2027 Categories

Accelerator of the Year

Recognising the accelerator with the most dynamic and innovative programme of support for early stage founders.

Judges will be looking for a clear mission, a distinctive and innovative programme, and evidence of real impact. Strong entries will demonstrate meaningful support for diversity, measurable results and traction for founders, and clear examples of how the accelerator creates access to markets, partners, and customers. They will also value a credible approach to preparing founders for investment and actively connecting them with angel networks and early-stage investors. 

Angel Investor of the Year

Recognising the most active and impactful angel investor backing start-up and early stage UK businesses, bringing not only vital risk capital, but significant added value to support the growth and success of their portfolio.

Judges will be looking for clear evidence of both activity and impact. Strong entries will demonstrate a consistent track record of investment, including instances of leading rounds, alongside thoughtful involvement in due diligence and terms. They will value tangible examples of post-investment support, such as hands-on mentoring, strategic input, and opening doors to networks, as well as credible growth or exit outcomes within the portfolio. Judges will also expect a coherent investing thesis, grounded in the angel’s background and experience, showing how their capital and contribution meaningfully accelerate founder success. 

Angel Group of the Year

Recognising the most active and impactful angel group in the UK, making not only a significant number of investments during the past year, but bringing strong added value to support the growth and success of their portfolio.

Judges will be looking for evidence of strong activity, clear impact, and a well-run, evolving network. Strong entries will demonstrate a focused investment strategy, credible traction, and meaningful momentum over the past 12 months, including investment volume, deal flow, and any notable exits. They will also value examples of how the group adds value beyond capital, alongside concrete initiatives to grow, diversify, and upskill the investor base, showing a commitment to building a sustainable and professional angel community. 

Impact Investment of the Year

Celebrating an early-stage business whose equity backing has enabled the development of a transformational solution to global challenges. This award honours both the founder and the investor behind the vision, those who champion innovation with the power to shape a more resilient, equitable, and commercially impactful future.

Judges will be looking for compelling evidence of both impact and commercial credibility. Strong entries will clearly articulate the problem being solved and who benefits, demonstrate genuine innovation in the solution, and show measurable progress through milestones such as growth, adoption, revenue, or recognised impact. They will value transparency around funding and the role of investors, particularly where angels have added strategic value beyond capital. Above all, winning entries will connect the investment to tangible outcomes – showing how the backing has directly accelerated scale, strengthened the business, and delivered meaningful social, environmental, or economic change. 

Early-Stage Advisor of the Year

Recognising the essential support network that fuels early-stage success. This award honours the professionals and organisations whose expertise, dedication, and behind-the-scenes impact help unlock investment and accelerate growth across the ecosystem.

Judges will be looking for clear evidence of meaningful, behind-the-scenes impact on early-stage success. Strong entries will demonstrate tangible contributions to enabling investment, alongside practical tools, services, or approaches that reduce friction for founders and investors. They will value evidence of collaboration across the ecosystem, a thoughtful understanding of early-stage needs, and examples of tailored support. Judges will also look for forward-thinking plans that show how the advisor intends to evolve or scale their offering to continue strengthening the startup and investment landscape. 

Women in Innovation Award

Celebrating a woman investor whose strategic backing of a woman-led venture exemplifies bold conviction, commercial alignment, and ecosystem impact. This award honours investment where deal terms reflect true partnership, and where belief in female-led innovation has helped build scalable, high-growth success.

Judges will be looking for a powerful example of conviction-led investment and genuine partnership. Strong entries will clearly articulate the risk taken and belief shown at the time of backing, demonstrate how deal terms created alignment and empowered both founder and investor, and provide concrete evidence of strategic value added beyond capital. They will value measurable commercial outcomes such as growth, scale, or follow-on funding, alongside credible signs of wider ecosystem impact – including increased visibility, representation, and confidence in women-led innovation. 

Deep Tech Investment of the Year

Recognising the investors and founders that are pioneering deep technologies like AI, machine learning, IoT and robotics to achieve fundamental breakthroughs to global challenges.

Judges will be looking for clear evidence of genuine technical innovation paired with real-world impact. Strong entries will articulate the depth of the technology and why it represents a true breakthrough, not incremental improvement, alongside a compelling understanding of the problem it solves. They will value transparency around funding and the strategic role investors have played beyond capital, as well as tangible outcomes such as technical milestones, commercial traction, or demonstrable progress toward solving meaningful global challenges. 

Exit of the Year

Recognising the most exciting exit by an early stage investor in the last 12 months as a result of backing an innovating UK entrepreneur.

Judges are looking for a compelling exit story that combines bold backing of a UK entrepreneur with strong commercial outcomes. A winning entry will clearly set out the context of the original investment (sector, geography, and stage), explain why the business stood out in terms of innovation, scalability, and return potential, and evidence meaningful traction or impact achieved before exit. Judges will value transparency around funding history and co-investors, alongside a clear account of the nominee’s active role in supporting the company and navigating exit negotiations. Ultimately, the focus is on quality of returns, positive outcomes for the entrepreneur, and the strategic significance of the exit, including what it enables next. 

Hard Tech Investment of the Year

Recognising the founders and early stage investors whose disruptive innovations in research-intensive and capital-intensive sectors such as health & life sciences, engineering and manufacturing are driving the future economy.

Judges are seeking standout examples of early-stage investment in genuinely research-intensive, capital-heavy technologies with the potential to reshape industries or deliver significant societal benefit. Strong entries will clearly articulate the core innovation, the real-world problem it solves, and why the technology represents a true hard-tech breakthrough rather than incremental progress. Judges will look for evidence of credible funding strategies across private capital and grants, and for investors who add deep value beyond finance through technical insight, strategic guidance, and long-term commitment. They will assess tangible progress to date – key technical and commercial milestones, early traction, and signs that the investment is unlocking transformational impact. 

Investment in Diversity Champion

Recognising a key individual in the UK early-stage investment ecosystem that is taking a leadership role in breaking down barriers for access to equity investment  for founders from diverse backgrounds, including women founders, Black and ethnic minority founders, or other overlooked groups.

Judges are looking for a clear and credible example of leadership that is actively shifting who gets access to early-stage equity investment in the UK. A strong entry will identify a specific and well-understood barrier facing underrepresented founders and show how the nominee is taking purposeful and ideally innovative action to challenge it through their influence, platforms, or investment activity. Judges will prioritise evidence of real and measurable change, whether in founder or investor representation, funding outcomes, or community engagement, and signs that this work is catalysing wider ecosystem change through partnerships or replication. The most compelling nominations will also demonstrate sustained commitment, with clear plans to deepen and scale impact in the year ahead. 

Regional Champion of the Year

Recognising the trailblazers driving investment and innovation across the UK’s regions and nations – from councils and accelerators to individuals and organisations. This award honours those who champion local ecosystems, spark inclusive growth, and actively address regional imbalances by showcasing ambition, collaboration, and impact at every level.

Judges are looking for impactful leadership that is strengthening early-stage investment and innovation beyond London and the Golden Triangle. A strong entry will clearly set out the regions served, the specific challenges being addressed, and how the nominee’s sector focus or thematic approach aligns with local strengths and opportunities. Judges will expect concrete evidence of delivery, including deals completed, companies supported, jobs created, and partnerships formed, alongside active collaboration with local authorities, investors, universities, and ecosystem partners. Particular weight will be given to tangible growth outcomes, recent standout moments such as funding rounds or exits, and credible efforts to build more inclusive and diverse regional ecosystems with lasting local impact. 

Scale Up Team of the Year

Recognising the most active and dynamic entrepreneurial team who, through strong leadership and teamwork, have achieved fast growth and scale of their highly innovative business.

Judges are looking for a cohesive and high-performing team that has translated a clear mission and innovative idea into rapid, sustainable growth. A strong entry will show how the team has driven key milestones, built traction, secured and effectively deployed investment, and scaled the organisation through aligned leadership and execution. Judges will value clarity on the business’s growth journey to date, the team’s role in turning strategy into results, and credible plans for the next phase of scale. This category rewards teams that demonstrate ambition, collaboration, and the ability to lead a business through complexity into high-growth impact. 

Seed VC of the Year

Recognising the most active and impactful early stage fund in the UK, bringing investment and support to build and scale their investee businesses.

Judges are seeking an early-stage fund that demonstrates strong investment activity, a clear and differentiated strategy, and tangible portfolio impact. Successful entries will show how the fund is deploying capital at scale, supporting portfolio growth, and contributing to successful exits or liquidity events where relevant. Judges will look closely at the value added beyond capital, effective collaboration with angel investors, and practical action to support diversity across the fund, its investors, and its investments.