The Safety Superhero Academy Shortlisted for North East, Yorkshire and The Humber StartUp Award 2025
Morley-based start-up The Safety Superhero Academy has been named a finalist ahead of the North East, Yorkshire and The Humber final of the UK StartUp Awards. The UK StartUp Awards was launched to recognise the booming start-up scene across the UK, which has accelerated over the last few years, with 846,000 new businesses founded in the UK in 2024. Over 750 businesses have been shortlisted for this year’s UK StartUp Awards, and the contribution of these firms – all of which were started in the last three years – is significant, having created over 4,600 new jobs since they were established and generating annual sales of £200 million.
The Safety Superhero Academy is a pioneering initiative dedicated to educating young children about safety and inspiring the next generation of construction and STEM professionals. Founded by Bethany Holroyd in 2024, the Academy started as an idea at her dining room table, driven by a passion for making the world a safer place. Through engaging school visits, the Academy introduces children to real-life safety concepts while tackling the industry's skills shortage by reshaping perceptions of careers in construction and safety. The business has been nominated for the Construction & Building Services StartUp of the Year award in North East, Yorkshire and The Humber.
Bethany Holroyd, founder of The Safety Superhero Academy, said:
"Being shortlisted for this award is an incredible honour and a testament to how far we've come in such a short time. The Safety Superhero Academy began with a passion for teaching young children the importance of safety and inspiring them to see the possibilities in the world around them. With industries facing critical skills shortages, it’s never been more important to encourage safety awareness while sparking curiosity about the careers that shape our communities. To have this work recognised is truly rewarding.”
Supported nationally by Airwallex, Ideas Fest, Join Talent, and V Rum, the programme will celebrate the achievements of the amazing individuals who have turned an idea into an opportunity and taken the risk to launch a new product or service. The cohort of finalists will be considered for the regional prizes by a panel of seasoned judges with experience founding or supporting entrepreneurial ventures. The winners from each region will then be invited to the first UK final, taking place at Ideas Fest, the "Glastonbury for Business" festival in Hertfordshire on 12th September 2025.
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, the creator of the UK StartUp Awards, said:
"New businesses are the driving force behind any thriving economy, generating employment, pioneering innovation, and contributing to prosperity across the UK. This year's finalists embody the very best of entrepreneurial spirit – spotting opportunities and, through dedication, skill, and resilience, turning them into thriving ventures that are making a tangible difference in their industries. More importantly, all the winners will go on to represent their region at the 2025 UK National StartUp Awards final later this year.”
The UK StartUp Awards was created in collaboration with the team behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, one of the most successful awards programmes in the UK. The UK StartUp Awards are running for the fourth year after launching in 2022. This year’s regional UK StartUp Awards finalists can be found online at https://startupawards.uk/.