Group
2016 Shortlist:
Interchange
Office Space in Town
Regus
WorkPad
Workspace Group
Workplace Manchester
Sole Trader of the Year
This award recognises the sole trader business that provides a service/product that stands above peers, demonstrating consistent sales over the past year and a niche position in its industry.
2016 Winner: GLB Graphics
2016 Shortlist:
Appleton Baby Massage
Beautiful Ribbon
Florescence
GLB Graphics
Ma Baker
Pencil Me In
The Bridal Boutique
Secret Halo
ValB’s Wax Jewellery
Sponsored by
Micro Business of the Year
The Micro Business of the Year will be a company of 2-9 people that has demonstrated strong revenue growth and a product or service of a quality that stands above competitors. The identifying of and capitalising on scale opportunities will also be noted by the judges.
2016 Winner: Handrail Creations
2016 Shortlist:
AgriCamera
Bexy Boo
G&J Lee Recruitment
Handrail Creations
Mill House Cottages
No Brainer
Smart Resourcing Solutions
Southsea Bathing Hut
Swytch
Treelife
Sponsored by
Small Business of the Year
The judges will look for a small business of 10-50 employees with the most innovative and sector-disrupting service/product combined with strong turnover growth over the past year.
2016 Winner: Inclusion Housing
2016 Shortlist:
Bluebird Tea
Genie Ventures
GEO (Green Energy Options)
Hello Soda
Housekeep
Inclusion Housing
M&M Contractors
Serve Legal
Technical Associates Group
Sponsored by:
Leader of the Year
The judges will consider the small business leader (1-50 employees) that has been most inspirational as the driving force behind the success of the company, with judges considering factors including key business decisions made, contracts won, responsibility for revenue and/or profit growth and marketability.
2016 Winner: Paul Vagg, Bee Naturals
2016 Shortlist:
Paul Vagg, Bee Naturals
Amanda Rosewarne, CPD Standards Office
Avin Rabheru, Housekeep
Gareth Loye, M&M Contractors
Denise O’Leary, Purpol Marketing
Paul Parkinson, Synergy Automotive
Innovation of the Year
This category will reward the most groundbreaking technology, product or service that has been responsible for strong revenue growth in a small company (1-50 employees) over the past year.
2016 Winner: Azoomee
2016 Shortlist:
Ace Innovation: SuperVisor
Azoomee
Barnbrook Systems: BlueCube
Emblation
Fuel3D
RA Tech: hotun
KwikSweep
Synap
Synergy Grill
Sponsored by:
Website of the Year
Judges will assess style, functionality, and ease of use as the key considerations for the Website of the Year category for small business entrants.
2016 Winner: Wearecolony.com
2016 Shortlist:
Creatiques.co.uk
DerbyDaysOut.co.uk
MillharbourMarketing.com
Independentbeverley.co.uk
Thobaya.com
Wearecolony.com
Business/HR Consultancy of the Year
The judges will reward the HR advisory firm that is deemed by the judges to have provided the best service on all aspects of HR advice, from legal services, to administrative assistance.
2016 Winner: ClearlySo
2016 Shortlist:
ClearlySo
Hosking Associates
HR Advise Me
Penisula Business Services
Purple HR
Shelley Stock Hutter
Recruitment Company of the Year
The judges will reward the recruitment company that the judges feel best addresses the recruitment needs of small businesses, helping companies of under 50 employees find the right talent through offering a first-rate service.
2016 Winner: Indeed
2016 Shortlist:
BeecherMadden
Careers in Audit
CV-Library
Indeed
Jobandtalent
Prime
Nominations are now closed for the British Small Business Awards 2016.