Ivy Tech has been named a finalist in the 2025 Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards, shortlisted in the “Established Business – London” category.
Often referred to as “The Grammys of Entrepreneurship”, the awards celebrate the most exceptional and inspiring business stories from across the UK. This year’s shortlist includes over 800 entrepreneurs representing every nation and region, all recognised for their innovation, resilience and impact.
To see the impact businesses like Ivy are making to the economy and employment landscape in the UK is pure joy.
In numbers, this year’s finalists:
SMEs account for 99.9% of all UK businesses and generate 52% of the UK’s total turnover – and we are one of them! However, in the last four years the number of SME businesses have fallen by a whopping 8.05%, which makes awards like this one even more important – because evidently running companies and keeping them going is not easy.
The recognition as a finalist feels incredibly validating and honouring for us here at Ivy and we want to thank Great British Entrepreneurs Awards and Allica for shining light onto businesses that make up 99.9% of UK’s companies. One thing I’ve learned about entrepreneurs and business leaders: it doesn’t matter if you own a hair salon, a recruitment firm or a startup unicorn - starting and running a business is scary, lonely and extremely satisfying all at once. Getting out of bed each morning to solve a real problem and serve my employees and customers is an honour. I applaud each founder and leader for their courage and resilience.
The Great British Entrepreneur Awards are proudly supported by Allica Bank, who continue to champion established SMEs across the country.
At Allica, we're consistently inspired by the energy and strength of UK SMEs. This year’s finalists – from early-stage start-ups to established and family businesses – represent a vital force in the British economy, driving innovation, creating jobs, and making a real difference in their communities. We’re proud to support the Great British Entrepreneur Awards for the third year in a row, recognising these outstanding business leaders who are not only demonstrating resilience in a challenging business environment but are paving the way for future entrepreneurs to follow.
We’re so proud to reveal this year’s shortlist, a truly remarkable group of founders who are changing lives and transforming industries. The quality of entries gets stronger every year, and it’s clear that the entrepreneurial spirit in the UK is more alive than ever. Many of our finalists go on to become household names, and we can’t wait to watch what this year’s cohort achieves next.
Winners will be announced at a ceremony on Monday, November 17th 2025, held at London’s Grosvenor House, where over 1,500 entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders will gather to celebrate entrepreneurial success.
