"Their ambition is exactly what the UK economy needs"
Twenty-two of the UK’s most exceptional female founders have been shortlisted for the 2026 Tide everywoman Entrepreneur Awards.
Now in its 24th year, the awards recognise women making an impact across the UK business landscape, with this year’s finalists selected from nearly 1,000 entries.
The 2026 ceremony will take place on December 2 at The Londoner in Leicester Square, London.
This year, the programme forms part of AllBright everywoman’s Female Founder Collective, a year-long initiative providing practical support to female entrepreneurs at different stages of their journeys.
Through the Collective, founders can access industry events, funding opportunities, expert insights and professional networks, with the programme also aiming to address structural barriers that continue to affect women in business.
Sponsors for the 2026 event include Specsavers, Saffery and JCDecaux.
DESIblitz is proud to be a media partner for the awards.
The shortlisted entrepreneurs represent sectors including accountancy, education, fashion, fitness, health and social care, spanning early-stage ventures to multi-million-pound businesses.
The support comes amid ongoing financial and operational pressures for female entrepreneurs.
The everywoman Female Business Owners Index, in partnership with Tide, found that 54% of female business owners were working longer hours, while nearly one in four (23%) had taken on a second job to keep their businesses running.
One female-founded SME will be awarded a £10,000 grant, building on Tide’s Women in Business programme, which supports over 200,000 female-founded businesses across the UK.
Last year’s grant recipient, Zoe Williams, founder of Aegles, used the funding to expand her e-commerce business into physical retail. The company is now launching in four physical retail locations.
The recipient will be announced at the ceremony.
One finalist will also be named Woman of the Year.
Sophie Catto, Managing Director of AllBright everywoman, said:
“These finalists are building brilliant businesses at a time when running one has rarely been tougher.
“Their ambition is exactly what the UK economy needs right now and it deserves to be backed.
“Making the shortlist isn’t the finish line, and through the Female Founder Collective, they will join a community that will provide practical support and mentorship and keep opening doors for them long after the ceremony.”
George Schmidt, CEO of Tide UK/Europe, said:
“These incredible founders have built something real, and they’ve done it in a tough climate for small business.”
“In our second year as headline partner, what we keep hearing is that the idea is rarely the hard part; it’s keeping going when money is tight and time is tighter.
“That’s why we’re proud to support more than 200,000 female-founded businesses in the UK, and why on 2 December we’ll put £10,000 behind one of this year’s finalists.
“It won’t fix everything, but it can give them breathing space to make a real decision about what happens next. Congratulations to all the finalists.”
The Shortlist for the Tide everywoman Entrepreneur Awards
Balance Award
Nana Crawford – Founder of JiggleFiTT, from Purley
Leena Lakhani – Founder & Owner of Home Instead Wembley, from Middlesex
Louise Rengozzi – Director of The Cusp Marketing, from Swansea
Solopreneur Award
Liza Al Sady – Founder of We The Conscious, from London
Rebecca McMaster – Founder of Eden Consultancy NI, from Belfast
Katie Raven – Founder of Sure Safety Consultancy, from Caerphilly
Emma Royston – Founder and CEO of Chasing Threads from Tunbridge Wells
Small Enterprise Award
Toks Aruoture – Founder & Creative Director of The Baby Cot Shop, from Chelsea
Beth Jackson – Co-Founder of 2 Sisters Accounting Ltd, from Dorking
Anissa Payne – Founder of NM Media Productions, from London
Cassandra Thompson – Director of Paypacket Limited, from Nottingham
Tech Innovator Award
Sophia Amejee – Founder of SATs Companion Ltd, from London
Kaleigh Frost – Founder & CEO of 10XU, from London
Shana Kennedy – Founder & CEO of Chaotic, from Banstead
Scale Up Award
Amelia Hitchcock-Merritt – Founder & CEO of Bijoux De Mimi, from London
Rebecca Hossack – Founder of Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, from London
Georgia Testa – Founder & Director of Studio 281, from Bedford
Fiona Wylie – Founder and CEO of Brand Champions, from London
Entrepreneur for Good Award
Dr Jackie Gray – Founder of Carents, from Newcastle upon Tyne
Eve Horne – CEO of We Are The Unheard CIC, from London
Dr Miriam Silver – Founder & CEO of BERRI Ltd, from Matlock
Dr Emma Williamson – Founder & CEO of aneemo, from Faversham, Kent
Further information about the finalists and tickets for the ceremony is available at AllBright everywoman.
Good luck to all the Tide everywoman Entrepreneur Awards 2026 finalists!
