The chair of Derbyshire’s King’s Award for Enterprise panel has welcomed a new category recognising up-and-coming entrepreneurs – and has urged the region’s young talent to step forward and apply.
Marvin Cooke said the newly launched King’s Award for Enterprise’s Young Founder award promised to inject fresh energy into the awards scheme, which is marking its 60th anniversary this year.
His comments came following another successful round of King’s Awards for Derbyshire, which saw four firms announced as winners earlier this week.
They are Acres Engineering, which won the award for Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility, West Special Fasteners and Phoenix Sealing Ltd, which both triumphed in the Excellence in Innovation category, and Kranlee Logistics Ltd, which won the award for International Trade.
The tally matched Derbyshire’s total for last year and added a second King’s Award in the Promoting Opportunity category, which consistently produces the fewest winners by a significant margin, to the county’s roster.
Applications for next year’s awards are now open, and Derbyshire’s King’s Award panel, which provides the county’s businesses with the information and support they need to enter, is inviting firms to attend two fact-finding events being held over the next few weeks.
Marvin said: “We’re so proud that Derbyshire has once again put itself firmly on the map with four fantastic award wins, underlining the excellent work that goes on in this part of the world, but which often goes unnoticed on a national level.
“The competition is now open again for next year and I’m really happy that there is now a fifth category aimed specifically at recognising the younger talent that is coming through.
“The award is open to successful founders who are aged between 18 and 30 and it represents a really exciting opportunity for youth to showcase how they are making waves in business alongside more established firms.”
Elizabeth Fothergill, Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, said: “Undoubtedly my favourite engagements during the year involve presenting local companies with their King’s Awards, so I’m already looking forward to visiting this year’s winners.
“Will there be some young faces among the winners in the future? I’d like to think so. We know that there are plenty of rising stars within our business community and it would be lovely for them to get some recognition with a King’s Award for Young Founder.
“Winning a King’s Award is not only a huge honour, it is an accolade which carries huge weight in business, especially for companies who are operating overseas and I would encourage all companies to look into applying this year.”
The first Derbyshire event will take place at the Dunston Innovation Centre in Chesterfield on May 20, followed by an event at the University of Derby’s Cavendish building on June 2.
For more information, and to book your place, visit www.derbyshirelieutenancy.co.uk.
