Advantage West Midlands ICT Cluster has received an 11% increase, compared to 2008, in the number of entrants to its annual ICT Excellence Awards from regional technology businesses. 

Entrants have been received from across the county, with Coventry and Warwickshire and Birmingham companies most eager to win this year, with 9 and 8 shortlisted companies respectively.  Finalists from the Black Country, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Tamworth and Lichfield are also hoping to grab some of the glory at the awards event on 10 November. The list of finalists can be found below.

The ICT Excellence Awards, running for the fifth year, both showcases the excellence of the region’s ICT industry and recognises innovative ICT  SMEs that can demonstrate either a unique technology or service, or a business which is growing substantially and is an example of the superb quality of technology companies within the West Midlands region.

Organised by the West Midlands ICT Cluster, the awards have become synonymous with the region’s growing community of outstanding technology companies.  Previous winners such as Data Driven Logistics and Rapide Communication boast a host of household names in their customer lists, while leaders in specialist niches such as educational software company W3 Insights demonstrate the diversity of software and hardware innovation which is at the centre of the region’s growing ICT industry.

The shortlisted companies are as follows: UKITA members are in BOLD

Wolverhampton and Walsall

Medical Devices Technology International
IT Futures 
ISTL                                                                           

Coventry and Warwickshire
Allinea Software, Rivo Software, Key Traffic Systems, Red Vista, University Hospitals, Objectivty, Synchro, Elite Business Services and  Diptec

Tamworth and Lichfield
Maximity                                                              
Invoice Quick                                                           

Stoke and Staffordshire
Winning Moves                                                 
Data Driven Logistics                                         
eg solutions                                                           
Jellifish                                                                      

Birmingham and Solihull
Contigo
Dynistics                       
Acutec
Intec Microsystems                                           
Euromotor Autotrain                                       
Trilby Multimedia                                            
ByteSnap Design                                          
Tracer Management Systems

Shropshire
Shoothill                                                             
Start Software                                                       

Worcestershire
Lanner Group                                                  
EPI International                                             
Wapple.net                                                          

Outside the region
Rosslyn Analytics

The ICT Excellence Awards ceremony, with categories ranging from Best Innovative Product to Most Improved Business and the Technology Strategy Board’s Special Award – High Growth Potential Business, will take place on the evening of10 November 2009 following the annual ICT Cluster Conference.

Mike Musson, ICT Cluster Manager said: “This year’s award entries have proven yet again that we have one of the most dynamic ICT communities in the country.  Having gone through a rigorous judging process, each company that reaches the shortlist has already made a great achievement and we offer our congratulations to all those who have reached this stage of the competition.  We are already encouraging each company to take up the PR and marketing opportunities that can be gained by reaching the shortlist and wish them well for the final result.”

For event registration contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or register online at www.ncc.co.uk/wmict. For attendance at the Awards Ceremony contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .