Cannock-based consultancy named as a regional finalist in UK StartUp Awards

Business transformation specialists Go True North have been named as a regional finalist in the UK StartUp Awards 2026.

The Cannock-based consultancy has been shortlisted in the Business to Business StartUp of the Year category for the Midlands region.

The UK StartUp Awards was launched to recognise the booming startup scene across the UK, which has accelerated significantly in recent years with around 832,000 new businesses registered in the UK in 2025.

Over 900 businesses have been shortlisted for this year's UK StartUp Awards across ten nations and regions.

The contribution of these firms, all of which were started in the last three years, is significant, having created nearly 5,000 new jobs since they were established and generating annual sales of over £150 million.

Go True North is a professional services firm specialising in business transformation.

The consultancy works with a broad range of clients, including aspiring entrepreneurs, early-stage founders, and established corporate businesses, to help them hit the ground running.

By focusing on improving efficiency and reducing process waste, Go True North helps its clients increase turnover and improve customer satisfaction.

The business was founded to address the common issue of firms wasting valuable resources, offering mentorship and simplified systems to inspire meaningful change.

Neil Betts (pictured), director of Go True North, said: "Being recognised among the best in the Midlands validates the hard work we put into supporting our clients every day.

"Our team of two is dedicated to helping businesses simplify their operations and achieve their goals, and reaching the regional final is a proud moment for us.

“We look forward to the regional final and the opportunity to potentially represent the Midlands at the national final at Ideas Fest in September 2026."

The shortlisting follows a period of significant momentum for the consultancy, which recently celebrated a major digital milestone by reaching 2,000,000 views on YouTube.

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, co-founder of the UK StartUp Awards, said: "New businesses are the driving force behind any thriving economy, generating employment, pioneering innovation, and contributing to prosperity right across the UK.

“This year's finalists represent the very best of British entrepreneurial talent, spotting opportunities and, through dedication, skill, and resilience, building ventures that are making a real difference in their industries and communities.

“The standard of entries in 2026 has been exceptional, and every finalist should be enormously proud of what they have achieved. Regional winners will go on to represent their region at the national final at Ideas Fest in September, and that is a stage worthy of everything they have built."

The UK StartUp Awards, founded by Frankie James and Professor Dylan Jones-Evans as part of Ideas Community, is the UK's largest independent startup awards programme.

Regional winners go on to compete at the national final, held at Ideas Fest on 9 and 10 September at Champneys, Tring, Hertfordshire.