The search is on for the best start-ups and scale-ups in Cambridge, UK, across five categories: AI, biotech, medtech, fintech and cleantech.

An esteemed judging panel including leading Cambridge entrepreneurs Hermann Hauser and Charles Cotton will help judge the inaugural Cambridge Independent Entrepreneurial Science and Technology Awards.

Prizes will include mentoring from the likes of AstraZeneca and shortlisted companies will receive pitching advice from Grant Thornton.

Entry is now open here.

Woodfines solicitors, workspace experts Regus and financial and business advisers Grant Thornton are sponsoring the competition, which is also supported by The World Nano Foundation, World Science Aid and investment firm Enabling Tech Capital.

Cambridge Independent editor Paul Brackley said, "Cambridges science and technology community is among the most exciting in the world. We are celebrating this by focusing on emerging talent in these awards, which will seek to recognise companies on track to become leading lights of the future."

The winners will be announced at the huge Venturefest East business showcase event at Newmarket Racecourse on September 21, for which the Cambridge Independent is pleased to be media partner.

Charles Cotton, the founder and chairman of Cambridge Phenomenon International Ltd and co-author of The Cambridge Phenomenon: 50 Years of Innovation and Enterprise book, encouraged companies to apply.

"Its worthwhile", he said. "Its a bit like trying to raise money. In a short space of time you have to get your ideas across in a compelling way and thats something that is valuable for all young companies."

He said he 'looked forward to hearing some great ideas and success stories' and said the Cambridge region was a 'great place to inspire entrepreneurs.'

Paul Stannard, chairman of the World Nano Foundation (WNF) and World Science Aid, said "These organisations support entrepreneurs to commercialise innovation globally, whether that is biotech, nanotech or artificial intelligence."

The WNF, a not-for-profit charitable organisation, will support the commercialisation of game-changing technology for anything that has a potential global impact.

"We mentor entrepreneurs when they go from the incubator to the commercial market. We help them take their product to market."

"Innovation and fairness seem to be at the heart of what Cambridge stands for, so we are pleased to be involved in such a project in such an important location for innovation."

Paul Sheedy, CEO of investment company Enabling Tech Capital LLP, added, "We have a global interest in companies that are about to commercialise what they do and we are very much interested in innovation hubs like Cambridge. We are very pleased to have our investment vehicle sponsoring and supporting such a prestigious event. We hope that we find some companies in Cambridge that have global ambitions that we can support through investment."

Winners will be selected in both start-up and scale-up classes across these categories from the Cambridge area:

Artificial intelligence

Biotech

Medtech

Fintech

Cleantech

Entries close on June 6 - so don`t delay!

Interested in joining the sponsors or supporters? Contact Sue Walden at the Cambridge Independent or call 01223 320320.

Mentoring prizes

Shortlisted companies can receive free pitching advice at a workshop from G, the team at Grant Thornton that helps dynamic companies to grow.

The biotech start-up winner will receive a prize from AstraZeneca of four hours of free mentoring plus an initial diagnostic session. The mentoring would be spread over a few weeks, to be agreed between the parties. Mentoring could include support preparing pitching material/capability presentations useful, for example, in advance of investor presentations, finance modelling expertise, disease area expertise and help with business development and IP. The scope of the mentoring will be shaped at a one-to-one meeting with the winner, where their needs would be explored.

The Cambridge Independent is the region`s newest newspaper. Published by Iliffe Media, it has already won Weekly Newspaper of the Year at the NewsAwards 2017. Judges called it "A fabulous example of weekly newspapering at its very best." Published every Wednesdays and supported by a website and iOS and Android app, it is an intelligent, community-focused title for Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire and the surrounding area.

To enter the awards visit the website here