Two leading campaigners for start ups and SMEs will bring their insight to judging for the Growth Investor Awards.

Michael Hayman, co-founder of campaigns firm Seven Hills and co-author of Mission: How the Best in Business Break Through, has joined the panel of judges for the Growth Investor Awards.

Michael is also co-founder of StartUp Britain, the national initiative for early-stage enterprise launched by the Prime Minister which helped to create the environment for a record-breaking 500,000 new business registrations in 2013.

Joining the panel for Best SEIS Investment Manager, Michael has worked at the heart of the national enterprise effort assisting the Department for Business on the development of initiatives including Start-Up Loans, Business in You, the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme and the Small Business Charter, on whose management board he also sits. As a member of Catalyst UK he works with UK Trade & Investment to promote UK excellence internationally.

Michelle Ovens MBE, National Campaign Director of the UK’s Small Business Saturday campaign, has also joined the panel for Most Impactful Investment. Heading up the national day to promote entrepreneurship and small business, Michelle worked with Lord Young, the Prime Minister’s Adviser for Enterprise in 2014 on his report, “Enterprise For All’.