Goa: The founders of CinnamonTeal Publishing were awarded British Council’s Young Publishing Entrepreneur in a glittering ceremony in New Delhi early September 2010. The Young Creative Entrepreneur (YCE) Awards programme aims to develop a powerful professional network between creative entrepreneurs in India and the UK.

The award comes with a trophy, a certificate, a chance to bid for funds to expand the business and a study tour in the UK which includes an interaction with creative industry leaders and contemporaries, and a trade event leading to increasing business opportunities between the UK and India.

The award was open to entrepreneurs across the creative industries namely in Design, Fashion, Communications, Publishing, Performing Arts, Screen, Interactive, Music and Visual Arts aged between 25 and 35.

CinnamonTeal Publishing, co-founded by Queenie and Leonard Fernandes, provides a whole range of self-publishing services including copyediting, cover and page design, print-on-demand, ISBN and book marketing services. Other services include translation, book digitisation and restoration and development and distribution of of e-books and audio-books. Thus a platform is provided to anyone wishing to self-publish. Their customers include individuals, NGOs and corporates and span 15 countries from all continents. They have published close to 200 titles in 8 languages. CinnamonTeal is part of a larger company, Dogears Print Media, which also operates an online bookstore, dogearsetc.com, and a book retail concept fivex5.com.

Connected with the India YCE awards is the International Young Creative Entrepreneur (IYCE) programme which celebrates the young creative entrepreneurs on an international level. Till date, 763 entrepreneurs have been through the award programme, making India’s network of young creative entrepreneurs the biggest within the International YCE programme.