Grampian Awards Past Winners Testimonials

Capture Imaging, winners of the New Business Award 2006

Colin Yule said: "Winning the New Business Award really cemented what we were doing at the time, and added to our credibility. This heightened our profile and in part enabled us to move forward and win larger contracts.

"To be recognised by the local business community and also nationally in our industry so quickly is phenomenal. We fully intend to build on our early success through sustained organic growth and our planned apprentice programme."

Mitchells, winners of the Alick Buchanan Smith Spirit of Enterprise Award 2006

Keith Whyte, Mitchell’s General Manager, looks back at the positive effect of last year’s win. "We were very pleased, and quite humbled by the win. We can appreciate that it was the whole business that won it, and the fact that we were considered for the award, made it to the final, and ultimately won the award, is testament to the effort that everyone has put in.

"In terms of the positive effect it had, it gave us fantastic PR, and good press coverage. Some of our customers and suppliers even sent us some very nice letters congratulating us on the award, which was much appreciated, but which also shows the range of exposure that the awards get in the press. We invested the cash prize back into the business and this opened new avenues that would allow us to further develop the business."

Red Spider, finalist in the Young Business Award 2006

Chris Oliver, Managing Director, explains what reaching this stage has meant for his company.

"Gaining finalist status was a welcome recognition of how we have grown as a company, and a boost for the entire team. It also helped raise our profile with potential clients and employees, which contributed to further growth throughout the year.

"In the increasingly competitive oil and gas industry, being able to market yourself in such a way that you stand out from the crowd is important. Being a finalist in the Grampian Awards for Business Enterprise Young Business category has been a key part in helping us do that, as we continue to reap recognition and associated business benefits from many of the major oil and gas operators in the UK, Norway, and more recently, the Middle East."

NovaBiotics, winner of the Sir Ian Wood Award for Innovation 2006

As Chief Executive & Scientific Officer at NovaBiotics Limited, Dr Deborah O'Neil talks about the benefits last year’s awards success has brought to her company.

"Following start up in 2004, NovaBiotics has had another successful year of growth, and winning the Sir Ian Wood Award for Innovation at last year’s Grampian Awards has played an important role in this development. The experience proved a great boost for the entire team and was happy recognition of how we have developed as the youngest life sciences company in Aberdeen, in such a short time.

"Winning has also helped to raise our profile in the industry; in spite of tough market conditions, the business completed a second, private placing, funding round, and our lead product for the treatment of nail fungus will enter the clinic early this year."