The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Scotland is toasting the success of its members at the UK grand final of the FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards 2023.
At every ceremony since its inception, multiple entrants from Scotland have taken home overall UK prizes in categories which saw the winners of 12 regional and devolved nation finals from across the UK compete. Two Scottish finalists scooped top prizes – Aberdeen based ABERDAM Dutch Fries in the Start-Up Business of the Year Category and Yellow Hare from Tiree in the Microbusiness of the Year Category.
The announcement was made by co-hosts Clare Balding and JJ Chalmers at the event held in Birmingham on 18 May. The Scottish winners triumphed over more than 3,000 small businesses and entrepreneurs from across the UK who entered this year’s awards.
David Griffiths from ABERDAM said:
“It’s unbelievable to have been recognised in the start-up business of the year category. Looking around at all of the other entrants who’ve managed to get their successful businesses off the ground despite all of the challenges of the last few years was really inspirational. Knowing that we’ve been recognised for our hard work is a real boost as we prepare to expand.”
Kate McLeod from Yellow Hare said:
“As a small team from a small island community, being recognised as the Microbusiness of the Year is a real honour. We’ve worked incredibly hard with the resources we have to diversify and keep going over the last few years, so it’s a real thrill to see those efforts rewarded. The FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards are widely recognised as a mark of quality so we’re thrilled to know that will help to attract new customers to our brilliant café.”
FSB’s National Chair Martin McTague said:
“Scotland has, once again, punched above its weight at the FSB Celebrating Small Business Award UK finals. This was a record-breaking year in terms of entrants, so for Scotland to bring home two prizes is remarkable, and a real testament to the breadth of talent within the Scottish small business community. My congratulations to ABERDAM and Yellow Hare.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
1. The overall UK winner of the 2023 FSB Celebrating Small Business awards is Kirsty Smitten, aged 28, from Sheffield. A Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellow and an Innovate UK Young Innovator with a Ph.D. in chemistry and microbiology, Kirsty Smitten spun new business, MetalloBio, out of The University of Sheffield at the end of her Ph.D. MetalloBio is developing a novel antimicrobial platform technology to both prevent and treat antimicrobial-resistant infections. Antimicrobial-resistant infections are predicted to cause 10 million annual deaths globally by 2050, costing the global economy £66 trillion. This equates to one death every three seconds. MetalloBio's technology is being developed as a systemic antimicrobial to treat respiratory tract infections and a coating for medical devices.
2. More than 3,000 small businesses from across the UK entered FSB’s Celebrating Small Business Awards 2023. The UK final was held in Birmingham on Thursday 18 May 2023. It followed area finals in each English region and devolved nation, with each area winner going through to the UK final.
3. Email [email protected] or [email protected] for images from the ceremony