In May, iO-Sphere joined the UK data community at the British Data Awards 2026 — and we were proud to do it as the official partner of one award in particular: Rising Star of the Year.
Now in its sixth year, the British Data Awards have become one of the most respected fixtures in the UK data calendar. The 2026 ceremony was a sold-out night in London with more than 700 guests, a record 462 entries, and a judging panel of 18 senior data leaders spanning the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. It celebrates, in the organisers' words, "the UK's data success stories."
Why Rising Star?
It's the category closest to our reason for existing. iO-Sphere turns capable people into working data professionals — so recognising the individuals at the very start of that journey was an easy "yes." Our co-founder James Cotton presented the award on the night.
Congratulations to the 2026 Rising Star winners:
- Rising Star of the Year (Individual): Gabby Walker, Black Sheep Coffee — with Jessica Dennison (UK Ministry of Defence) highly commended.
- Rising Star of the Year (Partner): Jessie Stuart, HyperFinity — with Martha Casey (Baringa) highly commended.
Every one of them is proof of something we see every day: data careers aren't reserved for a certain type of person or a certain kind of CV. They're built — through the right training, real projects, and genuine coaching.
That's the whole idea behind what we do at iO-Sphere. Our government-funded data programmes take people from a range of backgrounds and give them the applied skills, the portfolio, and the confidence to step into data roles — and the outcomes speak for themselves. If you're weighing up a move into data yourself, our guide on how to become a data analyst in the UK is a good place to start.
Here's to the rising stars of 2026 — and to everyone taking their first step toward a data career.