Revealed: the best AIM companies of 2026

The 2026 AIM Awards winners were revealed on Thursday night at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge. I only managed to predict one award winner correctly, although I did get some winners right, just in the wrong categories!

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The winners are:

Best investor communications

• This year: MP Evans (MPE)
• Last year: Volex (VLX)

Certified sustainable crude palm oil supplier M P Evans Group (LSE:MPE) always had a good chance of winning this award, but I ended up guessing it would be The Property Franchise Group (LSE:TPFG). The Tunbridge Wells-based operator of Indonesian oil palm plantations and processing mills has a long track record on AIM and before that the Main Market.

Keeping investors informed is important because of the potentially volatile commodity price. Being transparent about the sustainability of the palm oil and the environmental compliance is also key. The uncertainty about commodity export regulation changes in Indonesia led to a sharp downturn in the share price, but this was handled well by management and the share price recovered.

The company was praised for its detailed annual report and its regular updates. It has a good record of generating cash and paying consistently higher dividends.

MP Evans increased interim revenues by 9% to $196.3 million (£147.2 million) as the palm oil price remains strong. Pre-tax profit was one-quarter ahead at $78.6 million. The dividend has been raised from 18p/share to 25p/share, although that is partly a rebasing of the interim and final payments. Net cash was $113.5 million at the end of June 2026. More land has been bought since then.

Best use of AIM

• This year: Afentra (AET)
• Last year: Onward Opportunities (ONWD)

West Africa-focused oil and gas company Afentra (LSE:AET) has used AIM to build up its interest in the energy sector in Angola. It has taken advantage of the institutional investor backing to buy major assets from global energy companies. Afentra is also interested in opportunities outside Angola.

The latest operational update announced that a drilling rig will move to the Impala-2 development well before returning to the Picassa SW discovery to drill a sidetrack. Both wells should start production in the first quarter of 2027. Production estimates for 2026 have been trimmed to 6,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day net, which is an increase on the first half figure. Next year net production is set to jump to 9,900 barrels of oil equivalent per day as new production comes on stream.

Net cash of $34.2 million is forecast for the end of 2026, rising to $55.8 million one year later. The cash provides flexibility if additional deals are identified and for further development of existing assets. 

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Best technology

• This year: Scancell Holdings (SCLP)
• Last year: Filtronic (FTC)

Cancer treatments developer Scancell Holdings (LSE:SCLP) has developed its own technology platforms – ImmunoBody, Moditope and Avidimab. These are used to design therapies that help to stimulate the immune system of the body, enabling cancer tumour cells to be killed.

The vaccines that are developed help with long-term survival for people with aggressive forms of cancer. Side effects are minimal. There is a broad pipeline of potential treatments.

Scancell has received clinical trial authorisation from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for the phase 3 registrational trial of iSCIB1+ for treatment of advanced melanoma. There will be 550 patients enrolled across 90 global sites. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also cleared an Investigational New Drug (IND) application, and submissions are under way in other countries. A $25 million loan facility has been secured.

There are plans for an all-share merger with cash shell Neuphoria Therapeutics Inc and a secondary Nasdaq listing. This should provide the finance required for the phase 3 study. A ten-for-one share consolidation is set to happen on 21 October.

Diversity champion award

• This year: Thor Explorations (THX)
• Last year: Central Asia Metals (CAML)

West Africa-focused mine developer and producer Thor Explorations Ltd Ordinary Shares (LSE:THX) is commended for its “progressive localised employment strategies”. It prioritises employing women in technical roles in what is still a heavily male-dominated sector. Thor Explorations invests in the community and promotes locals into executive positions.

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AIM transaction of the year

• This year: Optima Health (OPT)
• Last year: Greatland Resources (GGP)

I though Optima Health (LSE:OPT) would win the corporate governance award. Instead, the demerger from Marlowe and introduction to AIM were highlighted by the judges. This is helping the occupational health services provider to scale its operations as a standalone company.

PAM Healthcare was subsequently acquired from Lloyds Development Capital for £100 million. Additional contracts have also been gained in the past year.

A plam oil plantation in Indonesia. Credit: Anks Rachman/iStock.

AIM corporate governance

• This year: Personal Group Holdings (PGH)
• Last year: Alumasc (ALU)

Personal Group Holdings (LSE:PGH) won this award rather than the diversity champion award that I had thought likely. The employee rewards and insurance policies provider is praised for its compliance record in its regulated insurance underwriting activities. Transparent communications and oversight over employee welfare practices are also highlighted.

AIM growth business of the year

• This year: Concurrent Technologies (CNC)
• Last year: Cohort (CHRT)

This is the only prediction I got right. Ruggedised embedded computing products developer Concurrent Technologies (LSE:CNC) was introduced to AIM on 4 July 1996, so this award comes 30 years after it joined the junior market. Although the company was profitable nearly all that time, there was not consistent growth.

Miles Adcock became chief executive in 2021, and the share price did not react positively initially as the new strategy was put in place. However, since June 2024 the share price has quadrupled.

In 2022, the pre-tax profit was minimal as the new boss cleared the decks and set in motion the new strategy – the previous year there was a pre-tax profit of £3.5 million. This strategy led to much faster development of new products. A US acquisition helped make additional inroads into the defence market. A move into higher margin systems and not just individual components is starting to pay off.

Interim revenues were 10% higher at £23.2 million, while pre-tax profit rose by one-fifth to £3.2 million. Order intake more than doubled to £46.9 million. Full-year pre-tax profit is expected to grow by one-fifth to £8.5 million.

Best newcomer

• This year: Pathos Communications (NEWS)
• Last year: MHA (MHA)

Rentguarantor (RGG) was the best performing of the new admissions during the awards period. However, the awards panel was impressed by the fact that Pathos Communications (LSE:NEWS) has developed an innovative way of providing media relations. The company combines its own AI data and technology with human interaction to deliver results for clients.

The pay-on-results model makes the Public Relations (PR) advice more attainable for smaller companies. There are thousands of clients around the world and Pathos Communications is growing strongly. 

Interim revenues grew 14% to $7.34 million, while pre-tax profit was 27% higher at $964,000. There was $1.74 million generated from operating activities and this was ploughed back into development of the company’s AI technology. Cash was $5.92 million at the end of June 2026. Full year pre-tax profit is expected to be $2.7 million. At 23p, the prospective multiple is less than nine.

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The Brian Winterflood Award

• This year: Kate Tidbury/Octopus
• Last year: Katie Potts/Herald Investment Trust

There was no shortlist for this award. Kate Tidbury has been working in the smaller companies market for more than three decades.

Entrepreneur of the year

• This year: Andrew Wass of Gear4Music (G4M)
• Last year: Keith Neilson of Craneware (CRW)

Andrew Wass founded Gear4music (Holdings) (LSE:G4M) in 2003 and made it the largest UK musical instrument retailer, and it is building share in Europe. The journey has not been smooth. After joining AIM in June 2015, Gear4Music performed strongly and did particularly well during Covid lockdowns. That bumper period was not going to last though.

Andrew Wass guided York-based Gear4Music through those tougher post-Covid trading conditions and rebuilt profit. Last year, revenues were 30% ahead at £190.7 million and pre-tax profit was £10.3 million. One-off stock deals boosted profit making it difficult to repeat that level of profit this year.

The share price is still less than one-quarter of its Covid peak, but investment in a larger distribution centre, while it will hold back profit in the short-term, means that Gear4Music is in a strong position to grow over the next decade.

Company of the year

• This year: Greatland Resources (GGP)
• Last year: Boku (BOKU)

Australian gold miner Greatland Resources Ltd (LSE:GGP) won the AIM transaction of the year award last year and this year it has upgraded to company of the year. In the past year, Greatland Resources has become the largest company on AIM by market capitalisation, helped by the rise in the gold price, although the share price has slipped back since early summer.

A feasibility study for the 100% owned Havieron gold prospect was completed at the end of 2025. The mine life should be more than 17 years. It is the third-largest underground reserve in Australia. Steady state average all-in sustaining cost is estimated to be $1,610/ounce, so it should be highly profitable. Pre-production capital expenditure is anticipated to be $1.07 billion.

Meanwhile, the Telfer mine is producing gold and copper and generating cash to help finance this investment. Debt can provide the rest of the finance. Greatland Resources had cash of $1.29 billion at the end of June 2026 and does not yet have any debt.

Andrew Hore is a freelance contributor and not a direct employee of interactive investor.