Nominations open to find UK’s best entrepreneurs for Barclays Entrepreneur Awards 2020

Barclays Awards

Awards highlight and recognise entrepreneurs who are transforming their industries, the economy and society

Nominations for Barclays Entrepreneur Awards 2020 are now open The awards celebrate entrepreneurs’ success, leadership and positive impact on society.

Now in their fifth year and in the same spirit as the inaugural award, Barclays is keen to celebrate the success of those game changing entrepreneurs and businesses who despite the current pandemic have made a positive impact to their communities and the wider UK economy.

In challenging times new business are born, entrepreneurs pivot and communities come together to make a difference. Entrepreneurship is at the beating heart of the UK economy and it is therefore only right that we continue to recognise those game changers who are making a difference to the people and communities in which they serve.

Richard Heggie, Head of High Growth & Entrepreneurs Proposition at Barclays said: “The awards are a celebration of the exceptional innovation and leadership entrepreneurs show, helping to create social change and growth. This is our opportunity to celebrate some of the UK’s most successful home-grown ventures and the founders behind them.

“It’s been a difficult time for businesses due to the coronavirus outbreak, which is why it’s more important than ever celebrate entrepreneurs and recognise their achievements. So often it’s their exceptional innovation, alongside their drive for social change, that helps us to overcome challenges and keep the country moving forward.”

The awards bring the full entrepreneurial community together. This year, for the first time, Barclaycard are joining the event alongside Barclays Rise and Eagle Labs as partners of the Awards. This group wide initiative started five years ago and forms an integral part of our support for entrepreneurship across the bank.

Full list of Awards categories

Nominations can be submitted across eight different categories detailed, with the People’s Choice award opening up later in the process.

  • Start-up Entrepreneur of the Year: entrepreneurs who have started new, fast-growing businesses.
  • Scale-up Entrepreneur of the Year: entrepreneurs whose businesses are growing on a rapid scale.
  • Social Entrepreneur of the Year: entrepreneurs whose companies have delivered transformative social or environmental change.
  • Icon of the Year: entrepreneurs who have successfully turned their vision into reality.
  • International Expansion of the Year: businesses that have established an impressive trading footprint and market growth in international markets over the last three years.
  • Eagle Labs Innovation Award: companies that have demonstrated impact through digital empowerment and innovative collaboration.
  • Rise FinTech Company of the Year Award: companies from the Rise network and Barclays Accelerator Alumni who are creating scaling businesses that are transforming financial services.
  • The Barclaycard Next Level Award: recognises the entrepreneurs/businesses that have overcome a significant challenge or grabbed their big business growth moment.

Nominations can be submitted online at https://events.barclays.com/entrepreneurawards2020 and until Friday, 3 July 2020. Applicants can consider categories that range from the Start-up Entrepreneur Award which is for a founder of a business with propensity for scale – to The Social Entrepreneur Award for those who are positively driving social and environmental change with their business.