The pair set up Octopus in 2000 and raised funds for the company with no products, customers or office.
Chris Hulatt and Simon Rogerson, co-founders of Octopus Group, were named EY Entrepreneur of the year UK 2017 at a London Awards Ceremony this week.
The pair set up Octopus in 2000 and raised funds for the company with no products, customers or office.
Joanna Santinon, UK Entrepreneur Of The Year programme leader, said: “In true entrepreneurial style, Chris and Simon started Octopus from scratch and have scaled it to a business of significant size.
“Right from the outset their main driver was to do things better and breathe new life into industries, which serve some of society’s most important needs.”
Simon Rogerson, chief executive and co-founder of Octopus Group, said: “Putting our customers at the heart of everything we do has been the driving force behind Octopus since we founded it 17 years ago.
“We set up Octopus because we wanted to make a real difference to people’s lives in industries that affect their everyday life and we have never wavered from that mission.”
The judging panel also awarded the Octopus co-founders Master Entrepreneur of the Year for their accomplishments over the last 17 years.
Chris Hulatt, co-founder of Octopus Group, added: “We have worked hard to build Octopus and are extremely proud of the impact we are having on the industries we have entered.
“We are honoured to receive this award, not just for us as founders but in acknowledgement of the talent and hard work of all our employees over the years that have enabled us to grow the business so quickly and make a difference to more and more customers.”
