New iawards for British innovation – call for entries

Tuesday, September 08, 2009 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Business, Environment, Media, Technology | Tags: government, James Caan, iawards, BIS, innovation awards

Is your organisation British and inventive? Does its innovative products, practices and projects deserve wider recognition? Then the iawards might present an interesting opportunity. They’re the first innovation awards to be backed by the British government, in conjunction with entrepreneur and BBC2 Dragon James Caan. You can nominate your own UK-registered company but you’ll have to be quick as the deadline is 16 September 2009. So, how to enter?

Entry to the iawards is online only via the iawards website at www.iawards.org.uk. There are 13 categories, listed below, which each have core and specific criteria to fulfil. Only innovative projects launched in the last two years (up to 30 June 2009) are eligible and commercial results information is needed in all but the ‘next big thing’ category.

Backed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and QinetiQ, and sponsored by the likes of Siemens, MicrosoftBizSpark and the Design Council, the iawards are designed to:

‘…recognise and celebrate the best British achievements in science, technology and innovation… [and to] shine a light on new technologies and innovations, showing how they can translate into the innovative products and services that improve our daily lives. They will stimulate commercial interest, as well as helping to bridge the gap between business and the general public.’

• life sciences
• transport
• energy and environment
• places to live and work
• digital communications
• entertainment and media
• a consumer product
• cross-application of technology
• best collaboration
• best british inside
• inward investment
• best technology start-up
• the next big thing

Deadline for entries is 16 September 2009 and winners will be announced at an award ceremony at The Science Museum on 16 November 2009. Each category winner will receive a month of free PR support as well as presumably raising their profile quite significantly.

You can also follow the awards online at:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/iawards
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/iawardsuk2009
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/iawards/

UPDATE: This year’s iaward winners have now been announced – full details here.

Image: Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson (right) and Dragons’ Den panelist James Caan at the launch of the iawards at the Science Museum in London. Sunday, July, 12, 2009. © Carl Court / iawards, 2009