Lieutenancy - Be. Partners Ltd


Celebrating young entrepreneurs


Adrian Pryce DL


Chair Be. Partners Ltd


Much is written about the UK’s need for economic growth, higher productivity and more innovation. Yet behind every successful business lies something more basic and essential: the entrepreneur willing to take risks. To encourage this, the new King’s Award for Enterprise – Young Founder is a welcome development. Run by the Department for Business & Trade with the


support of Buckingham Palace, the King’s Awards are regarded as the UK’s most prestigious business awards, recognising excellence in International Trade, Innovation, Sustainability and Promoting Opportunity Now, for the fi rst time, there is a dedicated category specifically


designed to recognise outstanding


entrepreneurs aged 18 to 30. Importantly, the purpose of the award goes beyond simply recognising individual achievement. It is intended to showcase entrepreneurship as a viable and attractive career path, inspire future founders and give promising young business leaders the much- needed recognition and visibility to accelerate their growth. T is matters because our future prosperity depends


upon people being willing to create businesses, generate employment, develop new products and services, and solve problems in innovative ways.


Eligibility and judging criteria T e award is not aimed at people with simply a good idea. Applicants must already be building a business with genuine traction. Eligibility requirements include:


■ Founder aged 18 to 30 in May 2027 ■ Founder actively leading the business ■ UK-based organisation, with at least two years of trading ■ Minimum of two employees ■ Evidence of commercial success or growth potential ■ Strong environmental, social and governance practices


The judges will assess applicants against five key


themes: ■ Fresh ideas and creative thinking ■ Growth and industry infl uence ■ Leadership and inspiration ■ Strategic resilience ■ Customer value and impact


T ere is no shortage of ambitious young people creating


new businesses and solving real-world problems. Too often, however, these founders remain below the radar. T e new Young Founder category provides an opportunity to change that. For winners, the benefi ts extend far beyond the trophy


itself. National recognition can enhance credibility with customers, investors and future employees, while opening doors to new networks and opportunities. For a growing business, that can be transformative. However, there is an even bigger prize. If we are serious


about encouraging enterprise, we need to celebrate entre- preneurial role models more visibly. Young people need to see examples of founders who look like them, come from the same communities, successfully turning ideas into growing businesses. We must show young people that building a business is a realistic and worthwhile aspiration. That is why we should encourage not only young


entrepreneurs to consider applying, but also colleges, universities, investors, the local authorities, chambers of commerce plus business networks and advisers to actively identify and support potential candidates. T e UK has never been short of entrepreneurial talent.


The challenge is ensuring that talented founders are recognised, celebrated and supported. If entrepreneurship is to remain a powerful driver of innovation, productivity and economic growth, the next generation of business builders must be given both the confidence and the platform to succeed.


Help and support Businesses considering an application should not be deterred by the prestige of the King’s Awards for Enterprise. T e Lord-Lieutenant’s Offi ce can help raise awareness of the awards, provide information on the application process and support eligible businesses to consider applying. T e inaugural Young Founder Award will undoubtedly


identify some remarkable entrepreneurs. Applications for the new category are now open and close on September 8, 2026, with the fi rst awards to be announced in May 2027. T e question is how many potential candidates will


recognise that they, too, might be among them. Do you know a future winner? Better still, are you one? T e future of the UK economy may depend on it!


For more information scan the QR code or contact adrian@bepartners.org


ALL THINGS BUSINESS | 30


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