Entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den icon Theo Paphitis is collaborating with Business Leader for its upcoming ScaleUp Awards, which celebrate the country’s fastest growing companies.
Officially announced at Theo’s Small Business Sunday (#SBS) annual event – #SBSEvent2022 in Birmingham on 25th February – a special new category recognising small businesses with potential will be launched at the 2022 ScaleUp Awards. The new award, the #SBS Small Business Award, will give Theo’s #SBS winners the opportunity to put themselves forward to the prestigious judging panel, with an overall winner announced at the in-person awards ceremony to be held in London later this year.
Small Business Sunday, shortened to the hashtag #SBS on Twitter, was created by Theo Paphitis in October 2010 and is one of the leading small business communities in the UK.
Each week, Theo rewards small businesses that tweet him @TheoPaphitis and describe their businesses in one tweet including the all-important hashtag #SBS. The competition is also now open to small businesses on Instagram, as of 27th February.
Every Monday night at 8pm, Theo reviews and chooses his favourite lucky six who are then announced and reshared with his followers.
These businesses can now gain further recognition by entering the SBS Small Business Category at the ScaleUp Awards, where they will have their submissions scrutinised by a panel of business leaders.
The ScaleUp Awards are part of the national media group Business Leader and previous winners at the awards include Pimlico Plumbers, Octopus Energy and Black and White Hospitality.
The awards boast 15 categories in total, including the newly launched category with Theo.
Theo Paphitis comments: ‘#SBS has become an institution for aspiring business leaders and the ScaleUp Awards will provide another positive arena for them to learn, compete and have their achievements recognised.
‘Entrepreneurs do better when they have positive networks and role models, and this collaboration will provide both. I would encourage you to enter if you are a winner in the #SBS network – a fantastic opportunity.’
Oli Ballard, Director at Business Leader, comments: ‘We’re delighted to be partnering with Theo and providing another springboard for the great companies that are part of the SBS initiative. The judging panel is excited about this new announcement, and we look forward to seeing the businesses put themselves forward.’
Only companies that are #SBS winners can enter this new category and they can also enter other categories at the awards.
Entries close on April 22 and the finalists will be announced in July 2022 and the winners revealed at the end of 2022 at a live event.
You can see the full-judging panel here: https://www.businessleader.co.uk/live-events/scale-up-awards/judges/
