The Norwich-based business, which helps start-ups across East England, wins a full-sized matchday advertising slot at a Coventry Wasps game alongside other prizes.
You’ve got a great business idea, but where do you start? Every founder faces that challenge and Akcela aims to solve it.
The business ‘incubator’ won Vodafone’s Business Champion Award, and a plethora of prizes, for the way it’s helped start-ups across East England to recover from the Covid-19 crisis. The judges also commended Akcela for its work to inspire the next generation of business owners.
The company connects founders with a community of like-minded entrepreneurs, encouraging them to take the plunge and to share knowledge with fellow founders who’ve been through the same experience.
They offer professional services and advice, such as how to raise capital, alongside physical office space, helping founders to build their network in-person with experts on-hand.
To date Akcela have helped raise over £600,000 for start-ups across East England, covering a range of industries including education technology, games design, climate change and more.
Vodafone is a proud supporter of small businesses in the UK, with its V-Hub information and advice website attracting over half a million visits since its launch in lockdown. BBC Dragon’s Den star Steven Bartlett is a V-Hub ambassador.
Akcela’s prizes for winning the Business Champion Award include a full matchday advertising slot at a Coventry Wasps rugby game, alongside access to the Vodafone Business Lounge at the Coventry Building Society Arena to host clients and colleagues.
They also win a cash prize, a table of six at any game of the company’s choosing and hospitality tickets for the season ahead.
After accepting the award at the Wasps End of Season Awards, Akcela Managing Director James Adams said: “To be recognised at a national level, with the calibre of other nominees, with the plethora of businesses throughout the UK, who have achieved so much to support the next generation of business owners through a pandemic and huge economic uncertainty, is truly an honour.
“We would like to thank all of the team at Vodafone Business for taking the time to review what we’ve been up to and ultimately honouring us with this award.”
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