Bearhat Marketing has been named as a regional finalist in the UK StartUp Awards 2026 in the Marketing & Advertising StartUp of the Year category, shortlisted in the Midlands.
The UK StartUp Awards was launched to recognise the booming startup scene across the UK, which has accelerated significantly in recent years with around 832,000 new businesses registered in the UK in 2025. Over 900 businesses have been shortlisted for this year’s UK StartUp Awards across ten nations and regions. The contribution of these firms, all of which were started in the last three years, is significant, having created nearly 5,000 new jobs since they were established and generating annual sales of over £150 million.
Founded in 2024, Bearhat Marketing provides specialist marketing services designed specifically for busy and ambitious small and medium sized business owners. By taking marketing off their plates, the company allows founders to focus on operations while ensuring their brand growth is managed professionally. Victoria Steele launched the business to bridge a gap in the market, providing smaller firms with access to senior marketing expertise without the prohibitive costs associated with large agencies or full time executive hires.
“Being a finalist in the UK StartUp Awards feels like a huge achievement, especially when I learn how many entries there were,” said Victoria Steele, Founder & CEO. “2026 is the year Bearhat Marketing levels up and I am so excited about how making the finals will push us that much further ahead.” As a regional finalist, the business will now compete for the Midlands title, with winners progressing to the national final at Ideas Fest in September 2026.
The shortlisting follows a period of significant momentum for the Coventry based business. To date, its biggest achievement for a client has been successfully generating over 1,500% more leads in just 10 months. Currently led by Victoria as a sole founder, the business has demonstrated that high level strategic thinking can deliver transformative results for growing SMEs.
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, co-founder of the UK StartUp Awards, said:
“New businesses are the driving force behind any thriving economy, generating employment, pioneering innovation, and contributing to prosperity right across the UK. This year’s finalists represent the very best of British entrepreneurial talent, spotting opportunities and, through dedication, skill, and resilience, building ventures that are making a real difference in their industries and communities. The standard of entries in 2026 has been exceptional, and every finalist should be enormously proud of what they have achieved. Regional winners will go on to represent their region at the national final at Ideas Fest in September, and that is a stage worthy of everything they have built.”
The UK StartUp Awards, founded by Frankie James and Professor Dylan Jones-Evans as part of Ideas Community, is the UK’s largest independent startup awards programme. Now in its fifth year, the awards received over 2,000 entries in 2026. Regional winners go on to compete at the national final, held at Ideas Fest, aka the Glastonbury of Business, on 9th-10th September 2026 at Champneys, Tring, Hertfordshire. For more information visit startupawards.uk
This year’s regional UK StartUp Awards finalists can be found online at startupawards.uk/shortlist.
More about Bearhat Marketing can be found at bearhatmarketing.com.
