Three Big Wins And A Whole Lot of Local Love

Emma Sweet, founder of Ace Places – the business transforming local towns into beautifully illustrated playing card guides – has been recognised with three prestigious business awards in just a few weeks.

From her base in Knowl Hill, Berkshire, Emma launched the first Ace Places deck in 2023, spotlighting Henley-on-Thames. The packs quickly gained popularity with residents, visitors, and independent businesses alike. Over 8,000 Henley packs have been sold to date – and with Marlow joining the deck this spring, another 6,000 have already made their way into homes, hands, and high streets across the region.

Emma’s recent honours include:

• Best Marketing, PR & Advertising StartUp – UK StartUp Awards 2025 (Winner, 24 June)

• Excellence in Innovation – Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2025 (Winner, 2 July; also finalist for Most Promising New Business)

• StartUp Business Woman of the Year – Berkshire Business Awards 2025 (Winner, 16 July)

Reflecting on the recognition, Emma said:
“Ace Places was created to celebrate the towns we love and the independent businesses that give them their unique character. These awards are a real honour and speak to the incredible community support that’s helped bring the idea to life.”

Each Ace Places deck features 54 standout businesses, events, charities, and hidden gems, designed to help people discover and support what makes a town special. The decks are also purpose-driven, with 25p from every sale donated to a local grassroots charity.

As the business continues to grow, Emma is inviting new collaborators to get involved. She’s currently seeking “Leaders of the Pack” – individuals interested in bringing Ace Places to their own towns, especially those with experience in marketing, PR, or community engagement.

🃏 Want to follow along or join the fun? Keep an eye on our socials for the latest town launches, events and updates on Instagram and Facebook.

🔗 Full press release here - do get in touch if you'd like to interview Emma Sweet, founder of Ace Places - emma@aceplaces.co.uk

👑 Curious about leading your own pack? You can find everything you need to know right here: aceplaces.co.uk/pages/leadyourpack.

📷 First photo - Calvin Eden - the host and compère for the evening, Emma Sweet - founder of Ace Places, Nicola Metcalfe - our illustrator and Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE - co-founder of the UK Startup Awards.

📷 Second photo - Emma Sweet - Ace Places founder in blue with host and Olympian Kriss Akabusi behind her with all of the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Awards Winners 2025.