The Growth 100 celebrates British business at its best – highlighting founders that are driving their companies to deliver significant sales, revenue and profit, against a backdrop of unprecedented economic challenges.
The list shows a spread of entrepreneurial success throughout the UK with London top of the list with 26 companies; South East coming second place with 13 companies; Yorkshire in third position with 11, Scotland with 9 and East Midlands closely behind with 8. Women are founders or co-founders of nearly a third of all winning companies with the exact ratio of men to women founders standing at 68% to 32%.
Making up the top 10 fastest-growing companies in 2023 are:
LS Productions (Edinburgh); Au Vodka (Wales); Passenger Clothing (New Forest); Creation, Golf Travel Group, 3S Money, Gift & Go (London); ISA Support Services (Birmingham); Bold Security Group (Essex) and Powersheds (Bradford). Morph Costumes (Edinburgh), ME+EM (London), Grantley Hall (Yorkshire), The Skinny Food Co (Nottingham), Lounge Underwear (Solihull), Snag Tights (West Lothian), Fairfax & Favor (Norfolk) and Love Cocoa from James Cadbury (London) make appearances in the wider list.
The full 100 ranking can be viewed at www.febe.com.
To be on the list businesses must be UK registered, independent and unquoted, meeting the following criteria:
● Sales between £3m and £200m
● Trading for at least three years
● An operating profit in the latest financial year
● Founder(s) must still be involved
The ultimate ranking of 100 was data-driven, with companies ordered by compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in sales over the last three financial years. Businesses were initially selected by either nominating themselves or through FEBE contacting them directly, as well as by accessing publicly available financial information.
In addition to the main list of 100, FEBE’s Watch List sits alongside the Growth 100 to celebrate businesses that do not meet all of the Growth 100 criteria, but have an amazing growth story and are achieving great things. Companies that made this year’s Watch List include: Oddbox, Wild, Rem3dy Health and PerfectTed.
Commenting on the FEBE Growth 100 List, FEBE founder Charlotte Quince, said: “We’re so excited to publish this year’s Growth 100. So many people think that business founders just ‘get lucky’ or think of an idea one day and are successful the next. But we know that the journey to success is anything but smooth. The Growth 100 celebrates those who have embraced the entrepreneurial roller coaster and who are now thriving as some of the fastest growing brands in the country.”
Former Dragon’s Den Dragon and FEBE Growth 100 ambassador, Jenny Campbell added: “I’m very proud to be part of something that celebrates and supports the very best British entrepreneurs and their companies. FEBE Growth 100 focuses on true entrepreneurialism. Founders are unique: their experiences, their vision and their resilience are unlike anything else. So, we want to celebrate these ‘dare to doers’ and shine a light on the incredible accomplishments of some of the finest and fastest-growing companies in the country.”
FEBE, co-founded by Charlotte Quince and John Maffioli, was born out of a desire to celebrate true entrepreneurship, by focusing on the founders behind incredible businesses, as well as an aim to reinvigorate the current corporate business award scene with entrepreneurial dynamism.