Local entrepreneurs shine at Brilliant Business Awards 2026
Three innovative companies from Limburg were celebrated at the Brilliant Business Awards for their outstanding entrepreneurship. The winners, recognized for innovation, customer service, and start-up excellence, highlight the region's thriving business community and its global impact.
| Award Category | Winner | Location | Notable Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robijn – Best Starting Entrepreneur | Snack Rebels | Sittard-Geleen | Inspiring energy and commitment to making a difference |
| Parel – Best Customer Service | Gasterie De Fontein | Stein | Excellence in hospitality, customer engagement, and service quality |
| Diamant – Most Innovative Entrepreneur | Hato | Sittard-Geleen | Strong focus on innovation with a global market reach |
| Event Host Municipality | Stein | - | Hosted the 7th edition of the Brilliant Business Awards |
| Awards Designed By | DaCapo College Students | Sittard | Unique awards created by local students |
The municipalities of Beek, Stein, and Sittard-Geleen organize the Brilliant Business Awards to foster entrepreneurship and celebrate business excellence in the Western Mining Region. This initiative strengthens local economic ties and highlights the region's innovative potential.
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Congratulations to the winners of the Brilliant Business Awards!
Three companies from the region were honoured on the evening of Wednesday, 11 March, during the seventh edition of the Brilliant Business Awards. At the entrepreneurs' event held at Van der Valk in Urmond, Snack Rebels from Sittard-Geleen, Hato from Sittard-Geleen, and Gasterie De Fontein from Stein were recognised for their entrepreneurship. The winners were selected from nine finalists, who had previously been chosen from dozens of nominated companies in the Western Mining Region.
Robijn – award for the best starting entrepreneur
Mayor Christine van Basten-Boddin, mayor of Beek, presented the Robijn award to Snack Rebels from Sittard-Geleen. This prize is awarded to the best starting entrepreneur in the Western Mining Region. The jury praised Snack Rebels for the inspiring energy of the entrepreneurs to actually make a difference. In this category, Snack Rebels competed against BLISS Food & Drinks from Stein and Hessink’s Fine Art Auctioneers from Beek.
Parel – award for the most customer- and/or service-oriented company
Councillor Joep Ummels from Stein presented the Parel award in the customer service category to Gasterie De Fontein from Stein. This prize is awarded to companies that excel in customer focus and service. According to the jury, Gasterie De Fontein made a strong impression with its hospitality, customer engagement, and quality of service. The company competed in this category against Maison d’Elfant and Restaurant Jack’s from Beek.
Diamant – award for the most innovative entrepreneur
Hato from Sittard-Geleen won the Diamant award, the prize for the most innovative company. The award was presented by councillor Yvonne Salvino-Meijer from Sittard-Geleen. According to the jury, Hato stands out for its strong focus on innovation and the development of forward-thinking solutions within the sector. It is a remarkable achievement that a company based in our region serves a global market. The other finalists in this category were Hermens FruitSystems and JPE Innovations from Beek.
Awards created by DaCapo College students
Once again this year, the unique awards were designed and made by students from DaCapo College in Sittard. The evening was hosted by Dyanne Sleijpen. In addition, Arno Folkerts delivered an inspiring presentation on change management.
Initiative of Beek, Stein, and Sittard-Geleen
The Brilliant Business Awards are an initiative of the municipalities of Beek, Stein, and Sittard-Geleen. With this annual networking event, the municipalities celebrate and recognise entrepreneurship in the Western Mining Region. This year, Stein was the host municipality.