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SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Apprentice Employer of the Year
Our criterion to win the award is simple – tell us how you as an employer look after your apprentices so they take care of your business.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Best Enterprising Business
Winners in this category won’t be standing still and doing the same old things, they’ll be moving and shaking, leading in their markets. In terms of this category, enterprise can be defined as showing initiative and willingness to undertake new projects.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Best New Business
You’ve come into business in the last 2 years (start date on or after the 1st January 2023) with a bang and are really getting noticed for what you do. Tell us what makes you the best of a great new crop.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Business Innovation
Innovation in your business means doing something new, different, smarter or better that will make a positive difference. Innovation therefore ranges from implementing a time-saving office procedure to a brand new product.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Business of the Year less than 50 Employees
This award will go to the business that can show outstanding initiative, boldness and imagination in the enterprise, as well as sound management practices. Entrants to this award will be expected to demonstrate sustainable growth combined with a degree of commercial success that is exceptional for the size of the business.
Entrants in this category must have less than 50 employees at the time of entry, where Full-time count as 1 and Part-time or Temporary count as 0.5.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Business of the Year more than 50 Employees
This award will go to the business that can show outstanding initiative, boldness and imagination in the enterprise, as well as sound management practices.
Entrants to this award will be expected to demonstrate sustainable growth combined with a degree of commercial success that is exceptional for the size of the business.
Entrants in this category must have more than 50 employees, at the time of entry, where Full-time count as 1 and Part-time or Temporary count as 0.5.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Business Person of the Year
This award will go to a business person or entrepreneur who shows outstanding initiative, boldness and imagination in the enterprise, as well as sound management practices.
Entrants to this award will be expected to demonstrate sustainable growth combined with a degree of commercial success that is exceptional for the size of the business.
Our judges will be looking for entrepreneurial skills and evidence of how they have seen opportunities and are striving in their business.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Business Woman of the Year
This award will be presented to the best female business owner or a female who has had a positive impact on a business/es. They will show how they have exceptional drive to succeed and how they have been integral to making the business or businesses a success.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Community Business of the Year
This category celebrates both Community Businesses and Not for Profit Organisations. What these businesses have in common is that their focus is on positively benefitting society. All profit from a community business is reinvested in the local area and all profit from a charitable organisation goes to fulfilling their objectives.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Corporate Social Responsibility Award
This award recognises businesses prioritising their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices and demonstrating a commitment to change.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Daventry Business of the Year
The winners of the Daventry Business of the Year will be exceptional across all aspects of running a successful SME. Considering the enormous wealth of commercially focused talent across the area, the judges will be expecting a wide range of exceptional entries. The winners will stand out even in this talented crop of entries.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Employer of the Year
Our criterion to win the award is simple – tell us how you as an employer look after your people so they take care of your business.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Family Business of the Year
The winners of Family Business of the Year will be combining their passion in business with their shared family values. We recommend your business being passed down at least 2 generations. The judges will be looking at how you can grow your business while still keeping your core family values at the center of everything you do.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
High Growth Business of the Year
High growth firms are referred to as ‘gazelles’ for the way they are racing ahead, contributing massively to employment growth. Our judges want to know about your achievements and plans for even more success
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Business of the Year
This award will recognise a business that has set the benchmark for excellence, value and innovation within the hospitality, leisure or tourism sector. Judges will be looking for entrants to demonstrate how they’ve delivered outstanding experiences, pushed the boundaries of innovation, created new value and provided exceptional service and quality.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Networking Group of the Year
Business Networking has become a very important part of many businesses marketing and sales strategy. Some groups have been around many years, some have only recently started. It is important that whatever way you run your group, it must be successful – prove it and you could be the winners.
The judges will want to know if you are an independent or part of a franchise or national network. The history behind your formation, the people involved, numbers attracted and your vision for the future. Go on – prove your group is the best…
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Positive Impact Award
The winner of the category will be innovating and adapting their business to not only thrive but benefit the wider community. Have you changed the products or services you are producing to help during a crisis or are lending your team to assist elsewhere? Our judges will not only be looking at how you plan to create a positive impact, but what you are currently doing to put this in place.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Service Excellence
The winner of this category will give outstanding assistance and advice to those who buy or use the business or organisation’s products or services. They will be able to provide customer testimonials to back up their submission.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Silverstone Business of the Year
Show the judges you are one of the top SMEs trading/ based in Silverstone! Give evidence to show how you are rising above the competition in the local area and why you should be the company to be known in Silverstone and beyond!
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Sustainability Award
Being “green” and “sustainable” in business terms means reducing or removing the harmful impact that products and/or services have on the environment.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Towcester Business of the Year
The winners of the Towcester Business of the Year will be exceptional across all aspects of running a successful SME. Considering the enormous wealth of commercially focused talent across the area, the judges will be expecting a wide range of exceptional entries. The winners will stand out even in this talented crop of entries.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Website of the Year
Irrespective of your size, your website says it all. It should look great, be really easy to navigate, showcase whatever it is you do but most importantly, it should engage the viewer and keep them on your site for as long as you need them.
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Young Business Person of the Year
For business people aged 30 or less (by 1st January 2026) who have demonstrated a high degree of entrepreneurship, creativity and vision for the future. The judges will be looking to identify an individual who has set up a business or has had a significant influence in the business, that has set and achieved objectives within its business plans and established a position of sustainable profitability and success. In addition to this, judges will want to see an understanding of the relationship between your own development and the success of the business.
Gold winners from the starred (*) categories will go through to the SME National Business Awards 2026
