The UK StartUp Awards was launched to recognise the booming start-up scene across the UK, which has accelerated over the last few years, with 846,000 new businesses founded in the UK in 2024.
Over 750 businesses have been shortlisted for this year’s UK StartUp Awards and the contribution of these firms – all of which were started in the last three years – is significant, having created over 4,600 new jobs since they were established and generating annual sales of £200 million.
T&G Direct Funeral Services is a compassionate, community-focused funeral provider founded in 2023 by husband & wife team, Trevor and Gayle Shingler. The business has been nominated for the Service Industries StartUp of the Year Award in North East, Yorkshire and The Humber.
Trevor, founder of T&G Direct Funeral Services, said: “I’m absolutely over the moon to be a finalist again this year. After winning the North East award in 2024, being recognised once more feels like an incredible validation of the work we do. I started this business because I saw that families were paying over the odds to give their loved ones a dignified farewell.
"Our mission is to provide professional, respectful services at an affordable price, and we’re proud to source all our products from local businesses, keeping jobs and value within our community. Being awarded the contract to work with the Sunderland and South Tyneside NHS Trust has been another proud milestone and shows that we are trusted by both families and local authorities.”
Supported nationally by Airwallex, Ideas Fest, Join Talent and V Rum, the programme celebrates the achievements of amazing individuals who have turned an idea into an opportunity and taken the risk to launch a new product or service.
The cohort of finalists will be considered for the regional prizes by a panel of seasoned judges with experience founding or supporting entrepreneurial ventures. The winners from each region will then be invited to the first UK final taking place at Ideas Fest – the Glastonbury for Business festival – in Hertfordshire on 12th September 2025.
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, the creator of the UK StartUp Awards, said: “New businesses are the driving force behind any thriving economy, generating employment, pioneering innovation, and contributing to prosperity across the UK. This year's finalists embody the very best of entrepreneurial spirit – spotting opportunities and, through dedication, skill, and resilience, turning them into thriving ventures that are making a tangible difference in their industries. More importantly, all the winners will go on to represent their region at the 2025 UK National StartUp Awards final later this year.”
The UK StartUp Awards was created in collaboration with the team behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, one of the most successful awards programmes in the UK. The UK StartUp Awards are now in their fourth year after launching in 2022.
This year’s regional UK StartUp Awards finalists can be found online at: https://startupawards.uk