The numbers behind the awards put the achievement in context. Across ten nations and regions, fewer than 900 businesses made the shortlist. The finalists collectively represent nearly 5,000 new jobs and over £150 million in annual sales - a reminder that early-stage businesses are far from trivial contributors to the UK economy.

Bearhat was built on a straightforward but underserved premise: that small and medium-sized business owners deserve access to senior marketing expertise without the eye-watering costs of a large agency or a full-time executive hire. Victoria Steele launched the business to bridge that gap, offering founder-led SMEs the kind of strategic, embedded marketing leadership that has historically been out of reach at their scale.

The results have been hard to ignore. One client generated over 1,500% more leads in just ten months - the kind of outcome that tends to do the talking when it comes to award entries.

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, co-founder of the UK StartUp Awards, noted that this year's standard of entries was exceptional, describing finalists as representing the very best of British entrepreneurial talent.

As a regional finalist, Bearhat Marketing will now compete for the Midlands title. Regional winners progress to the national final at Ideas Fest - billed as the Glastonbury of Business - in September 2026 at Champneys, Tring.

For a business not yet two years old, it's a significant marker. Quietly, Bearhat is making its case.