A group of Bristol start-ups have been awarded a total of £30,000 to propel their business growth and take them to the next level.
The Entrepreneuring Awards were presented to ‘chiclets’ (entrepreneurs) in Bristol’s Entrepreneurial Spark business accelerator – or ‘hatchery’.
They received between £1,000 and £10,000 in the awards, which recognise and celebrate the hard work and determination of start-ups in the hatchery. 
The main award of the evening, Entrepreneur of the Moment, was awarded to Simon and Helena Hills, pictured, founders of Truestart Coffee alongside a cash prize of £10,000. Truestart produces the world’s first coffee designed for sports performance.
Having shown sheer determination, dedication and a flair for disrupting the market and spotting little opportunities that can result in big value, Entrepreneurial Spark managers said they believed Simon and Helena have what it takes to create a truly outstanding business.
Betty’s Birds, a start-up providing bespoke creative events, from hen parties to workshops, won the Acceler-8 award and £7,000, after making real progress in the past six months and nailing every opportunity.
Winners of #GoDo prizes and £3,000 cash each were Mel Bound, founder of This Mum Runs, Maryhan Baker, founder of Brainboost, and William Tulloch, co-founder of Orb Technologies.
Nominated by their fellow entrepreneurs, Paula Horton and Bob Griffin, founders of Prolific Solutions, were presented with the Chiclets Choice award and £1,000 as a result of their hard work, determination and entrepreneurial spirit.
On the night eight entrepreneurs took to the stage to battle it out at the Entrepreneuring Awards pitching competition. Mel Bound, founder of This Mum Runs, a women’s running community, Maryhan Baker, founder of Brainboost, a monthly educational subscription box for two-12-year-old children, and Olly Culverhouse, founder of Signable, an online electronic signature service for company contacts, wowed the judges on the night with their 60-second pitch, and walked away with £1,000 each for their business.
Entrepreneurial Spark co-founder and chief entrepreneuring officer Lucy-Rose Walker said: “Congratulations to all of our winners. At Entrepreneurial Spark we focus on building people who build businesses, and taking home an Entrepreneuring Award shows how hard you’ve worked and progressed during your time in the hatchery.
“Since opening in Bristol we have seen our chiclets embrace the mindsets and behaviours of an entrepreneurial leader, working hard to become credible, backable and investable.
“The Entrepreneuring Awards give them the chance to celebrate their #GoDo journey and everything they have achieved to date, while allowing them to make plans on how to accelerate their business growth in their remaining time within the programme and beyond.
“We’ve seen some incredible things from the chiclets in Bristol so well done to everyone who was nominated and to all of the winners.”
NatWest entrepreneur development manager Caroline Thompson added: “The awards recognise the hard work, commitment and determination the chiclets have shown over the last few months. It’s been a wonderful way to celebrate their achievements and the ways many have pivoted as their businesses have developed with support from the enablement team at the Bristol hatchery and our partners. We wish all of the chiclets every success for the future.”
KPMG head of enterprise in the South, Ian Brokenshire, said: “Seeing how far each of the Bristol chiclets has come since embarking on their Entrepreneurial Spark journey is actually rather humbling.
“Make no mistake – the program really puts these entrepreneurs through their paces, so these awards are an important milestone in recognising and celebrating both their individual and collective drive and determination to succeed. I am sure that all of the winners will continue to make their mark as they grow and scale in the future.”
