Colchester Business Enterprise Agency (Colbea) has been shortlisted in the 2018 National Enterprise Network (NEN) Awards.

Colbea has been shortlisted in the Enterprise Engagement category its In the Market for Success (IM4S) initiative.

The IM4S programme has supported more than 100 female entrepreneurs since its launch in 2017.

Ashleigh Seymour-Rutherford, Colbea chief executive said: “We’re delighted to be recognised on a national scale for the work we have done on a more local level in supporting a number of fantastic start-up businesses created by some truly inspiring entrepreneurs during our IM4S initiative.”

Established in 2007, the annual NEN Awards aim to recognise excellence in the delivery of enterprise support.

Speaking about 2018’s shortlist Graham Marley, NEN chairman said: “The organisations featured on the 2018 National Enterprise Network Awards shortlist have all clearly demonstrated excellence in the delivery of enterprise support. It was clear from all of this year’s entries that there are some fantastic enterprise initiatives and truly dedicated individuals within our network.”

The winners will be announced on Friday November 16 at a awards ceremony during NEN Annual Conference.