Marketplace & Celebration 2026
Welcome to Marketplace and Celebration 2026 (MAC26) – the event where Oxfordshire’s business community comes together to celebrate success, make powerful connections and unlock new opportunities.
This year, we’re shining a spotlight on the incredible SMEs, innovators and leaders who have engaged with Enterprise Oxfordshire Business since April 2022 – and we want your business to be part of it.
Celebrate. Connect. Elevate. Whether you want to showcase your business in our lively marketplace or gain recognition through our free-to-enter awards, MAC26 is your chance to step into the spotlight. With around 40 local businesses featured in the marketplace and an awards ceremony celebrating success from across the county, there’s never been a better time to get involved.
Entering the awards is completely free, and applying for a marketplace stand gives you the opportunity to raise your profile, share your story and connect with fellow businesses, partners and supporters from across Oxfordshire.
With thanks to our valued partners and sponsors, MAC26 is more than an event – it’s a chance to be seen, be celebrated and be part of something bigger
Awards entry form
Awards categories
MAC Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
Exhibitors Pack
Awards Categories
Please note initial eligibility for entering the awards is that your business must have engaged with Enterprise Oxfordshire (formerly OxLEP Business/the Growth Hub) since April 2022. Support does not need to have been continuous from this date but must have been received between April 2022 and the current date.
Your business must also be a registered Oxfordshire-based SME (fewer than 250 employees) of any legal status (e.g. Private Limited Company (Ltd), a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), Sole Trader, Community Interest Company, Community Benefit Society, Charitable Incorporated Organisation or any other).
Overall Winner
The Overall Winner Award, selected by our Headline Sponsor Oxfordshire County Council from the winners of each category.
Socially Responsible Business of the Year
The Socially Responsible Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Tap Social, recognises any businesses with socially responsible commitments.
This award recognises businesses demonstrating exceptional commitment to ethical and socially responsible practices.
Are you tackling an important local or global social issue as well as conducting the rest of your business in responsible ways? Is your business showing the potential to be an industry leader? Are you inspiring others and showing them how it is done, whether customers or other businesses?
Innovation in Customer Experience of the Year
The Innovation in Customer Experience of the Year Award, sponsored by Stephen Spencer + Associates, is for any business using innovation in their customer experience.
This award recognises businesses that have demonstrated commitment to and achievement of innovation within customer experience.
Innovation is about doing something different, or better, adapting an idea from one sector and using it in another, refreshing the existing customer experience, using technology to drive genuinely enhanced customer experience.
Are you offering an experience for customers that makes your business stand out? How are you using innovation to showcase your business?
Start-up of the Year
The Start-up of the Year Award, sponsored by Cypher, is an award celebrating any new, registered business that has started trading since 1st April 2024.
This award is dedicated to celebrating emerging businesses that have recently launched and can already demonstrate success and stability.
How was the business created and why? What challenges did you have to overcome? What are your plans for the future success of your business?
Business Leader of the Year
The Business Leader of the Year Award, sponsored by the Institute of Directors, celebrates any business founder, director, manager or in any other leadership position.
This award celebrates leadership and vision in the business community.
Running a small business can be challenging, but the right leadership can set the business up for success. Are you driving a successful business? Have you had to overcome any challenges? Can you show how your contribution as a leader has led to success?
Environmentally Sustainable Business of the Year
The Environmentally Sustainable Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Velocity Cycle Couriers, is for any business with environmental sustainability commitments.
This award recognises businesses that have demonstrated commitment to and achievement of environmental sustainability.
Small business can and should put sustainability at the heart of their operations. Are you striving ahead of your competition and showing the bigger companies how it should be done?
Growth Business of the Year
The Growth Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Olamalu, is for any business that was registered and trading before 1st April 2024 (i.e. that is not a Start-up).
This award recognises and celebrates more established businesses that have achieved strength and stability.
Your business is more established and is no longer in the start-up phase. How have you created the foundations for growth?
What are your goals for your business and how are you succeeding in delivering against these?
Guest Speaker…
We are delighted to annouce Mark Franklin as the guest speaker at our Marketplace and Celebration event this year.
Mark is an award-winning transformational mindset coach, speaker and author with 20+ years’ experience helping business owners to embrace their Four Fears – the four most common mindset barriers preventing them from having the business (and life) of their dreams. ®
His passion is witnessing that ‘aha moment’ in others, as they start to challenge their historic internal conversations, and start closing the gap between what they had been telling themselves they are capable of, and what they are REALLY capable of.
Be it within business or in life, Mark’s vision is to help others “write a better story for themselves and their families”.
A look back at Marketplace and Celebration 2025
With thanks to our 2026 awards sponsors and supporters
