Wales-based consultancy Littlechild & Haley has been named the regional winner in the Professional Services StartUp of the Year category at the UK StartUp Awards 2026 for Wales.
The business will now go on to represent Wales at the UK national final, taking place at Ideas Fest on 9 September 2026 at Champneys, Tring, Hertfordshire.
The UK StartUp Awards were launched to recognise the growing startup scene across the UK, which has accelerated significantly in recent years, with around 832,000 new businesses registered in the UK in 2025.
More than 900 businesses were shortlisted for this year’s UK StartUp Awards across ten nations and regions. Together, these firms, all of which were started in the last three years, have created nearly 5,000 new jobs and generated annual sales of more than £150 million.
Littlechild & Haley is a specialist internal audit, risk and assurance consultancy that helps organisations manage risk through senior-led, practical support.
Founded in 2024 following an unexpected redundancy, the business was created as an opportunity to rethink how the industry operates. The founders identified a gap for a more people-centred, outcomes-focused approach that moves beyond basic compliance.
Today, the firm provides success-centred assurance to organisations in high-scrutiny sectors, including the NHS, local government, universities and financial services firms, helping them achieve their objectives while maintaining robust governance.
“When we started Littlechild & Haley, we saw a clear opportunity to do internal audit differently – more people-centred, more outcomes-focused, and genuinely aligned to organisational success,” said Donna Littlechild, Co-founder of Littlechild & Haley.
Paul Haley, Co-founder of Littlechild & Haley, added: “Winning the Wales category is a proud moment for our team and confirms that our approach is resonating with the market. We are now looking forward to the UK national final at Ideas Fest on 9 September 2026 and the opportunity to showcase our vision on a national stage.”
The consultancy has seen significant momentum since launch, growing to a team of three, with further growth planned, and securing places on major public sector frameworks, including the NHS Internal Audit Framework.
This achievement within its first 18 months has helped validate the firm’s position as a trusted provider for large corporates and UK-listed plcs alike.
The UK StartUp Awards judging panel said:
“Littlechild & Haley impressed through its focused approach to internal audit, risk and assurance, combining senior-led expertise with a people-centred understanding of governance and organisational performance.
“The business has already achieved a solid turnover and built a strong proposition around helping organisations manage risk in a practical, modern and relationship-led way.
“The judges recognised a professional services startup with clear specialist credibility, strong early traction and the potential to become a trusted assurance partner for ambitious organisations.”
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, Co-founder of the UK StartUp Awards, said:
“New businesses are the driving force behind any thriving economy, generating employment, pioneering innovation, and contributing to prosperity right across the UK.
“Our regional winners represent the very best of British entrepreneurial talent, and they have earned their place at the national final on merit alone.
“We look forward to seeing them take to the main stage at Ideas Fest on 9 September, where one of them will be crowned the UK’s best startup in their category.”
The UK StartUp Awards, founded by Frankie James and Professor Dylan Jones-Evans as part of Ideas Community, is the UK’s largest independent startup awards programme. Now in its fifth year, the awards received more than 2,000 entries in 2026.
Regional winners will compete at the national final, held at Ideas Fest — also known as the Glastonbury of Business, on 9–10 September 2026 at Champneys, Tring, Hertfordshire.
For more information, visit the UK StartUp Awards website.
