Preston-based entrepreneur Lee Chambers and his company Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing have won the Professional Service Startup of the Year at the National Startup Awards, hosted in Manchester this week.
The StartUp Awards National Series launched to recognise the booming startup scene across the UK which has accelerated since the pandemic began. In 2020, when most of the world was shutting down, more than 400,000 startups were set up in Britain, with similar increases seen in other European countries.
There was stiff competition with over 2,500 applications received in response to the Startup Awards National Series’ first-ever call for entries, and Essentialise were victorious in the Professional Services Startup category. The judges highlighted the company’s clear vision of the future, continued innovation in the face of challenge and Chambers continued push for lasting social impact, using Essentialise as a positive force for good.
On being victorious in the Professional Services category, Lee Chambers said, “We have really worked hard over the past two years to build a company that supports other companies to get the best out of their people. Whether it’s support with strategy or training, wellbeing or inclusion, we have been adapting to our clients’ changing needs. Whether it’s household names or local charities, we are passionate about making a difference.”
“To win this award is a really milestone and a chance for us to reflect on what we have achieved, and the difference we want to continue to make, and we are so proud to represent Lancashire on a national platform.”
Supported nationally by BT, EY, Dell & Intel, the programme celebrates the achievements of the amazing individuals across the UK who have turned an idea into an opportunity and taken the risk to launch a new product or service.
Co-founded by the team behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, the awards follows the success of the Wales StartUp Awards, after organisers recognised the exceptional potential in the startup scene across the other British regions.
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, the creator of the StartUp Awards National Series, said: “New firms are important for generating economic prosperity, employment opportunities and innovation. Since 2016, the Wales StartUp Awards have celebrated this amazing annual contribution to our economy by entrepreneurs and the impact they have on communities across the nation.
“Given the sheer volume of phenomenal startups we’ve heard from since then, as well as the huge post-pandemic shift in people’s desires to take their career in a new direction and set up a business against the odds, we felt it was the right time to take the programme nationwide. We’ve been blown away by the standard of entries in this first year and each winner has excelled in their field.”
The Essentialise team will be continuing to celebrate, as founder Lee Chambers will be collecting his Rising Star Award in London next week, after winning the Men For Gender Balance category, as well as securing two new clients based in Liverpool and Leeds.
