Directors of two of Bristol’s most innovative companies have been shortlisted for a national awards scheme recognising the UK’s top entrepreneurs.
Steve Cliffe, president and CEO of Ultrahaptics, whose cutting-edge technology allows people to ‘feel’ virtual objects, and Charlie Allen, managing director of family-owned action sports equipment firm Shiner, will line up against 22 other finalists in the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2018 London and the South awards programme. 
Steve Cliffe has been shortlisted in the Disrupter category, where he will compete against the bosses of a challenger bank, a renewable energy firm, a social network for learning languages and a digital services provider.
Ultrahaptics was founded in 2013 to commercial exploit technology developed at the University of Bristol. The technology uses ultrasound to project sensations through the air and directly onto the user, enabling them to receive tactile feedback without needing to wear or touch anything.
Users can therefore ‘feel’ touch-less buttons, get feedback for mid-air gestures or interact with virtual objects. Ultrahaptics, which also has an office in Silicon Valley, is working with clients ranging from car manufacturers to a global gaming giant.
Charlie Allen, pictured below, appears on the shortlist of the Transformational Leader category, where he is up against directors from an aircraft ‘end-of-life’ services firm, a landscaping and external facilities management company, and a specialist drywall and façade subcontractor.
Shiner, based at Aztec West, was founded in 1936 by Charlie’s grandfather Jack as a builders’ merchant and transport company. It later diversified into a number of new areas, including importing the first skateboards to the UK. Today it is Europe’s leading action sports business supplying skateboards, quad skates, inline skates, Heelys, scooters, protective gear and clothing.
Also representing the South West in the awards is Simon Hansford, CEO of UKCloud, which has its corporate office in Corsham, Wiltshire, and head office in Farnborough, Hampshire. It specialises in providing assured cloud services exclusively for the UK public sector including organisations such the Home Office, HMRC, MoD and the NHS. 
EY South West senior partner Andrew Perkins said: “This programme supports the enviable entrepreneurial community we have in the South West, recognising and connecting another three local businesses in this year’s programme.
“These businesses not only create jobs and generate wealth, they also contribute to the continued growth of the South West economy as one of the fastest growing regions in the UK.”
The London and South finalists will be interviewed by a panel of independent judges who will select and announce the winners in June at an awards ceremony in London.
Similar events will also be held in Scotland, the North of England and the Midlands. Regional winners will then progress to the UK final held in November, where the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year UK will be named.
The winner will then go on to represent the UK at the EY World Entrepreneur of The Year in summer 2019, a forum which gathers the world’s most inspiring entrepreneurs from more than 60 countries.
