Awards Nominations 2019

Entries for the Heropreneur Awards 2019 are now closed. If you need to get in touch about an entry you submitted for any of the below categories, please contact Amanda Rayner, Head of Awards – amanda@heropreneurs.co.uk

Start-up of the Year

The Start-up of the Year award recognises an early-stage company that is most successfully transitioning from an idea to an operational business, that has a commercial product or service, a strong and sustainable business plan, and a dedicated, enthusiastic management team.

Qualifying criteria

The relevant business must have been established for 12 months or less by the closing date of 24 May 2019.
The Start-up business must be the brain-child / managed by ex-Armed Forces personnel
OR
The dependent of a Veteran
OR
The dependent of a serving member of the Armed Forces.

NOW CLOSED

Entrepreneur of the Year

The Entrepreneur of the Year will be an individual or co-founders who have demonstrated significant success in business over the past 12 months since 1 June 2018. Success may take many forms, but may include growth, profitability, flexibility, overcoming challenges and much more. Overall, judges will be looking for an individual with demonstrable entrepreneurial spirit.

Qualifying criteria

Nominees must be former service personnel in business.
OR
The dependent of a Veteran
OR
The dependent of a serving member of the Armed Forces.
The nominees’ business(es) can be any age or size.
Examples of success must cover the period 1 June 2018 – 31 May 2019

NOW CLOSED

Heropreneur of the Year

This is the top award being presented at the Heropreneurs Awards. It seeks to recognise an individual who has created or is running a successful business despite having been injured during service in the Armed Forces.

Qualifying criteria

Nominees will have created and/or are running a successful business.
They may or may not also be supporting other Veterans through that business
Nominees will have suffered an injury whilst serving in the UK’s Armed Forces

NOW CLOSED

The Military Partner in Business Award

This award recognises the unique challenges faced by the partners of service personnel in running a new business or organisation as well as adapting to the postings, relocations, and deployments of their loved ones.

Qualifying criteria

Nominees must be the partner of a currently serving member of the Armed Forces.

NOW CLOSED

Small Employer of the Year

Small companies have a more personal approach to employment than the big businesses.

This award recognises the contributions of companies with between 5 – 200 employees. It looks to find the small business with the best engagement and employment policies for helping service personnel to transition from military to civilian employment as well as helping veterans and their dependants to realise their potential in the workforce.

Qualifying criteria

Entering companies must employ between 5 – 200 people.
Small businesses need to show a hands-on approach in their engagement with veterans and this may be led by an individual who is a civilian, or former members of the Armed Forces
A nomination can be made by a business of any age.

NOW CLOSED

Large Employer of the Year

This award recognises the contributions of businesses who employ over 200 people. Employers need to show how they are using their resources to helping service personnel to transition from military to civilian employment at the same time, helping veterans and their dependants to realise their potential in the workforce.

Qualifying criteria

Entering companies must employ 200 or more people
Engagement with veterans may be led by an individual who is a civilian, or former members of the Armed Forces
A nomination can be made by a business of any age.

NOW CLOSED

Warwick Business School Bursary Award

Warwick Business School are proud to be offering a 100% bursary to study one of their highly ranked MBA programmes as part of the Heropreneurs Awards.

Heropreneurs says an MBA transforms ambitious and talented individuals into entrepreneurial, creative and effective, leaders. Its students have the potential to develop into global leaders who make an immediate impact in business. Its inspirational teaching and innovative culture, provides the skills, aptitude, and vision needed to start businesses, or to transform careers.

Qualifying criteria
To be considered for the award you must meet the entry criteria clearly outlined in the ‘apply’ sections and complete the application form. Applications must be made by the applicants themselves – no third-party nominations will be considered for this award.

NOW CLOSED

Business Leader of the Year

Inspirational leadership comes in many forms.

This award intends to recognise the business leader whose contribution goes beyond the requirements of their job description. It is for someone who has inspired others to fulfil their potential, who has acted with selfless commitment, engendered an ethos of integrity and cultivated an environment where others can succeed.

Qualifying criteria

The nominee must work for an organisation with at least 5 employees.
The nominee must be a former member of the armed forces
OR
The dependent of a Veteran.
OR
The dependent of a serving member of the Armed Forces.

NOW CLOSED

The Veterans’ Foundation Award

Some veterans find leaving the armed forces and returning to civilian life, a huge struggle, sometimes resulting in homelessness, mental health issues, physical problems and family breakdown. The Veterans’ Foundation is a charity that was created to raise funds for military-related charities that do excellent and effective work to help these veterans and it favours those smaller charities that tend to struggle to raise funds.

This award seeks to recognise an organisation or individual that has given outstanding help to veterans in need and shown entrepreneurial qualities in doing so.

The winner of this category will receive a grant of £20,000 awarded to the charity of their choice, subject to the approval of the Board of the Veterans’ Foundation.

Qualifying criteria

Nominees (individuals / businesses) must be able to show:

Energy, passion and dedication
Innovation
Growth, sufficient to meet their objects (NB not all charities need to grow to achieve their objects)
Success (numbers, helping those with complex needs etc)
A nominated organisation must be under 10 years old
A nominated organisation must have reserves of under £1million
Individuals within a larger organisation may be nominated.

NOW CLOSED

Technology Business of the Year

The Technology Business of the Year is new for 2019 and recognises the increasing role this area of operation has in the business world.

It will be awarded to a business whose main area of operation is in technology – a business that focuses primarily on the development and manufacturing of technology or providing technology as a service. This can include, for example, business(es) relating to digital electronics, software, and internet-related services, such as e-commerce so long as it is technology-led.

Nominees will need to show how technology is the foundation of their business, while highlighting the benefits it brings to its end users, be that in a general or dedicated market.

Success may take many forms, but may include growth, profitability, flexibility, overcoming challenges and much more. Overall, Judges will be looking for a business which has created something special.

Qualifying criteria