Companies of all sizes, from all over the island of Ireland and from every sector have been invited to enter their innovative services or products in Innovation Awards 2016.
Now in its seventh year, the Innovation Awards showcase and reward excellence in innovation, across a wide spectrum.
From life-saving drugs and new medical techniques to innovative garden centres, the past winners of The Irish Times Innovation awards have come from a wide and varied range of sectors. Last year Wicklow based firm Dr. Coy’s Health Foods Ltd was a finalist in the Agri Food Category. The company, which was the only Leinster company outside of Dublin to make the final, was nominated for its patented nutritional chocolate bar.
This year there are eight categories covering: agri-food; creative industries and design; energy and the environment; fintech; IT and Telco; life science and healthcare; manufacturing; and new frontiers, which is for those who do not believe that their innovation falls into the other categories. Entry to the Awards is free.
Mike McAleer, the Innovations Editor of The Irish Times said the launch marks the start of an island-wide search for the best innovations that Ireland has to offer in 2016.
“Innovation will continue to rejuvenate our economic and social landscape and it is important to recognise and reward the contributions that the champions of innovation make, whether as individuals or organisations. We would strongly encourage all companies to avail of this opportunity to showcase their innovation and benefit from the exposure and recognition that comes with participation in this annual event.”
Previous winners include Mayo based PanelDuct who won the overall prize last year for its flatpack ventilation systems, Sigmoid Pharma for its innovative oral drug delivery systems and Gabriel Scientificfor its SleepAngel range of bedding that radically lowers the risk of patients contracting hospital-acquired infections.
Entry should be based on an operational, service or product innovation. The closing date for entries is April 4th, 2016, with the shortlisted firms chosen by a panel of judges and announced in early June.
These innovators will then be invited to present their innovations to a final judging panel later in June. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in October.
Prizes
Category winners will receive a €10,000 communications package in The Irish Times and an iPad with a one year subscription to The Irish Times ePaper. The ‘Innovation of the Year‘ will win a high profile communications package worth in excess of €150,000 and a state of the art laptop with a one year subscription to The Irish Times epaper. In addition the UCD Smurfit School will provide the winner with a scholarship for a Smurfit Executive Development programme commencing in 2017.
For more information on the awards, a look at previous winners and hints and tips on how to enter go to www.irishtimes.com/innovationawards
