Winners & sponsors gather for Cornwall Business Awards 2019 Launch

The search is on for the best of the best as the Cornwall Business Awards kicked off at an exclusive launch event supported by Avanti Communications.

Past winners and finalists joined this year’s sponsors and supporters to hear about all the new features for 2019.  Organising the Cornwall Business Awards for the second year, the Growth and Skills Hub team have been busy introducing new categories and re-writing all new questions. There is now an award for every business to apply for, from multi-national exporters to sole traders and traditional industries to high tech wizards.

The event was supported by Avanti Communications, who are based in Goonhilly and provide high-speed data communications via satellite across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.  They also run the EU funded Superfast Satellite programme, which connects Cornish businesses who are not able to access the fibre network to superfast broadband through a satellite connection.

Andy Williams, ERDF Cornwall Superfast Satellites Project Coordinator said, “There are still regions in Cornwall that can’t get fibre or mobile connectivity, but satellite is there and all they need is to be able to see the sky!  It’s a great opportunity for rural businesses as better connectivity is a really good growth enabler.”

The event was hosted at CIS Group UK’s work space at Aerohub Business Park, the location for the creation of their modular housing and retail units which saw them win Manufacturer of the Year in 2018.

Michael Fawke, Design and Marketing Manager for CIS Group UK explains what winning meant for their business. “We were absolutely thrilled to receive Manufacturer of the Year. A truly fantastic accolade for CIS Group and the team behind Precision Homes. Our team are delighted to have received recognition for their efforts at such a prestigious, entertaining and well organised event, hosted by the Growth and Skills Hub and we have had a great spell this year following the Awards.”

Any business or sole trader based in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly can apply, it is free to enter with applications open until the end of March.  A handful of sponsorship packages are still available starting from just £500.

The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth Hub and Skills Hub are part funded by the European Structural & Investment Funds and match funded by Cornwall Council, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.

Award Categories for 2019

Best Customer Service – Sponsored by St Austell Brewery

Best New Business (<2yrs) – Sponsored by Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP

Best Business with a Purpose – Sponsored by Eden Project

Growth Business of the Year – Sponsored by Access to Finance

Sole Trader of the Year – Sponsored by the Growth Hub

Best Marketing Campaign – Sponsored by CEG

Product of the Year – Sponsored by Business Cornwall

Young Business Person of the Year – Sponsored by Truro and Penwith College

Best Family Business – Sponsored by St Austell Printing Company

Best Place to Work – Sponsored by Cornwall College Business

Exporter of the Year – Sponsored by Invest in Cornwall

Business Leader of the Year – Sponsored by Unlocking Potential

Ambassador of the Year – Sponsored by CORSERV

Circular Economy Award – Sponsored by Tevi

Business of the Year – People’s Choice

 

The Awards are also supported by

Pirate FM

Avanti Communications

BT Group

Vickery Holman

SBPR

Vitamin Cornwall

Vertical Plus

JHAV