The first of two Digital Entrepreneur Awards ceremonies was held in a glitzy ceremony in London and saw Ash White of Hera London crowned Digital Entrepreneur of the Year in the South.
The DEAs are the only national awards ceremony dedicated to internet entrepreneurialism and have been running for over a decade.
This is the first year the awards have had a separate ceremony in the South, which took place in central London’s illustrious Plaisterers’ Hall.
The theme for the night was ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and the event was co-hosted by Love Island presenter Ian Stirling and BusinessCloud editor Chris Maguire.
Maguire called the ceremony an “unforgettable night”.
He said: “The Digital Entrepreneur Awards are 13 years old but because of their growing popularity this is the first time we held a London event too.
“The room was packed with more than 220 people, including some of the best tech entrepreneurs from across the south of England.
“Sharing a stage with Iain Stirling, who is the voice of Love Island, was a surreal experience for me personally but contributed to an entertaining evening.”
Ecstatic to announce #DEA2017 Digital Entrepreneur Of The Year is @HeraLondon_ Ash White. A perfect example that hard work and determination pays off. Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/dZPPzd0vgE
— UKFast (@UKFast) November 8, 2017
The Northern DEAs will be in Manchester on 22nd November
There were 19 awards in total, including two special awards that the judges deemed didn’t fit in any existing categories.
White said: “I’m delighted to win but it’s a team effort. I want to keep growing the Hera London brand globally.”
The northern celebration of the DEAs will take place on the 22nd November at the iconic Principal Hotel in the heart of Manchester city centre.
Hosting firm UKFast were the headline sponsors of the event along with BusinessCloud, OBI Property, Sale Sharks and Tech Manchester as fellow sponsors.
The winners taking home trophies from the night were:
Online Retailer of the Year
Winner: Master of Malt
Shortlist: Challenge Trophiese, HackUp Bespoke, Innermost, Natural Instinct, Wicked Uncle
eCommerce Developer of the Year
Winner: Selesti
Shortlist: GEL Studios, SO Design, Star Digital
eCommerce Business of the Year
Winner: Onefeed
Shortlist: Love The Sales, Master of Malt, Natural Instinct, Veeqo
Best Use of Mobile Technology
Winner: Gatwick Airport
Shortlist: Fit Go, HomeTree, StaySafe
Digital Innovation within the Public Sector
Winner: Satchel
Shortlist: DrDoctor, DXW, National Institute for Healthcare Excellence, The Shop Works, University of Plymouth
Most Innovative use of Digital Technology
Winner: Gatwick Airport
Shortlist: Cognisess, The Groove Musical Experience, IGP, Ieso Digital Health, Metricell
Software Innovation of the Year
Winner: Sonin App Development with Student Swipe
Shortlist: Creative Virtual, Event mApp, Funding Invoice, Hoowla, YellowDog
Social Media Campaign of the Year
Winner: Digital Oyster
Shortlist: Audley Travel, Blue Stag & NERC, Conversion Works, Healthy Pets, Selesti
Most Innovative use of Video or Animation
Winner: Solopress
Shortlist: Generate UK, The Groove Musical Experience, Movem, Natural Instinct, Shocklogic
Web Development Project of the Year
Winner: GEL Studios
Shortlist: Fifty Five and Five, Greenwood Campbell, Kubix, OFIXU, Spinbox, Wirebox
Digital Start-Up of the Year
Winner: Moola
Shortlist: Cera, HeadBox, HERA London, Host Unusual, NuRole, Unforgettable
Digital Agency of the Year
Winner: Lab
Shortlist: Altitude Design Ltd, Cobb Digital, Crowdform, Digital Oyster Ltd, Engine Creative Agency Ltd, Lab, Merkle | Periscopix, Sonin App Development
Digital Team of the Year
Winner: Fonix
Shortlist: Engine Creative Agency, Greenwood Campbell, The Happiness Index, ILG Business, RunAClub, Solopress
Digital Business of the Year (Small)
Winner: Love the Sales
Shortlist: Absolute Label Services, Bulldog Digital Media, Click Mechanic, LOVESPACE, Private Fly, WeGotPOP, Digital Clarity
Digital Business of the Year (Medium to Large)
Winner: Master of Malt
Shortlist: CV-Library, Ieso Digital Health, Metail, Missguided, Solopress, XLN
Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Winner: Miles Noble, Altitude Design
Shortlist: Aamar Aslam, Funding Invoice; Gareth Bull, Bulldog Digital Media; Ann Marie Corbett, Ann Marie’s Dressing Room; Andrew Jervis and Felix Kenton, Click Mechanic; Anne-Laure Le Cunff, Lysa Health; Peter Ramsey, Movem
Digital Entrepreneur of the Year
Winner: Ash White, HERA London
Shortlist: Ed Bussey, Quill Content; Gemma Godfrey, Moola; Peter Gradwell, Gradwell Communications; Steve Miller, The Workplace Depot; Andrew Needham, HeadBox; Melissa Snover, Katjes Magic Candy Factory; James Whiteley, White Stores
Specialist Awards
Business Enablement Platform of the Year
Winner: OFIXU
Best Use of AR/VR
Winner: The Groove Musical