A recruitment company that’s shaking up the international space industry, Britain’s first carbon negative ice cream company, and a key disruptor in sustainable fashion-tech are all among the finalists in the Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards 2021.

The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards (BBEA) celebrates and showcases the resilience, innovation and creativity of British businesses. With a combined 20/21 turnover of more than £500million, the eleven finalists in LDC Entrepreneur of the Year category have proven their resilience and built or grown their businesses during one of the worst periods in British business history. Creativity and innovation were demonstrated in bucket loads by British companies who seized and developed new consumer trends for dried flowers, disrupted the conveyancing market and levelled the playing field in home tutoring.

This year’s finalists include:

EVONA is shaking up space recruitment by matching STEM candidates to their dream jobs within the international space industry – a market estimated to reach $3 trillion by 2040. EVONA has seen a 400% growth in its first year, placed over 200 candidates and created a 27 strong team. They plan to quadruple their team to have over 100 plus employees by 2022. Launched by four young, passionate, entrepreneurial recruitment specialists, EVONA is a finalist in the Lloyds Bank New Business of the Year Award.

Jude’s Ice Cream; Britain’s first carbon negative ice cream and deserts company and a certified B Corp. Last year, the company launched 20 new products including ice cream for dogs (with Battersea Dog’s Home), vegan chocolate lollies, and Kefir ice creams. The company has a target of making 50% of its range plant based by 2023. Founded 18 years ago, and now a second-generation family business, Jude’s is a finalist in the Lloyds Bank Positive Social & Sustainable Impact Award.

Launched in 2021, Sojo Services is a key disrupter in the sustainable fashion-tech market. Founder Josephine Philips is in her early twenties and she is a finalist in the LCD Entrepreneur of the Year Award having launched the Sojo App to enable customers to get their second hand or upcycled clothes fixed or altered easily and quickly by connecting them with a seamster business. The App has been listed as one of the top 100 European sustainable start-ups to watch.

Event Director of The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards (BBEA), Sarah Austin said: “Our awards are a national platform to showcase, celebrate and honour the very best of British business. Congratulations to all of our finalists who have all launched or positively thrived during a turbulent year for British businesses. Our finalists have proven their companies to be innovative, resilient and entrepreneurial and really are best of class.”

All finalists will present to the judging panel in September, then the winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in November. Tickets to attend the ceremony are available to purchase through the website: https://britishbusinessexcellenceawards.co.uk

The full list of finalists is below:

Business Enabler of the Year:

• DCSL GuideSmiths
• BigChange
• Dent Global
• Pallet-Track
• Blend Commerce
• Reflex Vehicle Hire
• AM Bid Services
• Datatron
• Investor Meet Company
• Digital Cake

Employer of the Year:

• ServiceMaster AAA
• FlyForm
• DCSL GuideSmiths
• GovGrant
• Ground Control
• 1E
• The UPAC Group
• Threshold Financial Services
• Bovingdons Catering

Exporter of the Year:

• EthOss Regeneration
• Direct Healthcare Group
• Rebound Electronics (Rebound Group)
• Invenio Business Solutions
• Paradigm Human Performance

The LDC Entrepreneur of the Year:

• Dave Stevinson, QBS Technology Group
• Fokhrul Islam, CEO, Northern Gas and Power
• Christian Nellemann, Founder & Executive Chairman, XLN
• Nick Thompson, CEO, DCSL Software
• Sean Ramsden MBE, Founder, Ramsden International
• James Whiteley, Managing Director, White Stores
• Keith Griffiths, CEO, Built Environment Networking
• Simon Morrish, CEO, Ground Control
• Lorna Davidson, Founder, regwigwam
• Daniel Priestley, CEO, Dent global
• Josephine Philips, Founder, Sojo

The Lloyds Bank New Business of the Year:

• The SaaSy People
• The Greater Good Fresh Brewing Co.
• Three Sisters Farm Ltd
• Investor Meet Company
• Distributed
• EVONA
• Home dine Club
• PREMIER HEARING
• Exchange Train

The Lloyds Bank Positive Social Impact Award:

• Designer Fragrances
• eco mmc
• Jude’s Ice Cream
• The Tartan Blanket Co.
• Blush Cloud
• Tribepad
• S.M.A.R.T. Foundation UK
• SchoolOnline.co.uk
• Fairfax & Favor
• Yorkshire Psychology Practice

The Lloyds Bank Small to Medium Sized Business of the Year:

• AU Vodka
• EWI Store
• The Tartan Blanket Co.
• Frenchic Paint
• DCSL GuideSmiths
• GovGrant
• Route 101
• BOXPARK
• Mackie’s of Scotland
• Aker Systems
• Cameo

The Lloyds Mid-Market Business of the Year:

• Northern Gas and Power
• Direct Healthcare Group
• QBS Technology Group
• White Stores
• Rosemont Pharmaceuticals
• Hippo Motor Group
• Prestige Flowers
• Huntapac Produce
• Fairstone Group

The New Entrepreneur of the Year:

• Katya Valeva, CEO, Blush Cloud
• Michael Campbell, CEO, AET Global/ INTU Your Home
• Eddy Chan, CEO, SchoolOnline.co.uk
• Sam Amrani, CEO & Founder, Olvin
• Philippa Main, Founder & CEO, Three Sisters Farm

The Scale Up Business of the Year:

• Sapio Research
• FlyForm
• DCSL GuideSmiths
• Digital Voices
• QBS Technology Group
• White Stores
• Electric House
• The Moot Group
• SkinHQ
• Thursday (Honeypot Dating)
• AU Vodka

The Technology Innovation Award:

• Northern Gas and Power
• Fleetondemand
• Smart Lock & Dock Ltd
• BrightHR
• Tempcover
• Pupil
• Geeks
• Luminance
• Octopus Energy
• Reflex Vehicle Hire
• Investor Meet Company
• BigChange

Notes to editors: The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards is the elite business awards programme for businesses of all shapes and sizes. After the setback is the comeback: the British Business Excellence Awards is bringing some cheer back to the UK business community after the trials and tribulations of the coronavirus crisis.

The awards celebrate the resilience, innovation and creativity of British businesses, whether big or small, an innovative new start-up or an established industry player, private, public or third sector.

The awards host a yearlong programme of networking events, round tables, exemplar judging processes which all then culminate in a glittering awards ceremony on Tuesday 9th November at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London. https://britishbusinessexcellenceawards.co.uk