The European Small and Mid-Cap Awards aim to promote best practices and encourage more

small and medium-sized enterprises Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are businesses whose personnel and revenue numbers fall below certain limits. The abbreviation "SME" is used by many national agencies and international organiza ...

(SMEs) to access capital markets via an

initial public offering An initial public offering (IPO) or stock launch is a public offering in which shares of a company are sold to institutional investors and usually also to retail (individual) investors. An IPO is typically underwritten by one or more investm ...

. A joint initiative of the

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...

, EuropeanIssuers, and the Federation of European Securities Exchanges, the ceremony was organised for the first time in 2013.

Background

The awards ceremony was organised for the first time in 2013 by EuropeanIssuers and the Federation of European Securities Exchanges (FESE), at the initiative of the

Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry Within the European Union (EU), Directorates-General are departments with specific zones of responsibility. Within the European Commission specifically, Directorates-General are the equivalent of national-level ministries. Most are headed by a E ...

(now Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs) of the

. FESE and EuropeanIssuers represent the European securities exchanges and their

listed companies A public company is a company whose ownership is organized via shares of stock which are intended to be freely traded on a stock exchange or in over-the-counter markets. A public (publicly traded) company can be listed on a stock exchange (li ...

, respectively. The awards showcase the diversity of European markets, and aim to promote stock listings, and target SMEs and growth companies. The awards affirm that listed SMEs are critical to EU's economic growth and the goals of job creation, competitiveness, and growth. Since 2020, the Awards are organised as part of the European Commission's SME Assembly.

Awards Categories

In 2016, rebranded award categories were launched to include: International Star, Rising Star, Star of Innovation, and Star of 2016. Since 2017, a further category (Special Mention) was inaugurated. The "Special Mention" recognises an initiative, an individual or a company which has had a significant impact on small and mid-cap issuers accessing the capital market.

Winners of the awards in their categories

Winners of the year 2016

- International Star 2016: Gränges - Rising Star 2016: Oncodesign - Star of Innovation 2016: Immunovia AB - Star of 2016:

Applegreen Applegreen Limited is an Irish company founded in 1992 that operates 620 petrol stations in Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain (under the Welcome Break arm) and the United States. It is a major petrol retailer in Ireland, ...

Winners of the year 2017

- International Star 2017: ABEO - Rising Star 2017: Poulaillon - Star of Innovation 2017: Blue Prism - Star of 2017:

Kotipizza Group is a Finnish pizza restaurant chain headquartered in Helsinki. With over 290 locations, it is the largest chain of pizza restaurants in the Nordic countries. Kotipizza was founded in 1987 by Rabbe Grönblom in Vaasa, Finland. By the end of 201 ...

- Special Mention 2017: Foro Capital Pymes

Winners of the year 2018

- International Star 2018: Boku - Rising Star 2018: ATRYS - Star of Innovation 2018: Takeaway.com - Special Mention 2018: Keiretsu Forum">Just Eat Takeaway.com">Takeaway.com - Special Mention 2018: Keiretsu Forum

Winners of the year 2019

- International Star 2019: Carel - Rising Star 2019: VR Education - Star of Innovation 2019: Atlantic Sapphire - Star of 2019: Admicom - Special Mention 2019: CEPYME500

Winners of the year 2020

- International Star 2020: [ iaceutics - Rising Star 2020: Fodelia - Star of Innovation 2020:

Frequentis Frequentis is an Austrian high-tech company that develops communication and information systems in fields such as air traffic management and public safety & transport (police, rescue and fire services, coastal rescue, railways, shipping, and othe ...

- Star of 2020: Izertis - Special Mention 2020: Lighthouse

Winners of the year 2021

- International Star 2021: Pexip - Rising Star 2021: FOM Technologies - Star of Innovation 2021: Nanoform - Star of 2021: Aluflexpack - Special Mention 2021: Enlight Research

Winners of the year 2022

- International Star 2022: NAKON - Rising Star 2022: EiDF - Star of Innovation 2022: SECO - Star of 2022: GreenVolt - Special Mention 2022: Rosinger Group

Winners of the year 2023

- International Star 2023: Kempower - Rising Star 2023: Scandinavian Medical Solutions - Star of Innovation 2023: SolidWorld Group - Star of 2023: Waga Energy - Special Mention 2023: Starteepo

Winners of the year 2024

- International Star 2024: STIF - Rising Star 2024: mmcité - Star of Innovation 2024: Gubra - Star of 2024: OKWind - Special Mention 2024: Eurobank

References

{{Reflist European awards