Winners revealed at the Tech South West Awards 2022
The winners of the Tech South West Awards 2022 have been revealed in a glittering ceremony in Bristol.
Over 300 tech leaders attended the awards, now in their fourth year, held under the wings of Concorde at Aerospace Bristol. Tech innovation from across the region was in the spotlight, including farming robots, laboratory automation and subsea 3D imaging.
Dan Pritchard, co-founder of Tech South West and CEO of Program, said: “From tackling the climate crisis and reducing pollution, to improving health outcomes and inspiring young people, the region’s tech sector goes from strength to strength. It was a real privilege to shine the spotlight on amazing innovators and entrepreneurs from across the South West’s tech ecosystem.”
Bath-based software development company Storm Consultancy won Tech Company of the Year (revenues up to £5m), with Bristol ecommerce fulfilment firm Huboo Technologies scooping Tech Company of the Year (revenues over £5m).
The Growth Award winner was Truro-based software firm HiYield, whilst the Commitment to Talent Award was won by Exeter-based Hatless Studios, with Plymouth software firm CoreBlue receiving Highly Commended.
The Innovation Award was won by Bristol-based EarSwitch. Founded by NHS doctor Nick Gompertz in 2018, the company provides communication solutions for non-verbal and locked-in people. The HealthTech Award was won by Bristol-based Neuronostics for their work revolutionising diagnosis and prognosis of neurological conditions.
Pippa Clarke, Head of Technology, Innovation, and Growth at Bishop Fleming, Headline Partner for the awards, said: “Relationships are a hugely rewarding aspect of our work with tech businesses. We know so many people across the sector, it’s right for us to support the community, and we’re delighted to increase our support for Tech South West. As Headline Partner for the Awards, which we have supported from day one, we will continue to help the community celebrate success.”
Cornish firm TECwomen CIC won the Commitment to Diversity Award, for their work providing coding and engineering workshops for young girls, with SETsquared Bristol Highly Commended. TECwomen also won Best Education Initiative and the Teach Tech Award.
Property insight firm Propflo, from Bristol, won the Best Startup Award, with Dorset-based INVIDAR Highly Commended. The Women in Tech Award went to Tanuvi Ethunandan and Erin Morris, co-founders of Data Duopoly. Dr Connie Wilson of BAE Systems and Mehrnaz Tajmir of Greener were Highly Commended.
Salisbury-based Small Robot Company won the AgriTech Award, for their development of farming robots. LettUs Grow, in Bristol, and Passmore & Passmore, in Devon, were Highly Commended. Small Robot Company also won the Sustainability Award.
Bristol-based LOQBOX won the FinTech Award. MK Test Systems, in Somerset, secured the AeroTech Award for their aircraft testing technologies, with KETS Quantum Security, based in Bristol, Highly Commended. Plymouth-based Real Ideas Organisation won the CreaTech Award.
The Supporting the Sector Award went to Aerospace Cornwall, with SETsquared Bristol receiving another Highly Commended. Singer Instruments, based in Somerset, won the Workplace Culture Award for a consecutive year, whilst Bath-based Seccl were Highly Commended.
Caroline Orr, Marketing and Brand Director at Program, Supporting Partner for this year’s awards, said: “The Tech South West Awards are a fantastic showcase of the innovation taking place in the region. There is a true community emerging across the sector and we are delighted to be helping to celebrate many of its most inspirational leaders and organisations.”
Richard Godfrey, CEO of Bath-based software development company Rocketmakers, won the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his role as a successful founder and ambassador of South West tech.
Exeter-based CA Tech Talent was the Drinks Reception Sponsor for the event. Director Clodagh Murphy said: “We are thrilled to sponsor the Tech South West Awards again this year. With such a vibrant and ambitious tech community it is wonderful to play a role in supporting and celebrating the tech talent in the region.”
Bristol-based Vaarst, which develops insight platforms for subsea analysis, won the MarineTech Award. Cornish firm Feritech Global were Highly Commended.
Paul Benson, Founder and Director of Devon-based advertising and marketing specialists Adopstar, won the Tech Leadership Award. Adam Sharpe, CEO of Taunton-based payments gateway Cardstream, and Dr Paul Upton, CEO of Cornwall-based healthtech firm Ultramed, were Highly Commended.
The Tech For Good Award was won by Bristol firm TalkLife, for its peer-to-peer support network that provides mental health assistance for young people. TalkLife CEO Jamie Druitt also won the People’s Choice Award, which was voted on by the audience at the ceremony.
The Tech Cluster Awards recognise companies achieving success in their local tech cluster areas. Winners were ZapMap in Bristol, Melissa Thorpe, Head of Spaceport Cornwall, OnBuy in Dorset, Filmily in Exeter and the wider area, Enjoy the Air in Gloucestershire, the Somerset Education Business Partnership, the EPIC Centre in Torbay, and the Small Robot Company in Wiltshire.
The culmination of the night saw the Small Robot Company take home the coveted Tech South West Award, becoming the first company to ever win four categories.
See the list of winners at https://www.techsouthwest.co.uk/awards-2022/winners/
