Finalists for the Wales Start-up Awards 2021 have been announced, with 21 North Wales businesses shortlisted.
The awards provide a unique platform to recognise the achievements of businesses that have launched a new product or service and demonstrate their contribution to improving prosperity across Wales.
The awards received a record amount of nominations, with a total of 750 entries across the entire nation.
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, the founder of the Awards, was thrilled with the number of nominations received:
“Over the last fifteen months, we have seen record numbers of new firms being created in Wales despite the challenges faced by businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic and this is reflected in the high quality and quantity of the entries to the awards which will make the final judging even more difficult this year.
“Various studies have shown that entrepreneurship remains an important element of economies around the World, and it is clear that companies like our finalists, who perceive an opportunity and take a risk to create a new business, will be critical in ensuring the recovery of the Welsh economy over the next few years.
“I am particularly delighted that a quarter of the finalists are from North Wales this year.”
One of the categories is the North Wales Start-up of the Year, which has entries from across North Wales. The successful finalists are Aspire Leadership Academy (Bangor), Inndex (Beaumaris), Merch Locker Print Shop (Wrexham) and Semper Paratus (Penyffordd).
Proudly sponsoring the category is the North Wales Economic Ambition Board. Portfolio Director Alwen Williams said:
“We’re proud to continue to sponsor this category and support the awards because it brings a valuable platform for Start-Up Businesses”.
“It’s fantastic to see that 21 out of 90 finalists are from the North Wales region. We are looking forward to the event and congratulating the winners in September.”
Some of the other successful companies for the Awards include:
■ Business to business services Start-up of the year - Dewin Tech
■ Construction Start-up of the year - Inndex
■ Digital Start-up of the year - Cufflink
■ Fintech Startup of the year - Monva
■ Food and drink Start-up of the year - Bragdy Cybi, The Good Pud
■ Global Start-up of the year - Semper Paratus
■ Graduate Start-up of the year - Pai Language Learning
■ High Street Start-up of the year - Cocovanille, Cuffed in Coffee
■ Innovative Start-up of the Year - Grafmarine
■ Manufacturing Start-up of the year - LIMB-art, Slate Creation, The Good Pud
■ Mobile and Emerging Technologies start-up of the year - Dewin Tech
■ Rural Start-up of the year - Llaethdy Mynydd Mostyn
■ Social enterprise Start-up of the year - Prom Ally CIC
■ Young entrepreneur of the year - Tim Winstanley of Pendragon Drinks
■ Rising Stars award - Haia, Penbedw Lamb, The Sorbus Tree, The Scouted Hub
The awards ceremony will take place in Cardiff on the 9th of September. For more information about the event, please click here.