SIX inspirational start-up businesses were rewarded for their efforts at the third Unlocking Potential Graduate Start-up Awards, held recently at The Princess Pavilion in Falmouth.

The event celebrated the achievements of more than 50 graduate entrepreneurs in Cornwall over the course of their Unlocking Potential support since January 2013. Fourteen of Cornwall’s most exciting new business talents were nominated for the awards across six categories in recognition of their outstanding performance and results.

The nominees were businesses from right across the county and a range of sectors including clothing design, video production, furniture manufacture and brewing!

The winners were:

Most Inventive Start-Up Award:

Henry Jasper (University of Exeter graduate), Grublin Games (Penzance)

Best Digital Start-Up Award:

Grant Batty and Rich Stephens (Falmouth University graduates), PixelRain (Penryn)

Exciting Future Award:

Johnny Paton (Falmouth University graduate) & Daniel Gradwell (Hull University graduate), Kingdom & Sparrow (Falmouth)

The Entrepreneur Award:

Jack Williams (Reading University graduate) Black Rock Brewing, Falmouth

Best Start-up:

Steve Young (University of Exeter graduate), Energy My Way (St Austell)

Start-up Leader of the Year:

Michelle Taylor (Nottingham Trent University graduate), Dogbite (Falmouth)

Jack Williams of Black Rock Brewing, The Entrepreneur Award winner said: "I'm still shocked at winning the entrepreneur award - but I guess that's true to the spirit of the category - being so focused on driving business forward that you never really stop to pat yourself on the back! I'm grateful for all the support I've had along the way, not just from Unlocking Potential but from other business I've met on their fantastic start-up programme. ...And it turns out a pat on the back once in a while feels pretty great!

Celebrating her win in Start-up Leader category, Michelle Taylor of Dogbite, said: "The support from UP has been amazing! Having access to coaching mentoring, guidance and expert professional advice has meant that I have felt supported, and assisted through the difficult start-up period and high growth challenges that we have negotiated along the way. Receiving the help has meant that running a high growth business has been made the past 3 years that much easier to plan and manoeuvre and less daunting on a personal level as a business leader. It was a great honour to be part of the event and recognised as being amongst the growing community of business success in Cornwall.

Unlocking Potential helps people develop and businesses grow in Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and the South West. Unlocking Potential’s Graduate Start-up programme, funded by ESF, began in 2010, using the team’s vast experience of recruiting and supporting graduates into key projects within Cornish businesses. Programme Director, Allyson Glover said: "The event was a fantastic showcase of Cornish start-ups’ success, highlighting their great ideas, knowledge, passion and hard work, and most importantly celebrating their fantastic achievements. These new businesses are integral to the future prosperity of Cornwall’s economy and this evening we’ve been able to applaud what these start-ups and our support has accomplished.

On average 50% of start-ups cease trading in the first three years, while 83% of start-ups supported by Unlocking Potential are still going strong. The support has helped talented graduates turn their great ideas into thriving businesses that generate jobs, by investing time, money and expertise. Since its inception, 165 jobs and £4.6m turnover has been created by Unlocking Potential graduate start-ups.

As well as an array of businesses from the start-up community, previous winners whose businesses have since gone on to further success, were in attendance too, emphasising the incredible impact Unlocking Potential has had on business growth in the region.

To find out more about Unlocking Potential’s start-up support or enrol on their next boot camp in July contact their team on 0845 600 3660 or email hello@unlocking-potential.co.uk