2018 Winners

BBC presenter Claudia Winkleman hosted the 2018 Growth Investor Awards ceremony. Over 450 movers and shakers from the UK’s vibrant SME investment community attended the fourth annual black-tie dinner to celebrate the stellar success of 16 award winners.

Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton opened up the ceremony with a keynote speech. The exclusive event featured a second keynote speech from a serial entrepreneur and motivational speaker Caspar Craven.

A two-stage judging process to determine 16 winners from 86 finalists was supported by a panel of 37 independent expert judges. The winners and runners-up for the 2018 Growth Investor Awards are:

INDUSTRY CHAMPION

• Winner – Jenny Tooth OBE

EXIT OF THE YEAR

• Winner – Par Equity (ICS Learn)
• Runner up – Albion Capital (Grapeshot)
• One to Watch – Foresight (Simulity Labs)

MOST IMPACTFUL INVESTMENT, sponsored by Bates Wells Braithwaite Compliance

• Winner – Ingenious (Mindful Education)
• Runner up – Deepbridge Capital (Acorn Partners)

INDUSTRY GAME CHANGER, sponsored by MICAP

• Winner – Seedrs
• Runner up – Grant Thornton
• One to Watch – Outlier Ventures

BEST INVESTMENT PLATFORM, sponsored by Aston Lark

• Winner – Wealth Club
• Runner up – Seedrs

BEST ANGEL SYNDICATE

• Winner – Oxford Capital CoInvestor
• Runner up – Green Angel Syndicate

BEST SEIS INVESTMENT MANAGER, sponsored by RW Blears LLP

• Winner – Symvan Capital
• Runner up – Deepbridge Capital
• One to Watch – Sapphire Capital Partners

BEST BR INVESTMENT MANAGER – AIM , sponsored by Reyker

• Winner – Octopus Investments
• Runner up – Stellar Asset Management
• One to watch – Thorntons Investments

BEST BR INVESTMENT MANAGER – Non-AIM , sponsored by Reyker

• Winner – TIME Investments
• Runner up – Octopus Investments
• One to watch – Triple Point

BEST AIM PORTFOLIO SERVICE, sponsored by Exact Financial Services

• Winner – Close Brothers
• Runner up – Thorntons Investments

BEST EIS INVESTMENT MANAGER, sponsored by Mainspring

• Winner – Calculus Capital
• Runner up – MMC Ventures
• One to watch – Seneca

BEST VCT INVESTMENT MANAGER, sponsored by Crowe UK

• Winner – Octopus Investments
• Runner up – Albion Capital

FINANCIAL ADVISER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by LightTower Partners

• Winner – Stephen Jones (Clear Solutions)
• Runner up – Jonothan McColgan (CFS)
• One to Watch – Vanessa Townshend (Springfield)

WEALTH MANAGER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Kin Capital

• Winner – Barclays Wealth Management
• Runner up – UBS
• One to Watch – Amicus Wealth

GROWTH CHAMPION OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Smith & Williamson

• Winner – Thoughtonomy
• Runner up – Depop
• One to Watch – Avid Technology

GROWTH INVESTOR OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Beauhurst

• Winner – Albion Capital
• Runner up – MMC Ventures
• One to Watch – Oxford Capital