The UK StartUp Awards was launched to recognise the booming start-up scene across the UK which has accelerated over the last few years with 846,000 new businesses founded in the UK in 2024.
Over 750 businesses have been shortlisted for this year’s UK StartUp Awards and the contribution of these firms - all of which were started in the last three years - is significant, having created over 4,600 new jobs since they were established and generating annual sales of £200 million.
Wriggly Reader’s World is a self-publishing social enterprise founded by V.J. Hooker in December 2024 dedicated to creating engaging stories for kids with ‘ants in their pants’, increasing representation in children’s picture books, and donating books through various charities to vulnerable young readers. The business has been nominated for the Social Enterprise StartUp of the Year Award in South East England. V.J. founder of Wriggly Reader’s World, said: “What an absolute honour! Since launching, we really have hit the ground running. The feedback on the first book has been incredible, especially from parents and carers of neurodiverse children. I never imagined so many people would get behind our buy-one-gift-one model, which is now helping bridge the literacy gap by getting books into the hands of vulnerable readers”.
Supported nationally by Airwallex, Ideas Fest, Join Talent and V Rum, the programme will celebrate the achievements of the amazing individuals who have turned an idea into an opportunity and taken the risk to launch a new product or service.
The cohort of finalists will be considered for the regional prizes by a panel of seasoned judges with experience founding or supporting entrepreneurial ventures. The winners from each region will then be invited to the first UK final taking place at Ideas Fest, the Glastonbury for Business festival in Hertfordshire on 12th September 2025.
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, the creator of the UK StartUp Awards, said: “New businesses are the driving force behind any thriving economy, generating employment, pioneering innovation, and contributing to prosperity across the UK. This year's finalists embody the very best of entrepreneurial spirit - spotting opportunities and, through dedication, skill, and resilience, turning them into thriving ventures that are making a tangible difference in their industries. More importantly, all the winners will go on to represent their region at the 2025 UK National StartUp Awards final later this year”.
The UK StartUp Awards was created in collaboration with the team behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, one of the most successful awards programmes in the UK. The UK StartUp Awards are running for the fourth year after launching in 2022. This year’s regional UK StartUp Awards finalists can be found online at https://startupawards.uk/
You can support V.J. and vulnerable readers by purchasing the first book in the Wriggly Reader’s World Series, Today I’m a Pirate! here https://wrigglyreadersworld.com/