Sir Kevin Sinfield, Cera founder Dr Ben Maruthappu and Purple were among the big winners at the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards 2026.
More than 1,200 business leaders attended the star-studded ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House, which was hosted by Davina McCall.
Several names and businesses featured in BusinessCloud’s 2026 Founder 250 and Northern Leaders 2026 lists were among the winners.
They included rugby league legend Sir Kevin Sinfield, who was presented with The Inspiration Award by Lindsey Burrow, wife of his former Leeds Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow.
Sir Kevin Sinfeld with Lindsey Burrow
Sinfield has raised more than £13m for the motor neurone disease (MND) community through seven ultra-endurance challenges, inspired by his close friend Burrow, who died in 2024.
Dr Ben Maruthappu, founder of Cera, one of Europe’s largest healthtech companies, was named Entrepreneur of the Year.
Maruthappu founded Cera in 2016 and has built a technology-led home healthcare business that also trains people with no previous experience for careers in care.
Helen Cannon, founder and CEO of ISON Group, one of Europe’s fastest-growing travel management businesses, was named Female Founder of the Year.
Female Founder of the Year Helen Cannon
Senior Stairlifts, which was founded in 2019 by Kieran and Emily Harris, was named Small Business of the Year.
Location analytics platform Purple, founded by Gavin Wheeldon in 2012, walked away with the Technology Business of the Year Award.
The winners were chosen from almost 200 finalists, with three businesses picking up two awards each.
The 2026 winners in full
- 1. The Inspiration Award: Sir Kevin Sinfield
- 2. The Customer Loyalty Award: Product Marketing Alliance. Highly Commended: Crystal Auras
- 3. The Gerald Edelman Family Business of the Year Award: Tulleys Farm. Highly Commended: Kendamil
- 4. The Social & Sustainable Impact Award: Kelpi. Highly Commended: Osprey Charging Network
- 5. The Business Enabler of the Year Award: Tessiant. Highly Commended: YOUR Personal Training
- 6. The Cazenove Capital Entrepreneur of the Year Award: Dr Ben Maruthappu, Cera. Highly Commended: Guy Walker, Dovetail & Slate
- 7. The Blick Rothenberg Mid-Market Growth Business of the Year Award: Olive Dining. Highly Commended: Everflow
- 8. The Lloyds Scale-Up Trailblazer of the Year Award: Pip & Nut. Highly Commended: Sirius Constellation / Sirius Insight
Purple won The Technology Business of the Year Award
- 9. The Lloyds Outstanding Mid-Market Business of the Year Award: Olive Dining. Highly Commended: Fortnum & Mason
- 10. The Department for Business & Trade International Expansion of the Year Award: Kendamil. Highly Commended: Aviramp
- 11. The Dext Small Business of the Year Award: Senior Stairlifts. Highly Commended: Abbey Group. One to Watch: Island Larder
- 12. The Dext Innovation Award: Kelpi. Highly Commended: HONA
- 13. The Cazenove Capital Female Founder of the Year Award: Helen Cannon, ISON Travel. Highly Commended: Holly Brooke and Joely Walker Sanderson, We Are Regular
- 14. The Vistage Growth Business of the Year Award: Infinity Fire Prevention. Highly Commended: PitPat
- 15. The Purpose Beyond Profit Award: Five Rivers Child Care. Highly Commended: EPIC Global Solutions
- 16. The Technology Business of the Year Award: Purple. Highly Commended: InstaVolt
- 17. The Inclusion Award: Snowball Community. Highly Commended: Connect Therapy Services
- 18. The Lloyds AI Game Changer Award: Sirius Insight. Highly Commended: Cera Care
- 19. The Employer of the Year Award: Opinium. Highly Commended: Care First 24
- 20. The ITV Growth Accelerator Award: Little Dish. Highly Commended: WUKA
- 21. The Lloyds Leading SME Business of the Year Award: Tulleys Farm. Highly Commended: Island Delight