News
All-Island Awards Reveal Innovative Finalists
23 January 12
The Irish Times and InterTradeIreland have unveiled the 18 companies that have made the final of the 2012 Innovation Awards. The finalist companies will go on to compete for the ‘Innovation of the Year’ title at the Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation Awards 2012 which will take place in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin on 28th February.
Shortlisted finalists for the 2012 Innovation Awards include: X-Bolt (Dublin), Cellix (Dublin), Wattics (Dublin), Cynar Recycling (Portlaoise), Waste Systems Limited (Omagh), Nemos Horticultural (Wicklow), Amatech (Galway), Nubie (Wicklow), SeaChange (Kildare), Gabriel Scientific (Dublin), Embrace Design Innovations (Galway), JFC Manufacturing (Galway), Mayo County Council (Mayo), Bord Bia (Dublin), Health and Safety Authority (Dublin), Tweak (Kerry), Safefood 360 (Dublin) and ThinkSmart Technologies (Cork).
Irish Times Innovation Magazine editor Michael McAleer commented “Both the quantity and quality of the entries this year underlines the level of innovative activity that’s taking place on the island. What we are tasked with is recognising and awarding that talent. Having gone through this year’s entries I think we could have justifiably chosen another 50 companies for the next phase. I don’t envy the final judging panel in choosing the winners. The quality of the innovation in action here is exemplary and we are confident the awards recognise the efforts involved.”
InterTradeIreland Strategy and Policy Director, Aidan Gough said: "Companies that embrace an ongoing culture of innovation are more likely to grow and to sustain growth. The high standard and diverse range of entries to this year’s awards from public and private sectors and from businesses of all sizes is extremely encouraging and evidence that innovation as a growth process is being embraced by more and more businesses across the island.”
“A key objective of InterTradeIreland is to support the development of a well connected innovation ecosystem across the island that puts enterprise at its core. Our support programmes are designed to ensure that firms, in particular SMEs, have access to the resources they need to bring an idea more quickly and more efficiently to market no matter where the resources are located on this island.”
“These awards honour those who are leading the way with their pioneering work. Congratulations to all those companies who have made it to the finals, which is an achievement in its own right.”
The finalists will now be judged by a highly experienced panel of six professionals including Liam Kavanagh, Managing Director of the Irish Times and Louise Phelan, VP of Customer Solutions and EMEA Merchant Services for PayPal. Amongst the 18 finalists across the categories of best product innovation, R&D, organisational systems and processes, public service, service innovation and green tech are indigenous industries in the healthcare, communication, horticultural, agricultural and environmental sectors from across the island.
Now in its third year, the Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation Awards aim to recognise and promote the best service, product or operational innovations throughout the island. The finalists were selected by an independent panel of judges to secure a place at the final and a chance to win the overall ‘Innovation of the Year’ award as well as a unique and high profile communications and advertising package worth €150,000, comprising advertising promotion in the Innovation Magazine and The Irish Times publication and will be acknowledged within the Irish Times Innovation Magazine. All shortlisted finalists will receive a €10,000 communications package.
For more information on the awards, visit http://www.irishtimes.com/events/innovation-awards/ or follow the awards on twitter at #InnovationAwards.