The Heropreneurs Awards: extraordinary opportunities for military entrepreneurs

The Heropreneurs Awards, established in 2018 to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of the military community in business, are going online for 2021!

Nominations for the Heropreneurs Virtual Awards are now open and will close at 5pm on Friday 11 June. Offering significant – even life-changing – opportunities for the military community, including 100% bursaries for a Warwick Business School MBA or Executive Diploma; free Gold Membership, worth £10,000, with a leading veterans’ job platform; and a £20,000 grant from the Veterans’ Foundation, the Heropreneurs Awards represent opportunities for all within the military community, from start-up ventures, military spouses and charities, through to international businesses that have a strong veteran-supporting mentality.

Organisations supporting the awards in 2021 include Goldman Sachs, Warwick Business School, Amazon Web Services, TechVets, JobOppO, Brigantes Consulting, Atkins Global, BCA and the Veterans’ Foundation, all of which have offered exceptional prizes for the winners of the individual award categories.

Gen Sir John McColl KCB, CBE, DSO, KSt, Chairman of the Judges for the Heropreneurs Virtual Awards, comments: ‘The Heropreneurs Awards highlight the extraordinary qualities that ex-Service men and women bring to the world of business in the UK. Entrepreneurs are a distinctive breed requiring, among other characteristics, initiative, determination, resilience and the ability to solve problems of all kinds. These are qualities that are imbued in those who serve and they are demonstrated each year in the highly competitive Heropreneurs Awards. Veterans are a significant benefit to the UK and these awards help the country to recognise that tremendous contribution. It is a privilege to chair the judging panel again this year and I would urge all ex-Services entrepreneurs to get involved and consider nominating themselves.’

Nominations can be self-driven or businesses/individuals can be nominated by someone that feels they deserve recognition. This year has seen the introduction of two new awards categories: Product of the Year, sponsored by Brigantes, and Sustainable Business of the Year, sponsored by Atkins Global. All entries will be eligible to be considered for the discretionary Heropreneur of the Year category, an accolade that will be awarded to the most inspirational entry across the entire pool of category applicants and nominees.

To find out more and to submit an entry, click here.

Visit this web page for full details of the 2021 virtual awards and the qualifying criteria.

About Heropreneurs

Heropreneurs was established in 2009 and is the only registered charity in the UK that works exclusively to help members of the Armed Forces, veterans and military dependants to fulfil their potential to set up and run their own businesses. Its Business Mentoring Programme is available entirely free of charge to any member of the military community with a vested interest in establishing their own business. The charity has the backing of successful entrepreneurs, politicians, Armed Forces veterans from all ranks, and business leaders.

Its prestigious annual awards programme was established in 2018 to showcase the veteran and wider military community as a positive economic asset. The awards recognise the exceptional achievements of veterans, Armed Forces personnel and their dependants in business. Start-ups, employers, entrepreneurs and technology businesses all feature, alongside charities and those companies with a strong veteran-supporting mentality. Sponsors of the awards include major organisations, and the prizes available offer significant – even life-changing – opportunities.

Main picture: The 2019 Heropreneurs winners on stage with Sophie Wessex, Countess of Wessex