The co-founders of Highlands and Islands based electrical and renewables experts IDM Energy have won the major national award announced at this year’s Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
Iain Macphail and Kyle Smith were crowned ‘National Winner 2025’ of The John Caudwell Award, named after the philanthropic billionaire and founder of Phones4U.
The Highlanders beat off competition from 800 top entrepreneurs from across the UK who collectively employ more than 25,000 people, generating £2.25 billion in turnover.
It’s the company’s biggest win yet, having previously won Service industries Entrepreneur for Scotland in 2024 and Start-up Entrepreneur for Scotland and Northern Ireland at the same event both in 2022 and 2023, illustrating the firm’s rapid rise and reputational heft.
Co-founder Iain Macphail said: “This is such an incredible honour for us, and is a testament to the exceptional hard work of all our team, including those starting their journeys with us, and all those who have supported our vision for the company from the outset.
“We are hugely grateful to John Caudwell and all involved with The Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards, and congratulate all those who were nominated.”
Co-founder Kyle Smith added: “To have our investment in customer service, our progressive use of AI, and our best in class training recognised this way at such a high level nationally is a huge endorsement in how we are driving our business.
“It has been an incredible year in terms of growth, scaling up our team, expanding into the central belt and securing new contracts, so this really is icing on the cake.”
John Caudwell, who sponsors the award, said: “Huge congratulations to Iain Macphail and Kyle Smith of IDM Energy, the winners of this year’s John Caudwell Award at The Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
“Founded in the middle of Covid, IDM Energy Limited, which delivers high-quality trade services and renewable solutions across Scotland, truly embodies resilience and entrepreneurial spirit.
“And, most importantly for this award, which I sponsor with Caudwell Children, they invest in people and give them real career prospects. Of their 21-strong team, seven are apprentices.
“The company also uses AI to remove repetitive admin so that those apprentices and all their staff are freed up to service customers, learn and grow. It reminded me of my Phones 4U days when I banned emails!
“They are exceptionally deserving winners of this award.”
IDM Energy’s mission is to provide energy-efficient solutions that meet their customer needs while keeping safety and sustainability at the forefront in all that they do.
Their core values – honest advice and quality service – has seen them growing into a leading renewables contractor in the North of Scotland.
With bases in Inverness and Stornoway, and a new location sited between Glasgow and Edinburgh, the company was also ranked 44th in the Elite Business 100 (EB100) 2024 rankings before rising to 37th in the Elite Business 100 (EB100) 2025 rankings this year.
Known as the ‘Grammys of Entrepreneurship’, the Great British Entrepreneur Awards celebrate exceptional and inspiring businesses across the UK.
The awards are supported by headline sponsor Allica Bank and other national partners including ADHD 360, Caudwell Children, Channel Funnels, de Novo Solutions, EliteBusinessLive, FundOnion, Great Influence, Join Talent, Mettryx, Quidos, Randal Charitable Foundation, ScoreApp, UBS Wealth Management and Vestd.
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