Celebrations begin as Enterprise Oxfordshire highlight business success in the county
Sep 19, 2025
Business leaders, entrepreneurs and key influencers of the Oxfordshire economy came together last night (18 September) for a major gathering of the county’s business community.
Hosted by Enterprise Oxfordshire Business (the business support arm of Enterprise Oxfordshire), the Marketplace and Celebration Event 2025 brought together around 300 people from across the county, creating a critical space for leaders and entrepreneurs to network, share business ideas and also celebrate commercial achievements too.
The Oxford Town Hall event follows previous, similar popular gatherings held across the city, including at the Museum of Natural History in 2023 and the Examinations School, last September.
The marketplace saw Oxfordshire SMEs and entrepreneurs – supported by Enterprise Oxfordshire Business since April 2022 – showcase their products and activities to visitors, whilst a celebration session saw businesses and individuals, also supported by the organisation during the same timeframe, acclaimed through a series of special awards.
Categories for the awards included Business Leader of the Year and Start-up of Year, whilst Bicester-based Darcica Logistics – themselves, a recipient of Enterprise Oxfordshire Business support and guidance – were the event’s main headline sponsor.
One of the largest gatherings of its kind in the county, the Marketplace and Celebration Event precedes Enterprise Oxfordshire’s 15th year in operation in 2026 – a significant milestone for an organisation that has had a major impact on Oxfordshire’s economy for well over a decade.
Since its launch in 2011, Enterprise Oxfordshire have secured around £3billion-worth of investment across a whole range of infrastructure projects, whilst – between April 2023 and March 2025 alone – the organisation signposted over 3,000 businesses to a range of support, tailored to them.
Also in recent times, Enterprise Oxfordshire have successfully secured over £6million of apprenticeship levy funding from the county’s larger businesses, supporting SMEs to create dozens of new apprenticeship openings – funding that would have otherwise been lost to Oxfordshire.
Meanwhile – working with central government – between 2017 and 2023, Enterprise Oxfordshire helped to ensure 6,000 jobs were created or safeguarded, via a total of 295 foreign direct investment projects, impacting various sectors from retail through to life sciences and engineering.
This year’s Marketplace and Celebration Event also follows a major change for Enterprise Oxfordshire during the past 12 months.
Enterprise Oxfordshire became the new trading name of OxLEP on 1 April. The change marked the completion of a two-year process that saw the economic development functions – previously led by Local Enterprise Partnerships – altered so that they were to be overseen via a mechanism agreed by respective upper-tier local authorities, in this instance, Oxfordshire County Council.
Since becoming Enterprise Oxfordshire in April, Oxfordshire County Council now act as the organisation’s 100% shareholder, known as a Teckal company arrangement.
Helen Brind – Enterprise Oxfordshire’s Head of Business and Skills – said: “We are delighted to once again create such an opportunity to bring together Oxfordshire’s business community – something which we are proud to do and an opportunity that we know is truly valued by businesses from right across the county and those with a business idea.
“In our view, ‘community’ continues to be the key word. Starting or running a business can be a very isolating experience and leave people feeling overwhelmed and even uncertain as to where they need to go for support, mentorship or even a forum to share challenges and opportunities.
“Enterprise Oxfordshire has a legacy of bringing leaders and entrepreneurs together, creating a solid network of likeminded people as well as an ability to provide guidance and support, whether they are looking to start-up, grow or take on a new business challenge.
“As we enter our fifteenth year in operation – and with the recent changes associated with Enterprise Oxfordshire – we are more determined than ever to lead and coordinate a community that is effective, supportive, creates recognition where it is deserved, and is ultimately a continued major asset for the Oxfordshire economy.”
In addition to those supported by Enterprise Oxfordshire Business attending the event, staff and business advisors – representing Enterprise Oxfordshire Business – will also be present at Oxford Town Hall, whilst Oxfordshire County Council’s chief executive Martin Reeves, addressed event visitors too.
Martin Reeves said: “Events like this are a wonderful way of bringing together organisations from within Oxfordshire’s thriving innovation ecosystem.
“We are incredibly lucky that our county is home to a globally leading critical mass of science, learning, talent, intellect and inspiration. It is no surprise that we enjoy an internationally competitive advantage when it comes to innovation and enterprise.”
A full list of this year’s awards categories, winners and highly commended businesses are as follows:
The Socially Responsible Business of the Year Award – sponsored by The Sky Wave Distilling Co:
- Winner: Y.O.U Underwear
- Highly commended: WHEN and Driving Miss Daisy Didcot
The Manufacturer of the Year Award – sponsored by Cabinet & Frame:
- Winner: ReBorn
- Highly commended: Cherrywood Bespoke and Rumsey’s Handmade Chocolates
The Innovation in Customer Experience of the Year Award – sponsored by Stephen Spencer + Associates:
- Winner: Ouroboros Clothing
- Highly commended: Guides for Brides and Thompson and Terry Recruitment
The Start-up of the Year Award – sponsored by Cypher:
- Winner: Big Fish Project
- Highly commended: Flux Physiotherapy and Extractus
The Business Leader of the Year Award – sponsored by the Institute of Directors:
- Winner: Alice Chilver – WHEN
- Highly commended: Darren Evans – After Cloud and Alison Hargreaves – Guides for Brides
The Environmentally Sustainable Business of the Year Award – sponsored by ALP Synergy:
- Winner: ASM Auto Recycling
- Highly commended: Velocity Cycle Couriers and ReBorn
The Growth Business of the Year Award – sponsored by Olamalu:
- Winner: 5C Consulting
- Highly commended: Oxford Sigma and Thompson and Terry Recruitment
Overall Winner – sponsored by Darcica Logistics:
- Winner: ASM Auto Recycling
Previous award winners – Velocity Cycle Couriers, a zero-emission delivery company who aims to help Oxfordshire businesses dispatch goods quickly, affordably and sustainably – were headline speakers at this year’s event.
Helen Brind added: “We are very proud of the impact our support has made and continues to make in Oxfordshire.
“We estimate that our business support activities – between April 2023 and March 2025 – have added around £28million to the Oxfordshire economy, which equates to an incredible 3,900% return on investment against our cost commitments.
“Through our support, businesses have also been in a position to create 776 jobs and perhaps just as importantly, 1,622 jobs have been safeguarded – crucial interventions and support that leverage a sustainable Oxfordshire economy.”