Santander Bank and the Alicante Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Spanish Chamber and the newspaper Información, organized the seventh edition of SME of the Year. The prize recognizes small and medium-sized enterprises as engines of wealth creation and job opportunities through their daily business activities. The nomination window for SME of the Year 2023 opens on March 1 and closes on April 14 at 20:00, inviting eligible companies to participate.
Eligible entrants are all small and medium-sized enterprises based in the Alicante province with fewer than 250 employees and a turnover under 50 million euros for the 2022 fiscal year. The winner will receive the SME of the Year title, while the jury may also award four second prizes in the categories of Internationalization, Innovation and Digitalization, Education and Employment, and Sustainable SME. The overall winner will advance to the 2023 National SME of the Year Award, to be presented in early 2024. Those receiving second prizes will compete for the National Award in their respective categories.
How can I join?
Interested companies should complete the registration form available on the Alicante Chamber of Commerce website, where the competition rules can also be read. The jury evaluates several merits, including job creation with emphasis on permanent employment, employee education initiatives, company internationalization, digitalization and innovation efforts, and sustainable projects undertaken by the organization.
7,440 participating SMEs since the prize’s creation
The SME of the Year Award, now in its seventh edition, has become a benchmark for Spanish small and medium-sized enterprises. In the previous edition, 1,766 companies from 50 provinces and the Autonomous City of Ceuta registered to participate, with 49 regional Chambers of Commerce involved in the process. Since the competition began in 2017, a total of 7,436 SMEs have taken part, underscoring the initiative’s broad reach and impact on regional business ecosystems.