THE shortlist for the fifth annual ECHO Enterprise Champions awards has been finalised after a gruelling eight-hour judging session.
Almost 100 entries were submitted for the competition which honours the cream of the region's small and medium-sized firms.
The quality and diversity of entries set a real test for the five-strong judging panel drawn from the public and private sectors including Liverpool John Moores University, Barclays Bank, the Institute of Directors and Merseyside Special Investment Fund.
The social enterprise category was so keenly contested it was decided to name a four-strong short-list, rather than three, forthe first time in the history of the Enterprise Champion awards.
So, the final shortlist for this year's honours looks like this:
MICRO BUSINESS OFTHE YEAR AWARD: Cryogenesis; Sequence Biotechnologies; VAT Solutions.
BEST SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD, sponsored by Business Liverpool: Uniform Communications; Rippleffect; K Seal Glass.
BEST NEW BUSINESS AWARD: Sequence Biotechnologies; IPS Costslaw; go cre8.
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE OF THE YEAR AWARD, sponsored by 2020 Liver-pool: Furniture Resource Centre; Alternatives; Create Liverpool; Acorn Venture Association.
YOUNG BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD, sponsored by Liver-pool Chamber of Commerce: Kevin Thompson (The Removal Team); Ian Seddon (IPS Cost-slaw); Ben Hatton(Ripplef fect).
ENTERPRISE CHAMPION AWARD, sponsored by Land Rover: Baa Bar; K Seal Glass; Voodou Hair Salons.
The winners will be announced at the final at the Pan American Club in Liverpool's Albert Dock complex on the evening of June 28.
Tickets at £15+VAT are available by contacting the Enterprise Champions hotline on 0151-472 2805.
