FIRMS from across the county have now been shortlisted as finalists for this year's Oxfordshire Business Awards.
Twelve main categories span innovation, charity and community, small business, business person of the year, young business person of the year, new business, apprenticeship, marketing excellence, cultural and tourism, environment and employer of the year.
Finalists from these categories are also considered for the overall Business of the Year title, sponsored by electrical contractors Darke & Taylor.
More than 500 business leaders are expected to attend the 23rd annual final on Friday, June 16, at the King’s Centre in Osney Mead.
Judges met on Wednesday at Jurys Inn hotel, in north Oxford, to shortlist three finalists for each awards category.
Awards chairman Paul Lowe said: "We had an unbelievable spreads of entries this year - it's the biggest spread of entries we have had for a number of years.
"Most sponsors found the decision-making to shortlist our finalists a real challenge - we had our longest ever judging meeting.
"We would like to thank all our sponsors for their efforts as they have made judging visits to firms across the county.
"If businesses have entered and have not been shortlisted we would urge them to apply again next year.
"Oxfordshire is a fantastic place to do business and the awards are testimony to that."
The Oxford Times supports the Charity and Community Award, which was won last year by Oxford-based employment charity Aspire Oxford.
It is traditional for last year's charity award winner to be given the proceeds of the raffle on the night of the final.
Other sponsors for the awards include Oxford Science Park, Knights law firm, accountants Shaw Gibbs, Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Oxfordshire Apprenticeships, NatWest, marketing agency The Syndicut, recruitment agency Hays, broadcaster Heart and Bicester-based Brita water filters.
Management consultants Newton Europe won last year's Darke & Taylor Business of the Year title.
See oxfordshirebusinessawards.co.uk for more details and to enter online.
The finalists
The Oxford Science Park Innovation Award
Reaction Engines
Perspectum Diagnostics
Sesui
The Oxford Times Charity and Community Award
Blue Skye Thinking
Sobell House Hospice Charity
SpecialEffect
The Knights 1759 Small Business Award
Oxford Space Systems
Ue Coffee Roasters
Savvy Construction
The Shaw Gibbs Young Business Person of the Year Award
Richard Marsh - CIS
Mike Hawkins - Hawkins Group
Mark Walford - TrustedCare
The Shaw Gibbs Business Person of the Year Award
Mike Lawton - Oxford Space Systems
Kate Allen - Allen Associates
Jonathan Tibbetts - Tibbetts Group
The Oxfordshire LEP New Business Award
Lentus Composites
Savoir Fare
The Burnside Partnership
The Oxfordshire Apprenticeships Apprenticeship of the Year Award
Social Sidekick
Nielsen
The Nat West Large Business Award
Oxford Products
Hawkins Group
Tibbetts Group
The Syndicut Marketing Excellence Award
Blue Skye Thinking
The Rooflight Company
Hunts
The Heart Cultural Events and Tourism Award
Manor Cottages
Huffkins
Cowley Road Works - Cowley Road Carnival
The Hays Employer of the Year Award
Miele
Harrison Catering Services
Adestra
The Brita Green Award
Go Green Taxis
Grundon Waste Management
Polythene UK
The winner of the Darke & Taylor Business of the Year Award will be announced on the night of the final.
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