A total of 29 new businesses from a range of sectors have been recognised at the 2024 Wales StartUp Awards.
As well as being named as the best in their sector in Wales, all the winners will now progress to the inaugural national UK StartUp Awards final where they will be competing against category winners from the rest of the UK.
This will not only give them the opportunity to be crowned the best in their sector nationally but also to become the UK StartUp of the Year.
Harriet Rees, CIO of Starling Bank, which supports the awards, said:
“Turning an idea into a successful business takes a lot of courage and dedication. Congratulations to all the companies on winning their categories in Wales and making it to this year’s UK national final. Start-ups need certainty to plan ahead. It’s great to see so many thrive, especially in these challenging economic times.”
In 2023, 29,000 new businesses were created in Wales and according to Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, creator of the awards, this demonstrates the growing importance of entrepreneurs to the Welsh economy. He said he was also excited that the awards were yet again recognising the best new firms in Wales and celebrating the ‘amazing entrepreneurial talent from every corner of the nation’.
He said:
“Start-ups are the life of any economy and that is especially true here in Wales where new businesses are contributing to job creation, innovation, and prosperity across the whole of this entrepreneurial nation.
“It’s been an honour and a pleasure to read the stories of those Welsh founders who have spotted the opportunity and taken the risk to launch their own venture. All of the winners in Wales have demonstrated that they deserve to win their categories and I’m looking forward to having the ‘best of the best’ representing Wales and the Welsh entrepreneurial community at the UK final later this year.”
The UK final will take place on September 12th at Ideas Fest, a festival aimed at entrepreneurs, business leaders, disruptors, change-makers and decision-makers.
The winners from the 2024 Wales StartUp Awards are:
- Business to Business StartUp of the Year – My Training Shop
- Business, Consulting & Management StartUp of the Year – Evolution Safety Solutions
- Construction & Building Services StartUp of the Year – Wellspring Homes
- Consumer Products StartUp of the Year – Wales Perfumery
- Consumer Services StartUp of the Year – Angladdau Enfys Funerals
- Creative StartUp of the Year – Insidr
- Digital StartUp of the Year – de Novo Solutions
- Education & Training StartUp of the Year – Goggleminds
- Equity-Backed StartUp of the Year – Darogan
- Fashion & Beauty StartUp of the Year – SNOAP
- Food & Drink StartUp of the Year – Bullion Rum
- Global StartUp of the Year – Toca Vida Gin
- Graduate StartUp of the Year – Validient
- Green StartUp of the Year – FleetEV
- Health & Wellbeing StartUp of the Year – Clear For Men
- Hospitality & Events StartUp of the Year – Crafty Legs Events
- Innovative StartUp of the Year – Nuvolt
- Manufacturing & Engineering StartUp of the Year – Deploy Tech
- Marketing, Advertising & PR StartUp of the Year – StudioLoop
- Media & Entertainment StartUp of the Year – Black Swan Productions
- Mobile & Emerging Technologies StartUp of the Year – ValArt
- Professional Services StartUp of the Year – Remoo Mortgages
- Retail & E-Commerce StartUp of the Year – Cardigan Bay Designs
- Rising Star Award – Above.Beyond Finance
- Rural StartUp of the Year – Firth Flock Flowers
- Social Enterprise StartUp of the Year – Coalfield Flower Farm CIC
- Startup for Good Award – Tired Mums Coffee
- Tourism & Leisure StartUp – Lovetovisit.com
- Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Lewis Turner, Young Professionals Group
