Entrepreneurs compete for National Business Awards title

Ten entrepreneurs will this week compete for the title of entrepreneur of the year at the National Business Awards, an event featuring Nick Clegg as the keynote speaker.

Among those up for the title are Alastair Lukies, founder of Monetise, the UK mobile banking specialists; Dougal Sharp, founder of The Inns & Gunn Brewing Company based in Edinburgh and Caroline Redman Lusher, the creator of Rock Choir which offers pop, gospel and Motown singing lessons to children, teenagers and adults.

A total of 10 entrepreneurs are up for the prize which was judged by several business owners including Ben Heald, chief executive of Sift, the parent company of Sift Media which publishes BusinessZone.co.uk and Claire Young, runner-up in the 2008 series of BBC TV's The Apprentice 

Other categories to be decided at the ceremony in central London on Tuesday night include small business of the year which features coffee start-up Coffee Nation; accounting company SJD Accountancy and central London youth hostel company Piccadilly Backpackers. 

Organisers say that 1,200 people will attend the awards ceremony hosted by BBC News presenter Huw Edwards. Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg will deliver the keynote address.

BusinessZone.co.uk will be attending the ceremony and tweeting live updates via our Twitter. The full list of nominees is at www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk