Former Glaswegian pro basketball player up for top award
The awards, sponsored by Allica Bank, celebrate outstanding business achievements across the UK and have been described as "The Grammys of Entrepreneurship" by Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett.
Past winners include the founders of BrewDog, Grenade, ClearScore, Zilch, and Unbiased.
Read more: Glasgow business founder shortlisted for 'Grammys of entrepreneurship'
Adam, a former professional basketball player with Glasgow Rocks (now Caledonia Gladiators), said: "It's an incredible honour to be recognised alongside some of the UK's most exciting and ambitious businesses and is testament to the hard work of our team and the high standards we set ourselves to deliver sources of R&D funding, namely tax relief, for our clients."
Minerva Innovation Group specialises in research and development (R&D) funding and tax relief for small and medium-sized businesses.
The company recently won the SME News Business Elite Awards for the second consecutive year and has made headlines for introducing an industry-leading parental leave policy.
All staff, regardless of gender, are entitled to one year and five weeks of leave to spend with their newborn children.
Adam said: "Our expertise comes from understanding the finance and the complex processes around research funding regulations.
"So many different businesses can benefit from R&D grants and tax relief without having to spend all their business hours on R&D.
'Short-term initiatives to improve the delivery of services or the development of goods also qualify under the legislation if there is an 'appreciable' improvement. It doesn't have to be significant and is not limited to laboratories or scientists.
'On average, our clients can generate cash benefits equal to 2.72% of their turnover and 7.30% of their wage bill.'
The 2024 finalist cohort includes more than 800 entrepreneurs who collectively employ over 25,000 people across the UK, with plans to create more than 9,000 new jobs in the coming year.
Read more: New 10-year strategy aims to get Glaswegians more active
Conrad Ford, chief product and strategy officer at Allica Bank, said: "We're consistently inspired by the energy and strength of UK SMEs.
"This year's finalists – from early-stage start-ups to established and family businesses – represent a vital force in the British economy, driving innovation, creating jobs, and making a real difference in their communities.
'We're proud to support the awards, recognising outstanding business leaders who are not only demonstrating resilience in a challenging business environment but are paving the way for future entrepreneurs to follow."
Frankie James, founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, said: "This year's shortlist are a remarkable group of founders who are changing lives and transforming industries.
"The quality of entries gets stronger every year, and it's clear that the entrepreneurial spirit in the UK is more alive than ever.
'Many of our finalists go on to become household names, and we can't wait to watch what this year's cohort achieves next.'
Winners will be announced at a ceremony on November 17 at Grosvenor House in London.
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