Finalists for the hotly anticipated 2017 Digital Entrepreneur Awards (DEAs) have been announced, with 109 entrants making the shortlist from the South and 126 in the North.
The DEAs are the only national awards dedicated to championing digital entrepreneurialism and innovation across the UK and are this year split into North/South regions for the first time.
The South sees 109 entrants make the final shortlist and the North 126, following a record number of entries totalling almost 1000. Winners are set to be announced at twin ceremonies in London and Manchester in November.
BusinessCloud is one of the official sponsors for the awards, which are now in their 13th year. They cover 16 categories encompassing every component of today’s online business ecosystem – from enigmatic leadership to forward-thinking development and cutting-edge creative.
Categories include Social Media Campaign of the Year, Most Innovative use of Video or Animation and the coveted Digital Entrepreneur of the Year award.
Lawrence Jones, CEO of headline sponsor UKFast, said: “It’s extraordinary to see the development of digital across every sector.
“From creative agencies to law firms and the public sector, everyone needs to evolve their offering to stay ahead of the competition. That’s reflected in the sheer number and diversity of entries we’ve received this year.
“The DEAs are an incredible opportunity to celebrate the best in digital talent from up and down the UK.
“It’s an amazing honour to return as the lead sponsor this year as the awards evolve to encourage involvement from every region in the country.
“This year’s finalists have all shown a clear appreciation of challenges faced in business and how to solve them using digital innovation, meeting the everyday needs of their customers by evolving new solutions and approaches. That’s what the DEAs are all about.”