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Calling All Entrepreneurs & Start Ups
FIVE REGIONAL HEATS LAUNCHED IN HSBC’S NATIONWIDE SEARCH FOR BRITAIN’S TOP START-UP BUSINESSES
Next week sees the launch of HSBC Bank’s sixth annual Start-Up Stars Awards – the UK’s premier showcase for the most promising start-up businesses and the inspirational entrepreneurs behind them.
The HSBC Start-Up Stars Awards 2006 – presented with the Daily Express and Sky News, and backed
by government – are open to any fledgling firm less than three years old which can prove it has the determination, dedication, creativity and business acumen for success.
The 2006 Awards have been expanded to include five new Regional Heats across
the UK – South East, The North, Midlands, Western and Wales, and London – making the annual search for new businesses with the special ‘X’ Factor bigger and better than ever.
A regional panel of business experts will then select the Area’s Top businesses, who will be honoured at a Regional Awards Event, before going forward to compete nationally.
A National Judging Panel will study all 25 Regional Winners before selecting
10 Finalists who will be invited to London to explain why their business should get the top prize of £25,000 plus the title ‘Start-Up Star 2006’.
The Start-Up Stars Awards will culminate in a glittering black tie event at London’s famous Savoy Hotel in October 2006, where the Overall Winner and Runner-Up will be announced before an audience of 300 guests drawn from the worlds of business, politics and the media.
In addition, each National Finalist will win a prize package worth £4,000, including the QuickBooks Pro small business accounting software from Intuit and the
Google Mini hardware-software solution from Google. They will also receive a two years free business banking service from HSBC* (conditions apply, see below).
Simon Wainwright, Head of Business Banking for HSBC Bank, said: “Last year, HSBC helped the entrepreneurs behind nearly 80,000 new businesses get started – that’s one every six minutes - so we understand what it takes to set up a new venture and go it alone.
“What makes Start-Up Stars special are the people that enter. They come in all shapes and sizes, but have one thing in common - they shared a dream of running their own business. But, crucially, all of them have had the guts and determination to turn that dream into an idea, put the idea into practice and then work tirelessly to see it become a reality.”
Last year’s National Finalists ranged from a dynamic Devonshire duo who gave up their city jobs to launch a specialist Chilli Farm to a husband and wife team from Wales who swapped the daily grind of the Royal Mail to renovate a local watermill. Now their only daily grind is producing a range of award-winning organic flour on sale nationally.
The top prize in 2005 was won by Club Asia - a unique London radio station launched by two sisters from Essex to appeal to young British-Asian listeners. In less than three years, it has become the fastest-growing commercial radio station in London.
So if you’re one of the growing number of men and women in Britain who has said yes to an independent future and become your own boss - you could become one of this year’s prestigious Start-Up Stars.
Entry forms for the awards are available from HSBC branches, online at www.hsbc.com or by contacting the awards organisers office on 0870 902 3333.
Closing date for entries is Friday, April 28.
Regional heats will take place during July and national judging will take place in August to select the 10 National Finalists.
For information on how to get a business off the ground, would-be entrepreneurs
can order a copy of HSBC’s free Starting a Business pack by visiting www.ukbusiness.hsbc.com or calling 08000 321 322.
* two year free business banking service means the customer pays no standard transaction charges on cheques, Direct Debit and standing orders paid from their account,
Next week sees the launch of HSBC Bank’s sixth annual Start-Up Stars Awards – the UK’s premier showcase for the most promising start-up businesses and the inspirational entrepreneurs behind them.
The HSBC Start-Up Stars Awards 2006 – presented with the Daily Express and Sky News, and backed
by government – are open to any fledgling firm less than three years old which can prove it has the determination, dedication, creativity and business acumen for success.
The 2006 Awards have been expanded to include five new Regional Heats across
the UK – South East, The North, Midlands, Western and Wales, and London – making the annual search for new businesses with the special ‘X’ Factor bigger and better than ever.
A regional panel of business experts will then select the Area’s Top businesses, who will be honoured at a Regional Awards Event, before going forward to compete nationally.
A National Judging Panel will study all 25 Regional Winners before selecting
10 Finalists who will be invited to London to explain why their business should get the top prize of £25,000 plus the title ‘Start-Up Star 2006’.
The Start-Up Stars Awards will culminate in a glittering black tie event at London’s famous Savoy Hotel in October 2006, where the Overall Winner and Runner-Up will be announced before an audience of 300 guests drawn from the worlds of business, politics and the media.
In addition, each National Finalist will win a prize package worth £4,000, including the QuickBooks Pro small business accounting software from Intuit and the
Google Mini hardware-software solution from Google. They will also receive a two years free business banking service from HSBC* (conditions apply, see below).
Simon Wainwright, Head of Business Banking for HSBC Bank, said: “Last year, HSBC helped the entrepreneurs behind nearly 80,000 new businesses get started – that’s one every six minutes - so we understand what it takes to set up a new venture and go it alone.
“What makes Start-Up Stars special are the people that enter. They come in all shapes and sizes, but have one thing in common - they shared a dream of running their own business. But, crucially, all of them have had the guts and determination to turn that dream into an idea, put the idea into practice and then work tirelessly to see it become a reality.”
Last year’s National Finalists ranged from a dynamic Devonshire duo who gave up their city jobs to launch a specialist Chilli Farm to a husband and wife team from Wales who swapped the daily grind of the Royal Mail to renovate a local watermill. Now their only daily grind is producing a range of award-winning organic flour on sale nationally.
The top prize in 2005 was won by Club Asia - a unique London radio station launched by two sisters from Essex to appeal to young British-Asian listeners. In less than three years, it has become the fastest-growing commercial radio station in London.
So if you’re one of the growing number of men and women in Britain who has said yes to an independent future and become your own boss - you could become one of this year’s prestigious Start-Up Stars.
Entry forms for the awards are available from HSBC branches, online at www.hsbc.com or by contacting the awards organisers office on 0870 902 3333.
Closing date for entries is Friday, April 28.
Regional heats will take place during July and national judging will take place in August to select the 10 National Finalists.
For information on how to get a business off the ground, would-be entrepreneurs
can order a copy of HSBC’s free Starting a Business pack by visiting www.ukbusiness.hsbc.com or calling 08000 321 322.
* two year free business banking service means the customer pays no standard transaction charges on cheques, Direct Debit and standing orders paid from their account,
For further information please visit
www.hsbc.com
