Tech South West Awards shortlist reveals best in tech from across the region

News Desk
Authored by News Desk
Posted Thursday, September 22, 2022 - 10:20pm

Sustainable farming robots, feminist videogames and an AI-powered property transparency platform are among the technologies being developed by the finalists for the Tech South West Awards 2022.

Now in their fourth year, the awards celebrate the best in tech from across the South West including Bristol, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.

The judging process involved a full day in Exeter deliberating with the judges to reach the final shortlist. There were almost 300 entries to this year’s awards from across the region.

With new categories this year including Women in Tech, CreaTech, AeroTech and AgriTech there are 25 awards up for grabs this year.

Tickets to the awards ceremony, taking place on November 10, are available at https://buytickets.at/techsouthwest/755931

Tech is the fastest growing part of the South West economy, and is predicted to create 125,000 jobs and grow to nearly £20bn a year by 2026.

The Innovation Award celebrates organisations leading the field when it comes to developing new products, services, collaborations, technologies, solutions or markets. The shortlist features EarSwitch, KETS Quantum Security, Neuronostics, One Big Circle, and Vaarst.

Toby Parkins, Chair of Tech South West and founder of Cornwall-based software firm HeadForwards, said: “These awards bring together the very best of the sector, and celebrate the most exciting part of our economy. From Cornwall to Gloucestershire and everywhere in between, the South West is home to budding entrepreneurs, disruptive scaleups and world-leading companies putting the UK tech sector on the map.”

The awards are supported by Headline Partner Bishop Fleming and Drinks Reception sponsor CA Tech Talent, alongside Supporting Partner Astley Media and a range of category sponsors including the UK Hydrographic Office, Deloitte, Plymouth and Exeter Science Parks, Rocketmakers, Mercia Asset Management, Launch, South West Business Council, Clockwise Exeter, ForrestBrown, Headforwards, Software Solved, Michelmores, FDB Health, Granted Consultancy, SETsquared Exeter, Ashfords, and the CIoS and HotSW Digital Skills Partnerships.

Organisations from Bristol, Bath, Exeter, Plymouth, Taunton and Cornwall are among those shortlisted.

In the running for the Women in Tech Award are Tanuvi Ethunandan and Erin Morris, co-founders of Cornwall-based satellite data firm Data Duopoly. Alongside them in the shortlist are Mehrnaz Tajmir from Greener,  Dr Connie Wilson from BAE Systems, Lucy Beck from A2Z Cloud, Emma Hudson from FSD Active Limited and Lindsay Lucas from Software Solved.

TalkLife, Designability Charity, Famli, Small Robot Company, Neuronostics are on the shortlist for Tech for Good alongside Bristol-based Matter, which develops technology to prevent microplastics from entering waste water.

Pippa Clarke, Head of Technology, Innovation and Growth at Bishop Fleming and Headline Partner for the Tech South West Awards said: “The Tech South West Awards shine a spotlight on some of the region’s most exciting tech companies, and with over 250 entries this year it was certainly no easy task to judge! “Relationships are a hugely rewarding aspect of our work with tech businesses, and we are delighted to be supporting the awards and helping to showcase the very best of the sector.”

The AgriTech Award shortlist features the Small Robot Company, Passmore & Passmore Ltd and LettUs Grow with TECwomen CIC, SETsquared Bristol, A2Z Cloud vying for the Commitment to Diversity Award.

Somerset-based Singer Instruments are back in the running for the highly contested Workplace Culture Award, having won the category in 2021, alongside SECCL, Adopstar, Rocketmakers, ISL Talent, Huboo Studios and KETS Quantum Security.

Exeter-based Augmented Reality Creations, which leverages technology to facilitate more efficient home extensions, makes the shortlist for Best Startup alongside EarSwitch, Propflo, INVIDAR,and digiLab.

The South West is a national flagship for cutting edge maritime technology. The Marine Tech Award shortlist features Bristol-based ocean robotics firm Vaarst alongside Feritech Global, Arc Marine, Babcock and Cornish startup My Coast Ltd.

Caroline Orr, Marketing Director at Supporting Partner Astley Media, said: “As a marketing agency specialising in the tech sector, our team are delighted to be once again supporting the Tech South West Awards. The level of quality and innovation to be found in these shortlists is testament to the quality of the sector, and the people working in and around tech in the South West.”

Storm Consultancy, Service Robotics,Ghyston, Rocketmakers and Vaarst make the shortlist for Tech Company of the Year Award for companies with revenues under £5m), with Huboo Technologies, Centrax, Unity5 and Babcock International in the ring for the Tech Company of the Year (over £5m) Award.

The importance of education will be highlighted at the event, with Caitlin Gould from TECgirls,  Rayna Bozhkova from coding camp iO Academy and Paul Scott from Devonport High School for Boys named as finalists for the Teach Tech Award.

The Tech Leadership Award, for individual tech entrepreneurs making a mark in the tech sector, will be competed for between Paul Benson of Adopstar, Adam Sharpe of Cardstream, Dr Paul Upton of Ultramed, Keith Walker of Rocketmakers and Melissa Thorpe, Head of Spaceport Cornwall.

Ms Thorpe also makes the shortlist for the Lifetime Achievement Award, alongside Richard Godfrey of Rocketmakers, immersive technology expert Professor Bob Stone, and Ian Jones of Goonhilly Earth Station.

Standout entries in local areas, for special Cluster Awards covering  Digital Plymouth, Digital Somerset, Software Cornwall, Silicon South, Torbay High Tech Cluster,  Tech Exeter and TechSPARK will be announced on the night of the ceremony.

The People’s Choice Award will also be announced at the event, with nominations being taken via social media and live voting on the night.

Exeter-based CA Tech Talent are the Drinks Reception Partner for this year’s awards.  Clodagh Murphy, Director at CA Tech Talent, said: “We are thrilled to sponsor the Tech South West Awards again this year.  With such a vibrant and ambitious tech community it is wonderful to play a role in supporting and celebrating the tech talent in the region.”

The shortlists have been compiled by a panel of over 50 tech leaders from across the region, including Pippa Clarke, Head of Technology, Innovation and Growth at Bishop Fleming; Ian McFadzen Chief Executive Officer at Plymouth Science Park;  Anthony Story at Silicon South, Abigail Frear of TechSPARK and Ama Williams of Tech Nation.

The winners will be announced at the Tech South West Awards ceremony under the wings of Concorde at Bristol Aerospace, on Thursday 10 November. Tickets to the ceremony are available at https://buytickets.at/techsouthwest/755931

Tech South West 2022 shortlist as follows:

AeroTech      

Enjoy the Air Limited, MK Test Systems, KETS Quantum Security

AgriTech      

LettUs Grow, Passmore & Passmore Ltd, Small Robot Company

Best Education Initiative

Exeter College, iO Academy, Software Cornwall, SW Cyber Resilience Centre, TECwomen CIC,

Best Startup

Augmented Reality Creations Ltd, digiLab, EarSwitch Ltd, INVIDAR, Propflo

Commitment to Diversity

A2Z Cloud, SETsquared Bristol, TECwomen CIC

Commitment to Talent Award   

Adopstar, CoreBlue, Dr Connie Wilson, FDB Health, Hatless Studios                 

CreaTech     

Condense, Luminous Show Technology, Real Ideas Organisation, Story Juice            

FinTech        

Synergy Cloud, Digital Wonderlab, LOQBOX      

Growth Award        

Atomic Smash, Hiyield, Onbuy, SEIKK,

HealthTech             

EarSwitch, Designability, Neuronostics, TalkLife

Innovation Award             

EarSwitch, Kets Quantum Security, One Big Circle, Neuronostics, Vaarst             

Lifetime Achievement Award                

Ian Jones, Melissa Thorpe, Professor Bob Stone, Richard Godfrey              

MarineTech             

Arc Marine,  Babcock, Feritech Global Ltd, My Coast Ltd, Vaarst,     

Supporting the Sector                 

Aerospace Cornwall, CIoS and HOTSW Digital Skills Partnership (joint entry), EPIC Centre, ISL Talent, SETsquared Bristol, SETsquared Exeter

Sustainability Award                    

Arc Marine, digiLab, Lettus Grow, Small Robot Company, Spherics, Storm Consultancy,

TeachTech              

Caitlin Gould - TECGirls, Paul Scott -Devon High School for Boys, Rayna Bozhkova - iO Academy

Tech Company of the Year (over £5m)            

Babcock International, Centrax, Huboo Technologies, Unity5      

Tech Company of the Year (up to £5m)                      

Ghyston, Rocketmakers, Service Robotics, Storm Consultancy, Vaarst             

Tech for Good        

Designability Charity, Famli, Matter., Neuronostics, Small Robot Company, TalkLife

Tech Leadership Award              

Adam Sharpe - Cardstream , Keith Walker - Rocketmakers, Melissa Thorpe - Spaceport Cornwall, Paul Benson - Adopstar, Paul Upton - Ultramed

Women in Tech                 

Connie Wilson - BAE Systems,  Dr Lucy Beck - A2Z Cloud, Emma Hudson - FSD Active, Lindsay Lucas - Software Solved, Mehrnaz Tajmir - Greener, Tanuvi Ethunandan and Erin Morris - DataDuopoly,

Workplace Culture

Adopstar, Huboo Technologies, ISL Talent, KETS Quantum Security, Rocketmakers,  SECCL,  Singer Instruments

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