On Wednesday evening in Speech Hall, the CranDo Awards 2026 celebrated the initiative, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit that are at the heart of Cranleigh.
The awards challenge groups of Lower Sixth students to create a profitable business, by successfully researching, marketing and selling products and services in just ten weeks.
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report highlights that the fastest-growing and
most valued capabilities in the workplace are human ones: analytical thinking, creativity, resilience, leadership and collaboration. These are the qualities that our students had to demonstrate during the challenge and they were on show for all to see on Wednesday night.
Sam Price, Head at Cranleigh School, said: “We believe education should empower pupils not simply to succeed academically, but to develop the confidence and character to make a meaningful contribution to the world beyond school. The CranDo Awards capture that spirit perfectly. By encouraging pupils to think creatively, take initiative, work together and pursue ambitious ideas with energy and purpose, we are bringing to life how academic study connects to real-world opportunity. Congratulations to all the teams and the winners.”
There were eight awards presented on the night, celebrating teamwork, business planning, profit, branding, presentation and sustainability as well as a Head’s Award and an overall winner. The overall winning team was ‘Gripperz’, which updated the traditional Cranleigh sports sock with a built-in grip which they said ‘improves comfort, safety and performance’.
A full list of the winners is below:
Teamwork Award: Shortleigh, a business selling house sports shorts that focuses on high performance and house spirit to create a sense of community and house identity. Presented by Tony Ho, OC and entrepreneur.
Business Plan Award: Distinct Jewellry, selling unique, customisable steel chain necklaces. Presented by Kristina Pereckaite, South East Angels.
Profit Award: Do Re Mi Delights, specialising in sourcing and selling high-quality sweets for special occasions. Presented by Mark Coggins, Board Director Cranleigh China.
Presentation Award: Ziilo, selling waterproof washbags for use at school or home. Presented by Deborah Young, Angel Investor.
Sustainability and Social Value Award: 301 Darts, for organising a charity staff versus students darts tournament in aid of men’s mental health and testicular cancer. Presented by Jay Lawrence, Rathbones and Ambitious Minds podcast.
Head’s Award for Culture: Inked, offering ‘cards and chocolates to send to loved ones to encourage real-life interactions in a world of screens’.
Brand Identity and Overall Winners: Gripperz
Brand Identity Award presented by Max Jones, Founder Zeroo Degrees.
Naomi Ambrose, Director of Futures at Cranleigh School, said: “CranDo is not meant to be easy. It is designed to stretch the transferable skills that matter most for the future including teamwork, resilience, adaptability and creativity, alongside strong communication and entrepreneurial thinking. There were winners this evening, but in truth all of the sixteen teams gained something valuable from the experience, particularly a deeper understanding of how to collaborate, how to persevere and of course, more insight into their own potential.”
The CranDo Awards have touched every element of school life, and their ultimate success has been testament to the incredible teamwork and support of the whole Cranleigh community. We would like to thank all the staff involved, particularly those who acted as team mentors. Thank you also to South East Angels, Rathbones, Tony Ho and Max Jones for corporate and Old Cranleighan support.
This was the second year the school has run the CranDo awards. The competition will return in 2027.
For more information on the teams involved, you can download the awards programme here. You can watch the awards ceremony here.
Follow the link below to see the full programme for the awards evening.
