European Small & Mid-cap Awards 2024 – The Winners
Press Release, Budapest, 20th November 2024
Winners of the European Small and Mid-Cap Awards 2024 announced
Yesterday evening, we celebrated the 12th edition of the European Small and Mid-Cap Awards, organised by the Federation of European Securities Exchanges (FESE), EuropeanIssuers and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs during the SME Assembly in Budapest (Hungary).
The Awards highlighted excellent SMEs from across the EU that have accessed capital markets via an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the preceding two calendar years. They displayed the diversity of European markets and aimed to promote stock listings on EU public markets, in particular targeting SMEs and growth companies.
Nominated companies were assessed by an independent, expert jury via four categories:
- the Star of 2024, awarded to an outstanding corporate citizen that stands out in a broad range of areas (e.g. ESG, financial and economic performances, reputation) as an exceptional leader in its class;
- the Star of Innovation, awarded to a newly listed small or mid-cap company that places innovation (i.e. in corporate strategy and/or marketing strategy and/or the use of new technology) at the centre of its strategy for business development;
- the International Star, awarded to a newly listed small and mid-cap company that boasts impressive results in terms of international sales, profit and market share growth;
- the Rising Star, awarded to an SME with a market capitalisation up to €200m that displays remarkable growth potential;
The Jury also assigned a Special Mention, to recognise an initiative, an individual or a company that has had a significant impact on small and mid-cap issuers accessing capital markets.
Bonifacio García-Porras, Head of Unit SMEs, DG GROW, European Commission said:
“Access to public capital markets is vital for EU company growth and complements private funding. This year’s nominations were outstanding, and the jury did an excellent job. The awarded SMEs excelled in growth, innovative business models, exceptional products or services, and successful international expansion. We hope these companies inspire other European businesses to pursue access to EU capital markets.”
Petr Koblic, President of FESE, added:
“While only one winner per category is crowned, the accomplishment of being listed on capital markets is noteworthy in itself, making every company a winner in its own right. These awards highlight successful IPOs from across Europe, serving as compelling examples of the benefits that listing on exchanges brings to companies seeking financial access.”
“SMEs form the bedrock of the European economy, playing a crucial role in job creation, fostering growth, and driving innovation. Nurturing the growth of companies celebrated last night is imperative for steering the green and digital transitions forward.”
Luc Vansteenkiste, Chairman of EuropeanIssuers, commented:
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all finalists and winners of the awards. Small and medium enterprises are the backbone of the European economy. They are vitally important in creating jobs, supporting growth and boosting innovation. It is pleasing that the CMU Action Plan includes important actions to help these companies support their journey through their access to finance on capital markets. The challenge for the future is to find the perfect balance between the need for European harmonization and the respect of the local SME’s specificities.”
“Today’s award ceremony showcases examples of successful small and mid-cap companies, they are an example of vision and courage to go for stock exchange in order to make their companies grow and prosper. So let me congratulate them and wish them a successful future.”
And the winners are…
| Star of 2024 | |
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Groupe Okwind is specialized in developing solutions for short-circuit green energy production and use. The company offers smart, AI-based energy production management by bringing individuals, farms, industrial sites and local governments self-supply solutions that enable them to generate and use their own energy using smart, high-performance photovoltaic trackers.
Okwind is listed on Euronext Paris.
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| Star of Innovation | |
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Gubra, founded in 2008 in Denmark, is specialized in pre-clinical contract research services and peptide-based drug discovery within metabolic and fibrotic diseases. Gubra’s activities are focused on the early stages of drug development and are organised in two business areas – CRO Services and Discovery & Partnerships (D&P). The two business areas are highly synergistic and create a unique entity capable of generating a steady cash flow from the CRO business while at the same time enjoying biotechnology upside in the form of potential development milestone payments and potential royalties from the D&P business. Today, Gubra has approx. 250 employees and revenue in 2023 was DKK 205 million.
Gubra is listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen.
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| International Star | |
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STIF SA is a French family-owned industrial SME founded in 1984 which designs, manufactures, and markets industrial equipment for niche markets. It specializes in handling equipment for bulk products, such as elevator buckets, lifting straps and compression fittings. The firm’s products include metal and plastic elevator buckets, elevator belts, safety components for bucket elevator, bends and compression couplings, explosion protection system, fire and explosion protection for battery energy storage systems (BESS), dust proof inspection doors, pipe systems, and magnetic separators.
STIF SA is listed on Euronext Paris.
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| Rising Star | |
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mmcité a.s. covers the entire production, innovative design, development and implementation of urban furniture. Company products are indispensable, durable, functional but design amenities such as park benches, fountains, drinking fountains, bicycle racks, rubbish bins, bus stops and much more. Today we find furnishings from the company’s workshop in public spaces all over the world. For example, at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris or even at the top station of the cable car leading to Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest mountain. In 2022 alone, the group sold its products to more than 30 countries and employs more than 240 people.
Mmcité is listed on Prague Stock Exchange.
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| Special Mention | |
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Eurobank Equities Investment Firm S.A. is a subsidiary of Eurobank Group, one of the four systemic banks in Greece. Eurobank Equities has a dominant presence in the domestic capital markets, as showcased by its leading market position in terms of market share (ranked first for 10 out of the last 15 years) and its recognition in Institutional Investor Surveys (Extel/II) as one of the leading brokers in Greece and one of the top Equity Research Providers for the country. Eurobank Equities’ Research division provides timely research and insights and covers more than 30 companies, accounting for more than 85% of market liquidity and market cap of the ATHEX and 90% of the traded value. It also provides secondary coverage on the largest foreign markets and listed large cap names.
EUROBANK is listed on Athens Stock Exchange.
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Notes to editors:
The runners-up were the following:
Category ‘Rising Star’
- Mmcite listed on Prague Stock Exchange
- RES listed on Borsa Italiana part of Euronext
- Seresco listed on BME, SIX Group
Category ‘International Star’
- STIF listed on Euronext Paris
- Greening Group listed on BME, SIX Group
- Rusta listed on Nasdaq Stockholm
Category ‘Star of Innovation’
- Gubra listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen
- Yubico listed on Nasdaq Stockholm
- Revenga listed on BME, SIX Group
Category ‘Star of 2024’
- Okwind listed on Euronext Paris
- Dexelance listed on Borsa Italiana part of Euronext
- Dimand listed on Athens Stock Exchange (Athex)
The Awards Jury
The shortlisted companies are chosen by an independent jury:
- Detlef Fechtner, EU Correspondent, Börsen-Zeitung
- Eglė Fredriksson, Portfolio Manager, East Capital
- Ekaterina Gianelli, Partner, Inventure
- Martin Hock, Finance Editor, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (F.A.Z.)
- Phaedon Tamvakakis, Vice Chairman, Alpha Trust Investment Services
About the European Commission
The Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) of the European Commission develops and implements a range of policies to improve access to finance for SMEs in the EU. SMEs are critical to European economic recovery and to accomplishing the EU’s goals of job creation, competitiveness and growth. For more information, please visit https://ec.europa.eu/growth/access-to-finance_en.
About EuropeanIssuers
EuropeanIssuers is a pan-European organisation representing the interests of publicly quoted companies across Europe to the EU Institutions. We seek capital markets that serve the interests of their end users, including issuers. For more information, please visit www.europeanissuers.eu.
About FESE
The Federation of European Securities Exchanges (FESE) represents 36 exchanges in equities, bonds, derivatives and commodities through 17 Full Members and 1 Affiliate Member from 32 countries.
EuropeanIssuers: FESE:
Véronique De Hertogh Marián Caro
Membership/Event/Office Manager Communications Officer
veronique.dehertogh@europeanissuers.eu caro@fese.eu
+32 2 216 92 47 +32 2 551 01 87