Best Investor Communication Award

sponsored by Alma PR

 
The 2020 shortlist:

Abcam plc

Abcam is a global life sciences company providing highly validated antibodies and other binders and assays to the research and clinical communities to help advance the understanding of biology and causes of disease.

The group’s mission is to serve life scientists to help them achieve their mission faster by listening to their needs, continuously innovating and improving and by giving them the tools, data and experience they want. Their ambition is to become the most influential life science company for researchers worldwide to support research, diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

AB Dynamics plc

AB Dynamics was founded in 1982 as a specialist vehicle engineering company and has grown consistently to become one of the world’s most trusted global suppliers of automotive test and verification systems.

The group’s customers include the top 25 global vehicle manufacturers, tier one suppliers, all 8 Euro NCAP laboratories, numerous global test facilities and autonomous vehicle developers. AB Dynamics is playing a key role in the transition towards semi-autonomous and ultimately fully autonomous vehicles.

EMIS Group plc

EMIS Group is a major provider of healthcare software, information technology and related services in the UK. The group’s strategy is a combination of three core parts – connected healthcare, patient empowerment and technology innovation. This powerful combination of priorities means EMIS is able to continually add value to the NHS and B2B healthcare sector.

The group is a regular on the Best Investor Communication shortlist and won the award in both 2018 and 2019.

Oncimmune Holdings plc

Oncimmune is leading global immunodiagnostics group with an intimate understanding of the human immune system, enabling the group to detect cancer earlier and support the development of better therapies.

The group launched its platform diagnostic technology in 2009, followed by the launch of its first commercial tests, EarlyCDT Lung and EarlyCDT Liver. EarlyCDT Lung is the world's most thoroughly validated blood test for the detection of lung cancer and is shown to detect lung cancer on average four years earlier compared to current standard clinical diagnosis.

Best Performing Share Award

sponsored by Zeus Capital

 
This is a factual award and therefore no shortlist is necessary.

Best Use of AIM Award

sponsored by Winterflood Securities

 
The 2020 shortlist:

Ideagen plc

Ideagen is a leading supplier of information management software solutions to highly regulated industries. The group has established a global business, supplying governance, risk and compliance (GRC) solutions predominantly to the aviation, life sciences, banking and finance, aerospace and defence, healthcare and automotive sectors.

Ideagen is able to provide complete content lifecycle solutions that enable organisations to meet their regulatory and compliance standards, helping them to reduce corporate risks and deliver operational excellence. 

Inspiration Healthcare Group plc

Inspiration Healthcare is a global supplier of medical technology for critical care, operating theatre and home healthcare applications.

The group’s products are available in over 50 countries worldwide, and its success has been built on continuous innovation, excellent customer service and an inherent commitment to improving the quality of life of patients, working in close collaboration with key opinion leaders and stakeholders in the clinical and medical community across the globe.

Keywords Studios plc

Keywords Studios is the leading international technical services provider to the global video games industry. The group works with many of the world’s leading video game companies and provides services for most of the world’s leading game titles, be they console games, PC, mobile or online games.

Keywords is playing a leading role in the consolidation of the highly-fragmented games services industry through selective acquisitions of complementary businesses. Since its IPO in 2013, the group has successfully made a number of acquisitions which have significantly extended its geographic reach, capacity and expertise.

Learning Technologies Group plc

LTG is a market-leader in the fast-growing workplace digital learning and talent management market. The group offers large organisations a new approach to learning and talent in a business world driven by digital transformation.
LTG’s purpose is to help systematise the process of ‘putting the best people into the right roles becoming the best they can be’, transforming large organisations’ ability to scale, and flex to meet future market opportunities. LTG represents a unique mix of product and services that focus on partnering with clients to achieve measurable results and close the gap between current and future workforce capability.

Marlowe plc

Marlowe plc is the UK leader in specialist services which assure safety and regulatory compliance, whilst managing risk for businesses across the country. The group delivers health & safety, risk & compliance software, fire safety & security, water treatment & hygiene, air testing & quality, HR & occupational health compliance – all of which are vital to the wellbeing of its customers’ operations and are invariably governed by stringent regulation.

Marlowe’s services help its clients reduce risk, assure regulatory compliance and achieve total peace of mind.

Best Technology Award

sponsored by Cenkos

 
The 2020 shortlist:

Creo Medical Group plc

Creo Medical is a medical device company focused on the emerging field of surgical endoscopy, a recent development in minimally invasive surgery. The company’s mission is to improve patient outcomes by applying microwave and radiofrequency energy to surgical endoscopy.

Creo has developed CROMA, an electrosurgical platform that can deliver bipolar radiofrequency energy and microwave power through a single accessory port. This technology makes it possible to perform endoscopic surgery with precision through miniature endoscopic instruments that cut, coagulate and ablate soft tissue. Creo Medical’s strategy is to further develop the CROMA platform through a suite of new medical, initially into the field of gastrointestinal (GI) tract therapeutic endoscopy, and then into a broader range of areas including bronchoscopy and laparoscopy. 

MaxCyte Inc.

MaxCyte is a U.S.-based global company driving the acceleration of the discovery/ development, manufacturing and commercialization of next-generation, cell-based medicines.

The group provides its patented, high-performance cell-engineering platform to biopharmaceutical partners engaged in drug discovery and development, biomanufacturing and cell therapy, including gene editing and immuno-oncology. With its robust delivery platform, its team of scientific experts helps the group’s partners unlock the potential of their products and solve development and commercialization challenges.

Renalytix AI plc

RenalytixAI is an artificial intelligence-enabled in vitro diagnostics company, focused on optimizing clinical management of kidney disease to drive improved patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs.

KidneyIntelX, the group’s first-in-class in vitro diagnostics platform, employs a proprietary artificial intelligence-enabled algorithm to combine diverse data inputs, including validated blood-based biomarkers, inherited genetics and personalized patient data from electronic health record, or EHR, systems, to generate a unique patient risk score. This patient risk score enables prediction of progressive kidney function decline in chronic kidney disease, or CKD, allowing physicians and healthcare systems to optimize the allocation of treatments and clinical resources to patients at highest risk.

Synairgen plc

Synairgen is a drug discovery and development company founded by three Professors at the University of Southampton. The business, focused primarily on severe asthma and COPD, uses its differentiating human biology BioBank platform and world-renowned international academic Key Opinion Leader network to discover and develop novel therapies for respiratory disease. In July this year, Synairgen announced positive results from its Phase II double-blind placebo-controlled trial, called SG016, in hospitalised COVID-19 patients. The primary endpoint was the change in condition assessed using the WHO Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement (OSCI) during the dosing period.

AIM Transaction of the Year Award

sponsored by Shore Capital

 
The 2020 shortlist:

Amryt Pharma plc 

Amryt is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and delivering innovative new treatments to help improve the lives of patients with rare and orphan diseases. The group comprises a growing commercial business and a significant development pipeline.

Amryt's lead development candidate, FILSUVEZ® is a potential treatment for the cutaneous manifestations of EB, a rare and distressing genetic skin disorder affecting young children and adults for which there is currently no approved treatment. In September 2020, Amryt reported positive top line results from its pivotal global phase 3 trial of FILSUVEZ® in EB. FILSUVEZ® had been granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation and had also received a Fast Track Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Codemasters Group Holdings plc 

Codemasters is a video game developer and publisher, specialising in high quality racing games. Headquartered in Southam, Warwickshire, the company is one of the most recognised British game developers and publishers, with a 30 year track record of producing successful games.

Codemasters is the home of revered franchises including DiRT, GRID and the F1® series of video games. In November 2019, the group acquired Slightly Mad Studios and added the award-winning Project CARS franchise to its portfolio alongside Fast & Furious Crossroads. 

Inspiration Healthcare Group plc 

Inspiration Healthcare is a global supplier of medical technology for critical care, operating theatre and home healthcare applications. Its mission is to provide high quality innovative products to patients and caregivers around the world that help to improve patient outcomes and efficiencies of healthcare organisations with patient focused customer service and technical support.

The group’s own brand of critical care solutions span non-invasive respiratory management, thermoregulation and patient warming for newborns through to adults in intensive care and the operating theatre, whilst its distribution business in the UK and Ireland supplies solutions to support specialised surgical procedures and infusion therapies. 

Kape Technologies plc 

Kape is a leading ‘privacy-first’ digital security software provider to consumers. Through its range of privacy and security products, the group focusses on protecting consumers and their personal data as they go about their daily digital lives.

To date, Kape has millions of paying subscribers, supported by a team of over 350 people across eight locations worldwide. Through its subscription based platform, Kape has fast established a highly scalable SaaS-based operating model, geared towards capitalising on the vast global consumer digital privacy market. 

AIM Corporate Governance Award

sponsored by One Advisory

 
The 2020 shortlist:

EMIS Group plc 

EMIS is a major provider of healthcare software, information technology and related services in the UK.

The NHS needs high performing, reliable technology that speeds up processes. Technology provides efficiency for a stretched NHS, under pressure for resources to cope with increasing medical costs and demand on services.Healthcare technology will underpin the sustainability of the NHS for the future, which is why tens of thousands of clinicians across the UK rely on EMIS’ software and systems on a daily basis, to help them deliver the best possible patient care. 

essensys plc 

essensys is the leading global provider of mission-critical software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) platforms and on-demand cloud services to the high growth flexible workspace industry. The group’s software was specifically designed and developed to help solve the complex operational challenges faced by multi-site flexible workspace operators as they grow and scale their operations.

essensys’ two SaaS platforms, Connect and Operate, address these complex operational challenges, and reduce costs by simplifying the day-to-day management of flexible workspaces and the provision of on-demand IT, technology and infrastructure services to tenants. 

Hotel Chocolat Group plc 

Hotel Chocolat manufactures premium chocolate and cocoa-related products and sells these direct to customers. The group sells its products online and through a network of 96 stores in the UK and abroad. The business was founded in 1993 by Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris and has traded under the Hotel Chocolat brand since 2003.

Hotel Chocolat has a strong and distinct brand that is at the core of its offering and is built on values of originality, authenticity and ethics. The Directors believe that Hotel Chocolat is the UK’s favourite premium chocolate brand, providing a differentiated, cocoa-rich taste at an accessible price. 

YouGov plc

YouGov is an international research data and analytics group headquartered in London. The group’s data-led offering supports and improves a wide spectrum of marketing activities of a customer-base including media owners, brands and media agencies. YouGov work with some of the world’s most recognised brands.

The group has a proprietary panel of over 9 million people globally, with operations in the UK, North America, Mainland Europe, the Nordics, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, making YouGov one of the world’s largest research networks. 

AIM Growth Business of the Year Award

sponsored by BGF

 
The 2020 shortlist:

EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc

EKF Diagnostics is a global medical manufacturer of point-of-care (POCT) devices and tests for hemoglobin, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), glucose and lactate.

The group has a long history in point-of-care testing and clinical chemistry reagent manufacture at its plants in Germany and the USA and are proud of their hard earned reputation for products that are easy to use, reliable and precise. 

Gear4music Holdings plc

Gear4music is the largest retailer of musical instruments and music equipment in the UK. The group operates from a Head Office in York with showrooms and distribution centres in York, Sweden, and Germany.

Gear4music sells own-brand musical instruments and music equipment alongside well-known premium brands including Fender, Yamaha and Roland, to customers ranging from beginners, to musical enthusiasts and professionals. The group has been selling into Europe since 2012 and in 2017 started shipping outside of Europe.

Team17 Group plc

Team17 is a leading video games label and creative partner for independent developers. The group is focused on premium, rather than free to play games, and creates and publishes titles for the PC, console, mobile, and tablet gaming markets.

Since foundation in 1990, Team17 has launched over 100 games, including the iconic Worms, Overcooked and Escapists franchises, as well as Yooka-Laylee, Yoku’s Island Express, My Time at Portia, Hell Let Loose and Blasphemous, making Team17 one of the most prolific developers and partners of games for the indie market. 

Tristel plc 

Tristel is a manufacturer of infection control, contamination control and hygiene products. It is one of only a few businesses worldwide that specialises in infection prevention.

The group has four principal activities; Medical instrument disinfection under the Tristel brand; Hospital surface disinfection under the Cache brand; Cleanroom, pharma and lab hygiene under the Crystel brand; and infection prevention in animal healthcare under the Anistel brand.

Best Newcomer Award

sponsored by Link Group

 
The 2020 shortlist:

Brickability Group plc

Brickability is a market leading supplier of facing bricks, blocks, rainscreen cladding systems, architectural masonry, paving, roof tiles and slates to the construction industry.

Brickability distributes, and in many cases installs superior quality and strategically important building materials from major UK and European manufacturing partners, providing product solutions to both private and commercial specifiers, contractors, developers and builders. Its businesses are focussed around three core product areas; Bricks and Building Materials, Roofing Products and Services as well as Heating, Plumbing and Joinery. 

FRP Advisory Group plc 

FRP is a professional services firm established in 2010 which offers a range of advisory services to companies, lenders, investors and other stakeholders, as well as individuals. The group advises across multiple sectors and all business sizes, however it principally services smaller and mid-market companies.

FRP has grown from its initial size of 29 partners in 2010 to a firm which now works from 20 offices throughout the UK and comprises approximately 430 staff including 63 partners.

MJ Hudson Group plc 

MJ Hudson works with fund managers, investors and advisers in both traditional and alternative assets allows us to see issues from all sides and advise its clients accordingly. The group’s services include law, fund management solutions, international administration, investment advisory, and data & analytics.

MJ Hudson is headquartered in London and has offices across Europe and North America. Its team of over 150 professionals works for many of the world’s most significant investors and managers. 

Inspecs Group plc 

INSPECS Group produces eyewear for a global portfolio of fashion, sports and lifestyle brands and patented concept eyewear. It licenses, designs, patents, manufactures and distributes globally from bases in the UK, USA, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Portugal and Scandinavia.

Headquartered in Bath, INSPECS partners with global consumer brands under license to manage and grow its eyewear market share. The group are known for delivering compelling, on-brand eyewear and marketing for their trade customers and end consumers. 

Pebble Group plc

Pebble Group provides products, services and technology to the global promotional products industry through two focused and differentiated businesses: Brand Addition and Facilisgroup.

Brand Addition is a leading provider of promotional products to global brands. It utilises its global network to source and deliver complex and creative promotional product solutions to support the marketing efforts of multi-national clients who operate in sectors which include health and beauty, fast moving consumer goods, transport, technology, banking and finance and charity. Brand Addition’s clients primarily comprise major global brands. Facilisgroup provides subscription-based services to SME promotional product distributors in the United States and Canada. Its suite of services includes business intelligence software, buying power and community events.

Entrepreneur of the Year Award

sponsored by Octopus Investments

 
The 2020 shortlist:

Debbie Bestwick/Team17 Group plc

Debbie Bestwick is an industry leader with over 30 years in the games industry and is one of the founding members of Team17. Initially leading Team17’s Sales and Marketing department, Debbie went on to become responsible for all of the commercial and legal aspects of the business, working globally with top tier games distributors, publishers, developers, and licence partners.

Debbie became joint CEO in 2009 and sole CEO in 2010, leading the company through its 2011 management buy-out and subsequent sale of a minority stake to LDC in 2016. Debbie was awarded an MBE for services to the video games industry in 2016, joint winner of the Entrepreneur of the Year UK Disruptor category in 2017 and was awarded the inaugural Outstanding Contribution to the UK Games Industry at the 2017 Golden Joystick Awards. 

Sukh Chamdal/Cake Box Holdings plc

Sukh Chamdal founded Cake Box in 2008 and co-founded the franchise arm of the business in 2009. He has over 35 years of experience in the food manufacturing and retail industry, having begun his career in the family business selling Indian sweets and savouries.

Sukh is a consultant for a food equipment company specialising in high volume food production. Sukh previously owned a food catering company suppling vegetarian food for functions and events.

Andrew Day/Keywords Studios plc

Andrew has a background in technology, manufacturing and business services through corporate development and general management roles within both publicly quoted and private companies.

Andrew started his career in 1983 at Rothmans International PLC in production management. From 1986 to 1993 he had responsibility for corporate development activities at Britannia Security Group PLC, TIP Europe PLC and Brent International PLC before holding the position of Divisional Managing Director at Brent International PLC for six years.
Andrew was Chief Executive Officer of interactive retail software developer, Unipower Solutions and Head of Retail and CPG for EMEA at NYSE listed advanced analytics business, FICO, before joining Keywords as its Chief Executive Officer in April 2009. 

Andrew Wass/Gear4music plc

CEO and founder Andrew Wass, was a sound recording engineer in 1995 when he identified an opportunity to supply small recording studios and educational establishments with personal computer based digital recording solutions.
Andrew has over 20 years’ business management experience and in 1998 he began selling IT systems for the audio recording market before launching Gear4music in 2003. Since then Andrew has retained overall responsibility for driving the Group’s growth.

Between 1992 and 1998, Andrew set up and ran his own recording studio business, having studied Popular Music and Sound Recording at the University of Salford. Andrew is a keen pianist. 

Company of the Year Award

sponsored by WH Ireland

 
The 2020 shortlist:

Frontier Developments plc 

Frontier’s development strengths are immersive and fun gameplay design with unparalleled artistic quality, all underpinned and enabled by cutting-edge in-house technology and a talent for getting the best out of hardware and UI. 

The group has built a uniquely diverse catalogue of games – enabled by its Cobra technology – that has defined genres, earned critical acclaim and won a place in the hearts of millions of players. Having worked with a succession of top publishers, Frontier now self-publishes its own high quality, innovative games of different genres that embody its world-class expertise across all major gaming formats. 

GB Group plc

With a rich heritage of more than 30 years, offices in 19 locations worldwide and more than 1,000 employees globally, GB Group proudly stands as the global technology specialist in fraud, location and identity data intelligence.

The group is positioned to support business challenges and enable customer growth by protecting companies and governments to fight fraud and cybercrime, lower cost of compliance and improve customer digital onboarding experience in today’s digital economy.

James Halstead plc

James Halstead founded the group in 1915 and the company still bears his name. The business was initially founded as a weaving operation and the original product line was woven cotton textiles; however this later turned to the production of rubberised fabric used in rainwear and outdoor clothing. 

Today, Halstead’s flooring products are found in schools, hospitals, transport, public, commercial and residential buildings around the world. 

YouGov plc

YouGov is an international research and data analytics company. Its mission is to supply a continuous stream of accurate data and insight into what the world thinks, so that companies, governments and institutions can better serve the people and communities that sustain them.  

The group’s highly engaged proprietary global panel of over 8 million people provides thousands of data points on consumer opinions, attitudes and behaviour. YouGov combines this continuous stream of data with its research expertise to provide insights that enable intelligent decision-making and informed conversations. Its integrated suite of products, services and tools operates as a systematic platform serving YouGov data and intelligence for all stages of the marketing workflow.