The Scale Up Business of the Year Award
CRITERIA
UK scale-ups generate £1.3trn in revenues and 8% of SME employment, despite representing less than 1% of businesses, according to the Scale-Up Institute.
If you have achieved average annualised growth of at least 20% over the last three years, and exceeded expectations over the last 18 months, you deserve the recognition of your peers.
Has your business entered a new phase of growth, with a substantial increase in sales, headcount, profitability, market share or geographical expansion in recent years?
This award recognises scaling businesses that are demonstrating the highest levels of growth and a robust plan to deliver sustained financial success.
Open to any UK-based scale-up with a current turnover of not less than £3m per annum and at least 10 employees, judges will look for those that are best demonstrating:
- Strong financial performance over a three year period
- Organic growth, effective optimisation of growth capital or acquisition to scale
- Inspirational leadership and effective management
- Innovation in products, services or processes
- Exceptional customer service & engagement
- Engaged and productive employees
- Ethical practice and profit with purpose
SCORING AND WEIGHTING
In this category judges will compare the extent to which each candidate has demonstrated excellence in the following areas:
- Employee & Customer Engagement
- Leadership & Innovation
- Organisational Ethics & Policies
- Financial Performance & Growth
PROPORTION OF OVERALL SCORING
25% Employee, 25% Leadership, 20% Organisational, 30% Financial
ENTRY STATEMENT
In a summary of no more than 350 words, please describe what your business does, the market in which it operates and what differentiates you from your competitors. Please include your key business achievements that are significant for your market sector or industry. (Please note that should you become a finalist the answer to this question will be used in external PR & Communications to explain who you are)
In no more than 1200 words, explain why you should win this award using the bullet points below as a guide:
- Employee & Customer Engagement 25%
- Provide evidence and case study examples of how employees and key stakeholders have been recruited, retained, motivated and optimised to deliver growth objectives.
- Provide case study examples and top line data to demonstrate how you have increased your customer base or market penetration over the last 18 months.
- Leadership & Innovation 25%
- How has innovation supported scale? Provide evidence or case studies to demonstrate how an innovative product, service, solution or initiative has driven commercial success.
- Show how the management structure, leadership philosophy and culture of your company supported scale or high growth over of the last three years.
- Organisational Ethics & Policies 20%
- How are ethical, environmental or social impact policies or initiatives aligned with your growth objectives?
- How does your approach to diversity, equity and inclusion align with your overall ambition for the business?
- Explain how your ethical or diversity policy or sustainability strategy has improved employee / client attraction and retention.
- Financial Performance & Growth 30%
- Explain your key growth metrics, including financial targets, KPIs, timescales and overall ambitions plus examples of milestones and barriers/challenges that have been overcome. Growth metrics can include adoption, subscription, lead generation, client base, headcount, NPS scores, etc.
- How do you benchmark against your peers in terms of sales, profitability or market share?
- How has your company performed against your growth plan and what will help you to sustain future growth?
- Show examples and/or case studies of what has supported, or will drive further, commercial success.
