Southampton City Council Award for Southampton Young Entrepreneur of the Year

That is why the South Coast Business Awards has this year launched its award for Southampton Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

The award has been designed for young people who can convince judges of their belief in themselves and their vision.

It is open to those aged 30 or under whose business is located in the local authority area of Southampton, or someone living there.

Southampton City Council is sponsoring the award because it recognises that the green shoots of the city’s economy will be the budding business minds who need nurturing to fulfil their potential.

City council judge Jeff Walters said: “This is the first time this category has been run as part of the South Coast Business Awards.

“We have been very pleased with the response in this first year and have been impressed by the drive and ingenuity that the applicants have demonstrated in identifying business opportunities and creating their enterprises.”

JOE Lambert is technical director and co-founder at Southampton based Rareloop, a software company specialising in cutting edge web and mobile technologies.

Rareloop provide both technical and strategic services to help companies navigate the quickly changing mobile landscape.

It is entrusted by organisations such as the University of Southampton, the NHS & Amnesty International to provide a range of high-quality web and mobile applications.

Rareloop have also developed a number of products, most notably FormAgent – a mobile data collection service that is currently used by a number of NGOs to aid research into reducing the impact of HIV in developing nations.

TOMASZ Dyl is a hard-working individual, who has been running a business since the age of 17, while also studying full time at Taunton’s College and then Southampton Solent University.

As well as managing GottaBe!, a field marketing agency, Tomasz is a joint partner at Magazyn PL, a Polish weekly magazine.

He is also involved in presenting a radio show at 103.9 Voice FM and often gives his time to run master classes and give motivational talks at the local universities and schools.

His firm also offers mentoring opportunities to a select few promising young individuals. GottaBe! works with local businesses such as Moore Blatch and Hampshire Constabulary, as well as international brands such as Specsavers, O2 and Western Union.

TYRO Training Solutions is an organisation based in Southampton which works with other organisations across the south of England who are looking to implement nationallyrecognised qualifications.

Tyro supports companies who want to employ disadvantaged young people and give them apprenticeship opportunities.

Michael Steel believes that vocational education could be delivered differently.

Leaving his full-time job with no destination, Michael embarked on a journey that has seen him work with national, regional and local companies – implementing learning and development and even travelling across the world to promote British vocational qualifications.

LITTLE Van Gogh is a company driven by a genuine passion to support up-andcoming artists and to bring original art to the masses.

It brings the arts and business together by providing changing art exhibitions to companies all over the UK.

Chloé Adams set the business up when she was 20 years of age.

Now 27, she has seen her business grow year-on-year into a unique and successful brand.

Her passion for the Little Van Gogh concept is unfaltering.

It drove her to choose starting a business over going to university, and by following her instincts she has delivered a brilliant concept to many artists and companies all over the UK.