Social Chain co-founder Steve Bartlett was one of the big winners at the Digital Entrepreneur Awards 2016.
Shop Direct, Missguided, Push Doctor, RealityMine, Space 48, Fluid Digital, Brainlabs and Selesti were among some of the other winners at the star-studded ceremony, held at a packed Manchester’s Palace Hotel.
Bartlett told BusinessCloud recently that he believes Social Chain can become a billion-pound business.
The DEAs honour the best digital innovators from across the UK and this year’s event was sponsored by UKFast, Dell, Dotmailer, Sale Sharks, OBI Property and MySort.
There were a total of 18 awards up for grabs and 24-year-old Bartlett was presented with the final one – the Digital Entrepreneur of the Year – from Lawrence Jones, co-founder and CEO of UKFast in front of a cheering audience of 400 people.
Digital GP service Push Doctor won the award for the Best Use of Mobile Technology while the honour of being the Digital Agency of the Year went to Brainlabs, which has grown into a £9m turnover business inside four years.
The judges, who praised the “sheer quality and quantity” of entrants, included: Steve Purdham, chairman and founder of 3Rings; Richard Law, chief executive, GB Group; Paul Bason, director of digital innovation, MMU; Jess Jeetly, founder of fashion brand Jeetly; Jonathan Wall, controller of Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Extra; and Lou Cordwell, CEO of Magnetic North.
The guest speaker was former Google UK managing director Dan Cobley, who is now the managing partner of FinTech at Blenheim Chalcot. BusinessCloud was the official media partner and its editor Chris Maguire was the compère.
Money raised on the night went to the Macmillan Cancer Charity.
The full list of DEA 2016 shortlists and winners were:
- BEST USE OF MOBILE TECHNOLOGY
SHORTLIST:
- Degree 53
- Gospelware
- Metricell
- Parcelly
- Push Doctor
- RealityMine
- The Webtise Group
Winner: Push Doctor
- ECOMMERCE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
SHORTLIST:
- Christies Direct
- DCTUK
- eModels
- Master of Malt
- Missguided
- Shop Direct
- The Underfloor Heating Store
Winner: Missguided
- ECOMMERCE DEVELOPER OF THE YEAR
SHORTLIST:
- Adeo Scotland
- e3creaeve
- Fluid Digital
- Nublue
- Remarkable Internet
- Topclick
- We are Digitl
- 2J Commerce
Winner: Fluid Digital
- ONLINE RETAILER OF THE YEAR
SHORTLIST:
- Big Furniture Warehouse
- FitnessGenes
- Hack Up Ltd
- Master of Malt
- Tags-On London
- The Workplace Depot
- Shop Direct
Commended: Hack Up
Winner: Master of Malt
- SOFTWARE INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
SHORTLIST:
- Bunting
- Dream Agility
- Egress Software Technologies
- R2c Online
- Serif (Europe)
- TribePad
- 3Squared
Winner : TribePad
- MOST INNOVATIVE USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
SHORTLIST:
- Aspire & Learn
- Discerning Digital Limited
- Evidential
- Geob International
- PostMood
- RealityMine
- Ultimate Wedding Magazine
Winner: RealityMine
- DIGITAL INNOVATION WITHIN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
SHORTLIST
- Bungay High School Acadamy
- Connect Internet Solutions
- Cornerstone Design & Marketing
- Gencia Media
- Nicomon
- Pocket Sergeant
Winner: Gencia Media
- WEB DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OF THE YEAR
SHORTLIST:
- Absolute Design Associates
- Connect Internet Solutions
- Lo + Behold
- Greenwood Campbell
- Mando
- Space 48
Winner: Space 48
- MOST INNOVATIVE USE OF VIDEO OR ANIMATION
SHORTLIST
- Arcus Animation Studios
- Bearded Fellows
- Emerald Life
- Oooze
- The New Media Company
- Together for Short Lives
- Second Home Studios / Iceni
Winner: The New Media Company
- SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
SHORTLIST:
- Audley Travel
- Clear
- EatCleanTea
- Master of Malt
- Rumpus PR
- Selesti
- The Blurt Foundation
Winner: Selesti
- DIGITAL AGENCY OF THE YEAR
SHORTLIST:
- Ashfield Digital & Creative
- Brainlabs
- Dock9
- Selesti
- Space 48
- The Webtise Group
- e3creative
Winner: Brainlabs
- DIGITAL STARTUP OF THE YEAR
SHORTLIST:
- BLOCKPHISH
- Gnatta
- Grizzly Bear Design Ltd
- Love Home Swap
- Pocket Sergeant
- Push Doctor
- Social Chain
- Snugs Earphones
Winner: Gnatta
- CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT AWARD
Winner: 2J Commerce
- DIGITAL TEAM OF THE YEAR
SHORTLIST:
- Christies Direct
- Clicky Media Marketing Team
- Cloud Booking
- DXW
- North Yorkshire Police
- Skipton Building Society
- The Webtise Group
- We are Colony
Winner: Christies Direct
- DIGITAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (SMALL)
SHORTLIST:
- Absolute
- Angel Solutions
- Circus Street
- Dream Agility
- Infomentum
- Pinnacle Data
- SiteWrights
Winner: Dream Agility
- DIGITAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (MEDIUM/LARGE)
SHORTLIST:
- CV-Library
- Love Energy Savings
- Master of Malt
- PCA Predict
- RealityMine
- Shop Direct
- 3squared
Winner: Shop Direct
- YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
SHORTLIST:
- Amy McManus, Am Marketing
- Amy Whitewick, Camelot Media
- Brandon Relph, goCreative group
- Steve Miller, The Workplace Depot
- Eamon Jubbawy, Onfido
- Jamie Jackson, 2J Commerce
- Kelly White, Red Cow Media
Winner: Eamon Jubbawy
- DIGITAL ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
SHORTLIST:
- Adam Greenwood, Greenwood Campbell
- Andrew Daniels, Degree 53
- Helen Darlington, Ink Digital Agency
- Matt Bullas, Click Consult Ltd
- Nick Walls, r2c Online Ltd
- Sarah Tierney, We Are Colony
- Steven Bartlett, Social Chain
Winner: Steven Bartlett