The Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) are on the lookout for the county’s best new businesses, following the launch of the 2022 Oxfordshire Business Awards.
Launched yesterday (2 December) the Oxfordshire Business Awards are returning following the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and businesses – along with business people from across the county – are being encouraged to enter and gain the recognition they deserve.
OxLEP – who supported the new business category prior to the emergence of Coronavirus – will again be backing the New Business Award and hope to discover a number of emerging Oxfordshire organisations, during what has been an extremely testing time for the business community and in particular, those just starting out.
All businesses who enter the new business category must have started trading no earlier than 1 January 2019.
The awards were formally launched at Oxford Science Park and – in addition to the new business category – the awards has a further 13 categories, including business person of the year, business of the year and the Oxfordshire business green award.
Rob Panting – Communications Manager at OxLEP – said: “We are delighted to once again support the new business award category and encourage any new business in the county to consider putting themselves forward.
“Clearly, anyone who has launched a business since the beginning of 2019 would have encountered challenges – due to the pandemic – that very few new businesses would have normally faced. With this in mind, we are hoping to shine a light on a new Oxfordshire business and indeed, pay tribute to everyone in the county who has been willing to embrace the challenge of starting a new business during these uncertain times.”
Shortlisted entries for the new business award will need to demonstrate the strength and stability of the business, an understanding of the market in which it operates, as well as how the business has embraced innovation, supporting it to be as productive as it can be.
In addition, competition judges will also consider how effectively a business has operated in-light of the pandemic and how it may have ‘pivoted’ – or even diversified – its original business model to support its ongoing continuity.
Judges will also look into the business’ plans for growth, including workforce development and possible opportunities for young people within the business.
Previous winners of the award include Lentus Composites, The Oxford Artisan Distillery (TOAD) and Sensyne Health.
Entries must be completed no later than midnight on 4 March 2022. The awards dinner will take place on 17 June 2022.
