The StartUp Awards are back for 2023, and social enterprises in Wales are being encouraged to enter the Social Enterprise StartUp category, sponsored by the Social Investment Cymru team at WCVA.
BACKGROUND
The StartUp Awards is a collaboration between the founders of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards and the Wales Start-Up Awards, the only national and regional awards currently celebrating new businesses in the UK.
Already established and thriving in Wales, the StartUp Awards is now extending across the whole of the United Kingdom. The Social Enterprise Startup category ‘recognises new businesses that give back, enrich communities and make a contribution to society.’
Previous winners in the Wales category include Swperbox, a meal box delivery service, which creates, manufactures and delivers food across South and West Wales. Putting social values at the core of their business model, they received investment from the Social Business Growth Fund, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government and administered by Social Investment Cymru at WCVA.
Last year’s winner, Prom Ally offers the free loan of over 3,000 prom dresses and suits to school children, sixth form students and college students. After becoming a Community Interest Company they were eligible for WCVA’s Net zero carbon start-up grant, which helped them survive and thrive as a social business.
WHAT TO KNOW
To be eligible to enter the StartUp Awards, your social business must have been trading for no more than three years prior to the date of your entry submission. You must be registered and trading in the UK.
Applications close on Friday 24 February 2023. Further details on the application process are available on the StartUp Awards website.
Need some encouragement before you apply? SIC’s Alun Jones explains why you should give it a go in this video:
MORE ON SIC
Social Investment Cymru (SIC) financially supports social enterprises in Wales with a range of grants and loans.
They invest in organisations that want to generate more income or expand their range of services, and organisations that have previously struggled to attract grant funding for new projects. Got a project in mind that you think they could finance? Contact the team at to talk through your ideas and see if you might be eligible for funding.