The first award ceremony to recognise and celebrate the best businesses in Cardiff is being launched this week.
The new Cardiff Business Awards aims to put the spotlight on individuals and businesses that have played a crucial role in establishing the city as a thriving centre for economic activity.
Individuals and companies from across the capital are being invited to nominate themselves for the awards that will recognise the entrepreneurial, inspiring and innovative ventures making a difference to the city’s economic development.
Backed by organisations including Natwest, City of Cardiff Council, Cardiff Business Club and the Cardiff Business Council, the awards will focus on the successes of businesses and entrepreneurs based in the capital.
Companies and business people from a variety of backgrounds are encouraged to enter free of charge via the Cardiff Business Awards website ( http://cardiffbusinessawards.com/). Entries can be submitted for a maximum of two out of 12 categories, ranging from ‘creative and digital industries’, ‘entrepreneur of the year’ to ‘green business award, and ‘young business person’.
Entrants could include a young entrepreneur with a clear commercial vision; a tourism business providing an outstanding travel experience for visitors to Cardiff, or a technology business developing innovative products. Businesses of all sizes and from across all sectors are encouraged to enter.
The deadline for entries is 17th July 2015, when a shortlist will be decided by a panel of expert judges chaired by Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, founder of the Wales Fast Growth 50 competition, and Ken Poole, Head of Economic Development at City of Cardiff Council. Shortlisted nominees will be interviewed in September, and winners will be announced at a glittering ceremony in Cardiff City Hall on 18th September.
A range of local businesses are backing the awards, with confirmed sponsors including Cardiff and Vale College, Cardiff University, Eversheds, Cardiff Metropolitan University, First Great Western, Wales Environmental and the University of South Wales. A number of Cardiff’s entrepreneurial communications businesses such as Brighter Comms, Cleartech and Bluegg are providing support for the event.
The event is being organised by local company Grapevine Event Management.
Its founder, Liz Brookes said:
“Cardiff has never had a dedicated awards programme until now. There is so much to celebrate about Cardiff as it develops as a centre for economic activity and as a great place to work and live. Not only are financial and professional services firms being attracted to relocate to the city but existing companies such as Deloitte and Admiral are expanding. There is also an exciting start up and creative scene, with developments such as the Life Sciences Hub Wales and the new Gloworks creative industries centre in Porth Teigr.
Barry Evans, NatWest regional director for corporate and commercial banking for South Wales and Severnside, said:
“NatWest is delighted to be among the principal supporters of the Cardiff Business Awards. Cardiff is a vibrant city with a strong enterprise culture which we work hard to support. Our various initiatives designed to benefit the business community of the capital include the launch next year of an accelerator hub, in association with social enterprise Entrepreneurial Spark. We look forward to this hub for entrepreneurs bringing an added dimension to the business ecosystem in Cardiff and South East Wales, complementing the many other excellent organisations also working to build and sustain a strong Welsh economy.”
Scott Waddington, Chairman of Cardiff Business Club and Chief Executive of Brains said “Cardiff Business Club has been at the heart of the business life of the capital city of Wales for over a hundred years. We are delighted to be able to support the inaugural Cardiff Business Awards that will celebrate our best firms and the environment in which they operate.”