The shortlist for the 12th annual Startups Awards has been announced – with Whisk and Purple Bricks from the West Midlands making the cut as two of the UK’s brightest new businesses.
Based in Birmingham and Solihull respectively, Whisk and Purple Bricks are joined by finalists from across the country, all of whom are hoping to take home a prestigious Startups Award when the winners are announced in a glittering ceremony on 27 November.
Sponsored by the UK’s favourite business insurance broker Simply Business and organised by Startups.co.uk, the number one website for start-ups and small businesses, the Awards recognise the success of Britain’s newest businesses which have been trading for four years or less.
Whisk is one of six finalists in the App of the Year category – one of the most hotly contested Awards this year. While Purple Bricks has earned nominations in three categories: Innovative Business of the Year, Tech Business of the Year and the Venture funded Business of the Year. The companies will also go head to head in the People’s Champion category, an award voted for by the general public.
Whisk is a digital shopping list and recipe finder app which looks to make food shopping a “breeze”. Founded by former Apprentice contestant Nick Holzherr, the app allows you to view lists and tick off items as you go, it even lets you email shopping lists to family members for collaboration.
Purple Bricks is the world’s first 24/7 estate agency. It enables customers to arrange viewings, book a local property expert and make an offer on a property from any device, anywhere in the world, at any time. The business secured £7m funding in a round led by Neil Woodford CBE last year and has already taken 61% of the national online housing market.
A panel of 24 leading entrepreneurs and businesspeople will now whittle the shortlist in each category down to one outstanding, award–worthy, company.
This year’s judging line up boasts a stellar line up, including Dragons’ Den star Touker Suleyman, much-loved British designer Cath Kidston MBE, Divine Chocolate founder Sophi Tranchell MBE and notonthehighstreet.com co-founder Holly Tucker MBE, as well as co-founder of Innocent Drinks Jon Wright, JUST EAT CEO David Buttress and Simon Franks, co-founder of LOVEFiLM.
With the Startups Awards 2015 more popular than ever before, receiving a 40% increase in entries compared to last year, the judges face a tough task indeed.
David Lester, founder of Startups.co.uk, comments: “Congratulations to Whisk on being named a finalist at the Startups Awards 2015 – that is no mean feat!
“The start-up talent in the UK at the moment is of exceptionally high quality. I am proud that the Startups Awards gives these outstanding businesses a platform to grow from, and I look forward to celebrating their successes in November.”
Startups Awards 2015 sponsors include: Simply Business, Nominet, Big Red Cloud, The Made Simple Group, haysmacintyre, RBS and Experian.