OxLEP begin search for new business of the year as Oxfordshire Business Awards ‘go live’

OxLEP are on the lookout for the county’s best new businesses ahead of the 2023 Oxfordshire Business Awards.

Following its return last year after the Covid-19 pandemic recently-launched businesses in the county are being encouraged to enter and gain the recognition they deserve.

OxLEP – who have supported the new business category for several years – 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 particularthose just starting out.

All businesses who enter the new business category must have started trading no earlier than 1 January 2020.

In addition to the new business categorythe awards has a further 12 categories including business person of the year business of the year and the purposeful business 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.

“Clearlyanyone who has launched a business since the beginning of 2020 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 CompositesThe Oxford Artisan Distillery (TOAD) and Oxford Dynamics.

Entries must be completed no later than midnight on 20 March. The awards dinner will take place on 9 June.

Enter the Oxfordshire Business Awards