Portfolio Awards double winners' see further success - this is why they think you should enter in 2019

Best Green Business Award winners Hyperdrive Innovation receive their award from Malcolm Bell (right) Operations manager Stagecoach.

Hyperdrive Innovation, which develops clean energy alternatives to fossil fuels, won the Best Use of Technology Award as well as the Best Green Business title at the 2018 competition.

But the firm which was ‘the new kid on the block’ last year has continued its rise to become even more of a Wearside success story.

It has just reached the milestone of producing its 5000th battery pack and hopes to reach 30,000 by the end of the year.

Winners of the Best use of Technology Award were Hyperdrive Innovation. The trophy was presented by Simon Britton (left) of PG Legal and Matt Hoy (right) of Bradley Hall.

Year on year growth is up 80 per cent and it all adds to the success which now has its two Portfolio trophies proudly on display in the reception area.

Marketing and communications manager Rachel Skeoch loved the awards night and urged firms to enter this year’s competition.

She said: “It is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate. It is so worthwhile and such a good opportunity to celebrate your business and your achievements.”

Rachel described the awards finale as “a fantastic event which recognises so many amazing businesses. It was nice for lots of people to get together.

“The venue, the format of the awards, they were flawless and it all felt great in the way it celebrated everything that is good about Sunderland.”

Hyperdrive was a winner. Could your firm follow in its footsteps?

We want to hear from the people who make the area tick on the business front but we can only do that if we receive your nominations.

Individuals, businesses themselves - in fact anyone can put forward a nomination for this year’s awards for a company that they feel is deserving of recognition.

There are plenty of well-known categories from previous years such as small, medium and large business of the year, as well as exporter of the year.

Or you might want to enter sections such as apprentice of the year, technology of the year or best green business.

Whatever your choice, make sure you get those entries in so that we can honour the very best that Wearside has to offer.

There’s plenty of time to enter before the closing date for nominations on September 27. Then, the judges face the unenviable task of trying to whittle down the field into a shortlist.

All of the chosen finalists will get to attend the grand finale. We will reveal the winners at a glittering evening of celebration on Thursday, November 7, at the Stadium of Light.

So come on, let’s get the process rolling by finding those businesses worthy of consideration.

To nominate, email [email protected].

As well our headline backer Sunderland City Council, we also have sponsorship support for the awards categories from Gentoo, BIC, Northern Rail, Stagecoach, The Bid, SAFC, Bradley Hall, Sunderland College and the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust. We thank them all for their invaluable support.

To nominate, email [email protected].