Press release – Launch of the European Small and Mid-Cap Awards 2022

Brussels, Monday 25th July 2022

The 10th edition of the European Small and Mid-Cap Awards will take place in Prague, Czech Republic, as part of the European Commission’s annual SME Assembly (28th – 30th November 2022).

The launch of this year’s Awards comes at a time when Europe’s economy is struggling to sustain its post-Covid recovery in the face of war and crippling inflation. Nominated as some of the best small and mid-caps to have gone public between January 2020 and December 2021, it is these companies that will demonstrate how Europe will overcome present economic difficulties. They are deserving, therefore, of recognition and congratulation for their successes to date. 

EuropeanIssuers, the Federation of European Securities Exchanges (FESE), and the European Commission are delighted to announce the nominations of the following companies, picked out for their outstanding achievements across the four Awards categories:

Nominations for the category Rising Star:

  • Answear listed on Warsaw Stock Exchange
  • EiDF listed on BME, SIX Group
  • Idun Industrier listed on Nasdaq Stockholm
  • MapsPeople listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen
  • Merus Power listed on Nasdaq Helsinki
  • Omer Decugis & Cie listed on Euronext Paris
  • Real Consulting listed on Athens Stock Exchange
  • Span listed on Zagreb Stock Exchange
  • TextMagic listed on Nasdaq Tallin

Nominations for the category Star of 2022:

  • GreenVolt listed on Euronext Lisbon
  • Kostad listed on Wiener Börse
  • Lamor Corporation listed on Nasdaq Helsinki
  • Llorente & Cuenca listed on BME, SIX Group
  • Trifork Group listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen

Nominations for the category International Star:

  • Aiforia Technology listed on Nasdaq Helsinki
  • Grupo Econer listed on BME, SIX Group
  • Nacon listed on Euronext Paris

Nominations for the category Star of Innovation:

  • Checkin.com listed on Nasdaq Stockholm
  • Dronamics Capital AD listed on Bulgarian Stock Exchange
  • Fixed.Zone listed on Prague Stock Exchange
  • MioGroup listed on BME, SIX Group
  • Seco listed on Borsa Italiana
  • Spinnova listed on Nasdaq Helsinki
  • Shoper listed on Warsaw Stock Exchange

Rainer Riess, Director General of FESE, commented:

“The Awards highlight the best small and mid-caps to have accessed financing opportunities via EU public markets, and provide clear examples of the benefits of listing. It is fantastic to witness these SMEs – the backbone of Europe’s economy – thrive after having listed on public exchanges. As FESE, we congratulate them wholeheartedly on their nominations.”

Florence Bindelle, Secretary General of EuropeanIssuers, added:

“This year was particularly interesting for the SME Awards Jury who recognized the excellence these companies bring to accomplish the EU’s goals of job creation, competitiveness and growth in a sustainability way. They showcase the diversity of European markets and promote stock listings, in particular targeting SMEs and growth companies. We at EuropeanIssuers wish those companies the best of success.”

Details on those companies that reach the shortlist will be publicised after the summer break, with the winners to be announced at the Awards ceremony in Prague in late November.

Notes to editors:

Please note that the nominated companies for each category are listed in alphabetical order.

About the European Small and Mid-Cap Awards

The objective of the Awards is to promote best practices and highlight the best European Small and Mid-Sized Companies that have gained access to capital markets via an Initial Public Offering (IPO). They showcase the diversity of European markets, and aim to promote stock listings, in particular targeting SMEs and growth companies. These companies are critical to accomplishing the EU’s goals of job creation, competitiveness, and growth.

The European Small and Mid-Cap Awards advocate the benefits of equity financing and encourage smaller companies to consider this financing option. Equity market financing plays a key role in the creation of jobs and growth and in the overall competitiveness of a company.  https://europeansmallandmidcapawards.eu/

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 35 exchanges in equities, bonds, derivatives and commodities through 16 full members and 1 affiliate member from 30 countries. For further information, please visit www.fese.eu.

For further information, please contact:

FESE:
Stephen Gilmore
Communications Officer
gilmore@fese.eu
+32 2 551 01 87

EuropeanIssuers:
Véronique De Hertogh
Membership/Event/Office Manager
veronique.dehertogh@europeanissuers.eu
+32 2 216 92 47