Exeter technology company gets Royal seal of approval

Staff at Exeter-based world-leading software and services provider Simpleware are celebrating after the business won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for the second year running. The University of Exeter spin-out business, based in Castle Street, is a winner in the International Trade category - recognising companies that have demonstrated growth in overseas earnings.

The award recognises Simpleware’s achievements in creating a software solution for the generation of computational models of complex structures and objects from scan images – including mobile phones, car engines and the human body – which assists in the development of products from contact lenses to hearing aids. More than 90 per cent of sales are to blue-chip companies, research institutes and universities from countries all over the world, including NASA and the US Naval Research Laboratory.

Representatives from the company will receive the award at a reception hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, July 23rd.

Commenting on the award, Simpleware’s Founder and Managing Director, Philippe Young said: “It is excellent news that we have once again received this national recognition, and the award is the icing on the cake after several years of strong growth.

“The business is continuing to expand and develop, and we are opening a second US office later in the year, and plan another office in Germany. Our success as a business is a testament to our excellent team of software developers and application engineers, a number of whom have been recruited locally, or are graduates from the universities of Exeter and Plymouth.”

Last year, Simpleware won the Queen’s Award in the Innovation category -  recognising companies that have demonstrated commercial success through innovative products or services.The company has been shortlisted for an Exist Innovation of the Year Award in the Express & Echo’s Business Awards 2013.  In 2012, it was also a recipient of the Western Morning News Growth Fund for regional businesses.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are highly esteemed awards for outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of Innovation, International Trade and Sustainable Development. The awards are made annually on the Queen’s Birthday, and are only given for the highest levels of excellence demonstrated in each category.