News: Rotherham Young Entrepreneur Awards - the finalists

With just under a month to go the tension is beginning to mount between finalists in this year's Rotherham Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

The borough's brightest business brains will battle it out for the coveted title on October 23, after the category winners for 2009 were unveiled at a presentation event held at Matrix @ Dinnington business centre.

From well established companies to start-ups less than a year old, the awards, organised by Rotherham Enterprise Network (REN), highlight businesses that are going from strength to strength despite the tough economic climate.

Event organiser Geoff Link, enterprise manager for Rotherham Investment & Development Office (RiDO), said: "Each year the candidates get stronger and stronger, what's been particularly impressive is companies in the borough not only surviving in the recession but thriving during these difficult times too."

The finalists will be featured on Rothbiz in the run up to the awards. They are:

- Shake Multimedia
- Breed Creative
- IT Desk UK
- Little Luxories

Category runners up at the awards included Quro Tech's Michelle Bluck, Hartley Thomas' John Hartley, Matthew Hodgkinson of Snazzle, Sparkles founder Lucy Lippolis, Midas Copy's Gavin Edley, Shoto Tiger's Richard Codd and Louisa Herrera of the Sandwich Shop.

The Rotherham Young Entrepreneur award scheme is part-funded by the Eurpoean Union and the European Regional Development Fund and the category sponsors were Rotherham Youth Enterprise, Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, Yorkshire Forward, and Business Link Yorkshire.

Rotherham Investment and Development Office
Rotherham

Images: RiDO