NW Firms in running for Digital Awards
NINE North West companies have made it into the finals of the Digital Entrepreneur Awards 2012.
Companies from Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Lancashire have been chosen to make it onto the awards shortlist.
Rob Smith, strategy director at digital agency Blueleaf, is shortlisted in the Young Entrepreneur category while the Cheshire-headquartered firm is in the final five in the Digital Business category.
Timothy Barnard, director of Cheshire-based Fresh Design is shortlisted three times in the Young Entrepreneur, Software Entrepreneur and Green Business categories.
Hiring-Hub.com in Manchester has made it into the final five in the Young Entrepreneur and Software Entrepreneur categories.
Meanwhile, Lancashire-based Distributed Management Systems is a finalist in the Security Innovation of the Year category.
Now in their seventh year, the UKFast Digital Entrepreneur Awards recognise the country’s most exciting digital businesses in categories including Software Entrepreneur of the Year, Web Development Entrepreneur of the Year and Security Innovation of the Year.
Past winners have included Al Mackin of The E-Word, online micro-lender Wonga.com and mobile ticketing technology firm Masabi.
Lawrence Jones, chief executive of awards sponsor UKFast, said: “It’s been inspiring to judge such a high calibre of entries from pioneering businesses in the UK and we’re looking forward to celebrating all of the finalists’ achievements at the event in October.”
Judges including Magnetic North chief executive Lou Cordwell, Kellogg’s UK digital manager Leanda Falcon and Lawrence Jones, chief executive of UKFast, will whittle the shortlist down to 12 winners who will be crowned at a black-tie awards ceremony at Manchester’s Hilton Hotel on October 16.
North West Finalists:
Fresh Design Limited, Cheshire – Young Entrepreneur/Software Entrepreneur/Green Business
Hiring-Hub, Manchester – Young Entrepreneur/Software Entrepreneur
Blueleaf, Cheshire – Young Entrepreneur/Digital Business
HearFirst Training Consultancy, Bacup – Education
Conferma, Cheshire – E-commerce Entrepreneur/Security Innovation
Distributed Management Systems, Lancs – Security Innovation
Styskin’s Solutions Ltd, Lancs – Security Innovation
Mako Networks, Manchester – Security Innovation
MyParcelDelivery, Manchester – Software Entrepreneur/Web Development Entrepreneur
A full list of finalists can be found at www.digital-entrepreneur.co.uk
