Small business awards round-up

As we’ve mentioned before, small business awards, can be an incredibly useful way for SMEs to get some great profile thereby winning new clients, whether or not they win an award at the end of the process.

Spring seems to be a good time to launch competitions for SMEs. Here are the latest we’ve heard about.

First off is the First Women Awards 2009 which celebrates ‘genuine glass ceiling breakers’ – so not strictly speaking a competition for female entrepreneurs, but certainly one worth entering, if you are.

It’s backed by the CBI, Lloyds TSB and the PM’s wife Sarah Brown.  Closing date for entries is 27 March, so get your skates on, although I’m sure they’ll accept submissions a few days after the deadline.

Next up is the Nectar Business Small Business Awards with three categories: Small Business of the Year, Startup of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year. Winners will earn themselves £2,000 plus 50,000 nectar points.

Closing date for entries is 18th May 2009.

Finally, last but not least and with the biggest value prize fund of £25,000 of IT equipment is the Dell Small Business Excellence Awards supported by the British Chambers of Commerce.

The awards aim to recognise the best use of technology by a small business and while there will be a UK winner is also open to SMEs in various other countries around the world.

Closing date for entries in 3 April 2009.

[Picture credit: Adam Pniak licenced from Flickr]