Yesterday saw the launch of the third annual QuotedData Investors’ Choice Awards and, once again, we are asking you to get involved and vote for the investment companies and ETFs that you think are deserving of recognition.

There are plenty of investment awards out there but ours are, quite deliberately, a little different. Most investment industry awards are decided by panels of fund selectors, analysts, journalists or other investment professionals. In contrast, ours are decided by private investors, which is why they are called the Investors’ Choice Awards. That was the idea when we launched the awards in 2024 and, three years on, we think it is as important as ever.

Private investors are an important constituency for the investment company sector and increasingly for the ETF market too. They put their own money to work, live with the consequences of their decisions and, in many cases, hold their investments for years or even decades. We think that it is only right that their views should count when it comes to recognising the funds that are doing the best job for investors.

That does not mean that the shortlists are simply a popularity contest, however. A fair amount of work goes on behind the scenes before the voting starts.

We begin with the data, pulling together the information needed to compare and contrast investment companies and ETFs against their peers and identify the strongest contenders. That information is then handed to our panel of experienced professional investors, who scrutinise the numbers, debate the merits of the various candidates and agree the shortlists. Only then, do we hand things over to you.

We think that combination is important. The data provides an objective starting point, our judges bring years of experience and judgement to the process, but private investors get the final say on who takes home the main awards.

The formula seems to have struck a chord. Thousands of investors have taken part since we launched the awards and last year’s winners included some very different investment propositions – from Law Debenture in income and Rockwood Strategic in smaller companies to Temple Bar for UK exposure, Nippon Active Value in the country specialist category and Polar Capital Global Financials among the sector specialists.

That variety is part of the point. Investors have different objectives, time horizons and appetites for risk and the awards are designed to recognise the funds that investors believe stand out within their respective areas.

There is another reason why we would like as many of you as possible to get involved. We have long believed that investment companies are excellent long-term investment vehicles, yet the sector has had a difficult few years when it comes to attracting attention and new money. The people best placed to make the case for the sector are often those who already understand its attractions. Casting your vote is one small way of recognising the companies, managers and boards that you think are getting things right.

And there is £5,000 up for grabs.

As in previous years, there is a £5,000 prize for the investor who does the best job of predicting the winners across the categories. Last year’s winner, Geoff Mills, had been investing in investment trusts for around 40 years, so perhaps experience counts – although we suspect he would be the first to admit that there was an element of luck involved too.

You do not need four decades of investment experience to take part, of course. We provide information to help you compare the shortlisted candidates and, if you already know the funds well, voting should not take long.

More importantly, we want to know what you think.

Which investment companies have delivered for you? Which managers have earned your confidence? Which funds would you be comfortable backing for the long term? And, with ETFs included in the process, which products do you think deserve greater recognition?

Our judges have done their bit. Now it is over to you.

So, have a look at the shortlists, cast your votes and support the investment companies and ETFs that you think deserve recognition. You might even walk away £5,000 better off.

After all, you have to be in it to win it. (click here to cast your votes)