Two weeks until the Hustle Awards: what to expect
The Hustle Awards 2026 are only two weeks away, and we couldn’t be more excited! Taking place on the 9 July at Shoreditch Exchange, the startup and business worlds will gather to celebrate the founders, teams, and businesses that are making moves in their industries.
The Hustle Awards exist to do something the industry too rarely does: stop, look around, and recognise the achievements of people making real change.
With the awards just around the corner, here’s what you can expect, why it matters, and how to make the most of the occasion. And if you haven’t yet bought your ticket, you still have time to purchase and attend the event of the summer!
What are the Hustle Awards?
The Hustle Awards are Startups Magazine’s flagship annual ceremony, shining a spotlight on the UK’s most ambitious early-stage and growth-stage businesses. The Hustle Awards celebrate genuine momentum – companies and individuals who have demonstrated real grit, creativity, and impact over the past year. Judged by an expert judging panel through a rigorous process, each winner has a team of judges who fought for them behind the scenes.
Categories span the full breadth of the startup ecosystem, from solo founders and rising talent to scaleups, investors, and the support networks – accelerators, advisors, and operators – that make the whole thing work.
What to expect on the night
The ceremony promises to be an exciting evening for the industry. After feedback from past attendees, and a fantastic turnout last year, we have stuck with a more casual, networking feel, enabling connections across the ecosystem and ensuring attendees can mingle and connect.
Here is a rough gist of how the night will unfold:
- 5.00pm, doors open to a sparkling prosecco entrance and networking
- 6.45pm, the ceremony starts, with an introduction from Anna Wood, Editor of Startups Magazine
- 7.00pm, Lawrence Rosenberg, Founder of Rosenberg.Media, and BBC’s The Apprentice 2026 final five contestant, takes the stage for his inspiring keynote
- 7.30pm, the awards begin
- 8.15pm, time to celebrate! More networking, drinks, and food
- 9.00pm, goodbyes
If you’re shortlisted: make the most of it
Being shortlisted is itself an achievement worth communicating. A few things worth doing before the 9th:
- Shout about it – share the news on LinkedIn, your company channels, and in your newsletter. The Startups Magazine shortlist carries weight – so use it. Tag us and use the official awards hashtag so we can amplify your posts
- Bring your team – the people who helped get you here deserve to be in the room. If you haven’t already sorted tickets for colleagues and the people you want to celebrate with, buy tickets as soon as possible as capacity is limited
- Prepare for a win – even if you’re treating it as a long shot, come prepared and picture ready
For everyone else: come anyway!
You don’t need to be shortlisted to belong in the room. The Hustle Awards are as much about community as they are about competition – and the connections made over the course of an evening like this have a habit of going somewhere.
If you work in or around the startup ecosystem, as a founder, investor, operator, service provider, or supporter, this is one of the most concentrated gatherings of genuine startup talent in the UK calendar. Tickets are still available. Use them.
We look forward to seeing you there!
For more startup news, check out the other articles on the website, and subscribe to the magazine for free. Listen to The Cereal Entrepreneur podcast for more interviews with entrepreneurs and big-hitters in the startup ecosystem.
