WITH Merseyside's business resurgence ploughing ahead, the best new business category in this year's ECHO Enterprise Champions Awards is likely to be one of the hottest in contention.
It is open to any Merseyside firms who started trading on or after January 1, 2004 and judges will be looking for the entry best able to show their success in entrepreneurial activity and potential for future growth.
The 2006 Enterprise Champions Awards comprise six categories: best small business; social enterprise; young business person of the year; best new business; best micro business; and enterprise champion.
However, the best new business category is not open to the social enterprise/charitable/notfor-profit business sectors.
Hi-tech firm Neat 3D won last year's new business accolade at the final awards in the Supper Club, Blundell Street.
The Liverpool firm produces hi-tech photorealistic 3D models for architects, construction firms, engineers, security agencies and utilities, among many other clients.
It began its business life in the Liverpool John Moores University business incubator and soon won blue chip clients like the UK Atomic Agency, helping to boost turnover in its first year to £150,000.
Founder Mark Wynne was delighted when awards compere Simon O'Brien confirmed their success.
He said: "This is a pipe dream. Awards like this bring home the reality that we are doing something right."
Mark and his team had already savoured things to come ahead of their ECHO success when the business was named joint winner of the Merseyside 2004 Innovation Awards the year before.
Applicants for all the Enterprise Champions awards are eligible to apply for the overall ECHO Enterprise Champion 2006 honour.
This year's final is being staged at the Pan American Club on June 28. Tickets priced at £15+VAT can be obtained by contacting the competition hotline on 0151-472 2805, which also offers information on how to apply. Or you can apply online here.
