From Dragon’s Den to EVAS Stage – Theo Paphitis Launches New #SBS Award for Women in Business
Theo Paphitis has partnered with the Enterprise Vision Awards, the UK’s largest celebration of women in business, to launch the new #SBS Small Business Award for 2026.
The partnership was announced at the annual #SBS event in Birmingham, where more than 1,000 business owners gathered for a day of connection, learning and opportunity, providing the ideal backdrop to unveil this collaboration championing female entrepreneurship across the UK.
Founded by retail entrepreneur and small business advocate Theo Paphitis, #SBS Small Business Sunday has grown into one of the UK’s most influential grassroots business communities, supporting more than 4,500 small businesses, over 80 percent led by women.
Theo Paphitis said “#SBS Small Business Sunday and the Enterprise Vision Awards are aligned in championing and celebrating womens’ success in business. I am delighted to collaborate with the EVAs team, especially as they were started by one of my long-standing and successful #SBS winners, Coral Horn.
The new Theo Paphitis #SBS Small Business Award will shine a spotlight on #SBS winners who have demonstrated growth, ambition and momentum since their win and I encourage winners to share their success stories and enter. Don’t leave this opportunity on the table. Go for it and you could be our first EVAs winner!”
The new award is open exclusively to female founders who have previously won #SBS, celebrating entrepreneurs who have turned a single Sunday post into lasting momentum, visibility and commercial growth.
Judges will assess how founders have used their #SBS recognition to strengthen their business, demonstrate progress and create impact through innovation, resilience, collaboration and long-term vision.
Eight finalists will be selected, with the #SBS team involved in the judging process. Each will receive a complimentary place at the Enterprise Vision Awards ceremony in October, seated together on the official #SBS Winners table.
Julianne Ponan MBE, 2025 Enterprise Vision Awards Business Woman of the Year and #SBS winner, said “Winning #SBS gave me the chance to meet Coral Horn, and that connection truly came full circle years later when I went on to win Business Woman of the Year at the EVAs, an experience that was transformative. The EVAs don’t just celebrate achievement, they provide a platform to grow, connect, and inspire. Seeing #SBS and the EVAs come together for this partnership is phenomenal. It gives women-led businesses the visibility, momentum, and recognition to take their success even further. I can’t wait to see the incredible founders it will shine a spotlight on.”
The #SBS category will sit alongside the full suite of EVAS awards, giving winners an additional platform while still allowing entry into other relevant categories.
There is still time for businesses to become eligible. Entrepreneurs can enter #SBS Small Business Sunday each week by posting on Instagram, LinkedIn or X between 5pm and 7.30pm on Sundays, tagging @theopaphitis and using #SBS. Businesses that win before Tuesday 5 May 2026 will qualify to enter.
EVAS founder Coral Horn has a long-standing connection with the #SBS community, having won the award with three of her brands and been part of the network for more than 14 years.
She said “Winning SBS was pivotal across my businesses. It opened doors, built confidence and connected me to a community that truly champions small business. Bringing #SBS and the EVAS together feels incredibly special, giving women even more platforms to be seen, recognised and supported as they grow.”
The Enterprise Vision Awards continues to spotlight women driving economic growth, innovation and social impact across every sector, with the introduction of the #SBS Small Business Award further strengthening that mission. For more details about the EVAS visit the website here https://enterprisevisionawards.co.uk
A powerful new partnership between Theo Paphitis and the Enterprise Vision Awards is set to shine a national spotlight on women who turned a single Sunday social post into real business success.
