IW Chamber Business Awards 2026
Categories Announced for IW Chamber Business Awards 2026
The Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce the categories for the IW Chamber Business Awards 2026.
Entering the IW Chamber Business Awards is a fantastic opportunity to reflect on your success over the past year. It’s your chance to review your progress, celebrate your accomplishments, share your story, and potentially be recognised as outstanding in your industry.
Applications open on 1st December 2025 and close on 30th January 2026, but we’re excited to reveal the categories to give businesses time to consider which awards best suit their achievements.
Once applications close, entries will be reviewed by our independent panel of judges, who will be announced in the new year.
For 2026, there’s an exciting new development: the Customer Service Award, Tourism & Leisure Business of the Year Award, and Hospitality Business of the Year Award shortlists will be shared with IW Chamber members for a vote. The winners will be chosen through a combination of judges’ scoring and member votes – details on how to take part will be announced after entries close.
But for now, the most important part – the categories!
The categories in full:
Start Up Business of the Year – sponsored by PC Consultants
Young Entrepreneurship Award
Entrepreneurship Award – sponsored by Red Funnel
Customer Service Award – sponsored by RPL Construction
Community Award – sponsored by Moore (South) LLP
Employer of the Year – sponsored by Glanvilles Damant Legal Services
Training and Development Award
Environment and Sustainability Award – sponsored by IFPL
Technology and Innovation Award – sponsored by Lifeline Alarms
Tourism and Leisure Business of the Year – sponsored by Visit Isle of Wight
Hospitality Business of the Year – sponsored by Cherry Godfrey
Manufacturing and Export Business of the Year – sponsored by GKN Aerospace
Creative Impact Award
Business Social Impact Award
Growth Business of the Year – sponsored by WRS
Micro Business of the Year – sponsored by Gurit
Small Business of the Year – sponsored by Wightlink
All entries must be received on-line and before the deadline of Friday January 30th 2026. The shortlist will be published in March when tickets will go on-sale.
Awards FAQ
Can I enter for an award?
Yes. Your business must be based on the Island and must have completed your first full year of trading.
Is it free to enter?
Yes. Any business can enter in two categories for free. Subsequent entries will be charged at £110 plus VAT per entry for IW Chamber members or £220 plus VAT for non-members.
Do I have to be a Chamber member?
No. The awards are open to any Island based business.
When do the awards open?
Entry criteria and application forms will be available from Monday 1st December 2025.
What is the closing date?
Entries must be submitted by 6pm on Friday 30th January 2026. No entries will be accepted after this time.
Will this closing date be extended?
No. This date and time are final and any entries received after this time will not be included.
What time period should my entry cover?
Entries should reflect activity in the calendar year of 2025, from January 1st to December 31st 2025. Entries should reflect activity within this time frame although year on year and historical comparisons can be included to show growth and scale.
My business is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Will that help me win an award?
Your award entry will be judged on your activity within the time frame of the awards not the lifetime of your business.
Can I email or post my entry?
All entries must be submitted via email and to the awards@iwchamber.co.uk email address.
When will the nominations be announced?
A shortlist will be published in March when tickets will go on sale for the glittering ceremony, Friday 8th May 2026.
When will the winners be announced?
Winners will be announced and presented with their award at the ceremony on Friday 8th May 2026.
Will you acknowledge receipt of my entry?
We will aim to acknowledge receipt of your submission via email within 4 working days.
Who are the judges and who will see my entry?
The judging panel is comprised of impartial business experts. Some are Island based, others on the mainland and some are internationally based. Your business will be judged wholly on your entry and the information that you provide. Your entry will be treated in confidence.
What about additional material?
An award winning entry will tell a strong story well, with supporting evidence to back up the claims. Facts and figures are important but so is context – don’t forget to explain the background to your numbers and the way that your business operates. Keep things in the relevant context – the Isle of Wight business community, your sector in the UK, the global market etc.
Include photographs if necessary or they would help the judges understand what you do. Supporting materials can be submitted but your entry should stand up on its own. Make sure that all the key facts and evidence are in your main entry. Supporting material should provide further detail if required. You can include website links within your entry and this can include links to video material (eg Youtube).
If you are supplying additional material, please do so as a PDF or limited selection of documents, attached to the same email as your application form. All submissions should be less than 10MB in total for your email.
How is the shortlist put together?
The judging panel will assess all valid entries. Submissions that are incomplete or exceed the word limit or any other entry requirements will not be judged. Shortlists for each category and the number of nominations will reflect the quality of submissions within each individual category. The judge’s decision is final.
Can I receive feedback on my entry?
Judges feedback will be available on request after the awards ceremony on the 8th May 2026.
Can I get help with my entry?
The strongest advice we can give you is to read the entry requirements for each category thoroughly and supply the evidence required. Remember that the judges may have no prior knowledge of your business or your activity. This is your opportunity to tell your story and show them, with evidence, what makes your business so exceptional.
Island Business September / October 2025
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