Rutherglen firm shortlisted for prestigious Great British Entrepreneur Awards
A former professional basketball player has been named a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards which recognises the most exciting, innovative and impactful entrepreneurs in the UK.
Adam Pearce, founder and director of Rutherglen-based Minerva Innovation Group, has been shortlisted in the Scale-Up Entrepreneur of the Year category.
The awards, sponsored by Allica Bank, are known as 'The Grammys of Entrepreneurship' and celebrate the most exceptional and inspiring business stories across the UK.
In 2024, the R&D funding and tax specialists firm located at the Red Tree Magenta offices on Glasgow Road, scooped the SME News Business Elite Awards for the second year running. It recently trailblazed the industry by introducing equal parental rights - with all staff, regardless of gender, entitled to one year and five weeks off to be with their newborn babies.
Mr Pearce said: 'It's an incredible honour to be recognised alongside some of the UK's most exciting and ambitious businesses and is testament to the hard work of our team and the high standards we set ourselves to deliver sources of R&D funding, namely tax relief, for our clients.'
Minerva's R&D tax consultants deal predominantly with small and medium-sized businesses. Their diverse clients include veterinary medicine and livestock farming, racehorse breeders, architecture, construction and engineering firms.
And Mr Pearce added: 'Our expertise comes from understanding the finance and the complex processes around research funding regulations. So many different businesses can benefit from R&D grants and tax relief without having to spend all their business hours on R&D.
'Short-term initiatives to improve the delivery of services or the development of goods also qualify under the legislation if there is an 'appreciable' improvement. It doesn't have to be significant and is not limited to laboratories or scientists.
'On average, our clients can generate cash benefits equal to 2.72 per cent of their turnover and 7.30 per cent of their wage bill.'
This year's shortlist includes more than 800 entrepreneurs, all recognised for their innovation, impact and resilience.
Past winners include the founders of BrewDog, Grenade, ClearScore, Zilch and Unbiased, many of whom were recognised early in their entrepreneurial.
The term 'The Grammys of Entrepreneurship' was first coined by serial entrepreneur and Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett to describe the awards event which brings together 1500 entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders from all corners of the UK.
Conrad Ford, chief product and strategy officer at Allica Bank, said: 'We're consistently inspired by the energy and strength of UK SMEs. This year's finalists – from early-stage start-ups to established and family businesses – represent a vital force in the British economy, driving innovation, creating jobs, and making a real difference in their communities.
'We're proud to support the awards, recognising outstanding business leaders who are not only demonstrating resilience in a challenging business environment but are paving the way for future entrepreneurs to follow.'
Frankie James, founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, added: 'This year's shortlist are a remarkable group of founders who are changing lives and transforming industries. The quality of entries gets stronger every year, and it's clear that the entrepreneurial spirit in the UK is more alive than ever.
'Many of our finalists go on to become household names, and we can't wait to watch what this year's cohort achieves next.'
Winners will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony on Monday, November 17, at London's Grosvenor House.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
No cars available for full Electric Car Grant nearly a month after launch
The grant was launched on July 16 and offers a two-tier discount scheme for electric cars under £37,000. 'Band 1' cars get the full £3,750 relief and 'Band 2' models receive a reduced £1,500 rate. As of today (Aug 14), only 17 cars are available for Electric Car Grants and all of them are in Band 2. The new Nissan Leaf will be eligible for the full £3,750 grant, but it is not yet on sale. Car dealers say this is stalling sales of EVs in showrooms as customers hold off purchases to see if their model will be offered a discount. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said new car sales in July were down five per cent and blamed 'external factors'. Chief Mike Hawes called for 'consumer certainty' around the grant. The Nissan Leaf is expected to get the full £3,750 off its list price – but it isn't on sale yet (Nissan) Neil McCue, director of the large South Coast-based franchised car dealer group Snows, branded the grant 'ill thought out'. He said: 'We have seen customers holding off buying electric cars in July and we're seeing it again in August. They're all asking for their £3,750 discount and we can't give it to them. 'Why has this been so complicated? It shouldn't have been linked to emissions for manufacturing – the idea here was to boost the sales of EVs and you can only do that with a simple scheme that covers them all.' Peter Smyth, director of car dealer group Swansway, called the scheme 'shambolic' and said it was causing 'too much confusion' in showrooms. He added: 'There should have been a simple VAT cut on all electric cars under £37,000 which would have been simple to implement and importantly available from the day of launch.' The Electric Car Grant discounts are linked to the eco credentials of the manufacturing process with 'Science-Based Targets' used to decide which band the cars sit in. These look at the emissions emitted by car makers when producing the batteries and the vehicles. James Baggott, editor of Car Dealer Magazine, said: 'We are hearing from dealers across the country that this scheme is having the opposite effect of what the government intended. The delay in announcing eligible cars is causing electric car sales to stall. 'While we applaud the government for finally doing something to incentivise electric car sales, the details of this scheme really should have been hammered out behind closed doors before it was announced to avoid the confusion we're now facing.' A Department for Transport spokesperson said: 'We expect dozens of models to be eligible for the Electric Car Grant with 17 models announced to date and many more to come, providing a substantial boost for the industry and saving drivers thousands of pounds. 'The list of eligible models is published online and regularly updated with discounts available for the public at dealerships. 'We have also published comprehensive guidance for manufacturers who we will continue to work with alongside dealers to help more of their customers access the grant.'
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
No cars available for full Electric Car Grant nearly a month after launch
The grant was launched on July 16 and offers a two-tier discount scheme for electric cars under £37,000. 'Band 1' cars get the full £3,750 relief and 'Band 2' models receive a reduced £1,500 rate. As of today (Aug 14), only 17 cars are available for Electric Car Grants and all of them are in Band 2. The new Nissan Leaf will be eligible for the full £3,750 grant, but it is not yet on sale. Car dealers say this is stalling sales of EVs in showrooms as customers hold off purchases to see if their model will be offered a discount. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said new car sales in July were down five per cent and blamed 'external factors'. Chief Mike Hawes called for 'consumer certainty' around the grant. The Nissan Leaf is expected to get the full £3,750 off its list price – but it isn't on sale yet (Nissan) Neil McCue, director of the large South Coast-based franchised car dealer group Snows, branded the grant 'ill thought out'. He said: 'We have seen customers holding off buying electric cars in July and we're seeing it again in August. They're all asking for their £3,750 discount and we can't give it to them. 'Why has this been so complicated? It shouldn't have been linked to emissions for manufacturing – the idea here was to boost the sales of EVs and you can only do that with a simple scheme that covers them all.' Peter Smyth, director of car dealer group Swansway, called the scheme 'shambolic' and said it was causing 'too much confusion' in showrooms. He added: 'There should have been a simple VAT cut on all electric cars under £37,000 which would have been simple to implement and importantly available from the day of launch.' The Electric Car Grant discounts are linked to the eco credentials of the manufacturing process with 'Science-Based Targets' used to decide which band the cars sit in. These look at the emissions emitted by car makers when producing the batteries and the vehicles. James Baggott, editor of Car Dealer Magazine, said: 'We are hearing from dealers across the country that this scheme is having the opposite effect of what the government intended. The delay in announcing eligible cars is causing electric car sales to stall. 'While we applaud the government for finally doing something to incentivise electric car sales, the details of this scheme really should have been hammered out behind closed doors before it was announced to avoid the confusion we're now facing.' A Department for Transport spokesperson said: 'We expect dozens of models to be eligible for the Electric Car Grant with 17 models announced to date and many more to come, providing a substantial boost for the industry and saving drivers thousands of pounds. 'The list of eligible models is published online and regularly updated with discounts available for the public at dealerships. 'We have also published comprehensive guidance for manufacturers who we will continue to work with alongside dealers to help more of their customers access the grant.'
Scotsman
2 hours ago
- Scotsman
Scotch Malt Whisky Society owner seals Indian deal offering ‘exciting potential'
'We are continuing to build the Scotch Malt Whisky Society business for the medium to longer term' – Andrew Dane, chief executive of Artisanal Spirits Company Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scotch Malt Whisky Society owner Artisanal Spirits Company has cheered a new Indian tie-up as it expands its whisky fan club globally. The Edinburgh-based group, which also owns Single Cask Nation and JG Thomson, said that following a 'rigorous review of options in the market' an India franchise had now been signed with PNM Tech Beverages. Subject to label registration being completed over the coming months, Artisanal expects to dispatch its first shipment of product to India in the coming months. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The move follows the recent sealing of a free trade agreement between the UK and India - seen as a major boost to the Scotch whisky industry. A glass of whisky being poured at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Bath Street, Glasgow. Picture: Peter Sandground Artisanal described its Indian deal as 'another milestone in the group's strategic expansion in Asia', complementing the 2023 franchise launches in Korea and subsidiary in Taiwan, alongside its longer established China and Japan subsidiaries. India is the largest global Scotch whisky market by volume. Across the broader group, Single Cask Nation (SCN) is successfully expanding into new markets, commencing exports to Brazil for the first time during the third quarter. Brazil is the world's 15th largest market for 'ultra-premium' whisky and is demonstrating a growing appeal, Artisanal noted. Andrew Dane, chief executive of Artisanal Spirits Company, said: 'We are continuing to build the Scotch Malt Whisky Society [SMWS] business for the medium to longer term, growing our global presence with entry into exciting new markets such as India, as well as developing new opportunities for SCN, as we expand our whisky fan club globally. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The Indian market, in particular, presents exciting potential for the group over the medium to longer term and we are delighted to welcome our new franchise partners, PNM Tech Beverages, to the wider SMWS family. We remain confident that the actions we are taking stand us in good stead to continue to deliver future growth.' The update comes a month after Artisanal flagged a 'respectable and resilient' first-half performance as it battles tariff uncertainty. The group said its underlying result for the period was 'broadly in line' with the prior year loss of £1 million, despite ongoing tough global trading conditions. In a trading update to investors, it noted that revenue had marginally decreased while it implemented a tariff mitigation plan. Membership retention at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society was said to have remained positive, at around 70 per cent, although there was a marginal decline in overall membership compared with the end of December. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The group, which listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2021, said it continued to make good progress with cask sales, with an incremental £1m or so of revenue in the first half supported by the 'exciting opportunity' in the coming months from the recent launch of Artisan Cask - a luxury private cask programme.
