Roll up, roll up: all innovative companies

INNOVATION AWARDS:Recognising businesses for their unique approach with new innovation awards

THE IRISH TIMES, in association with InterTradeIreland, is calling on innovative companies to enter the first year of its Innovation Awards.

The competition features several categories aimed at recognising businesses and organisations of all sizes for their unique and innovative approach to business and their ability to overcome the hurdles they encounter along the way.

The Innovation Awards aim to recognise companies across the island of Ireland who are already achieving business success through innovation.

The awards are broken into six categories: organisational systems and processes; product and/or service innovation; application of research and development; green technology; north/south collaboration; and public service innovation.

Each category will have an individual winner, who will then be considered for the overall prize of Innovator of the Year.

Entries will be based on an operational, service or product innovation which has been implemented during 2008/09. The innovation may be business and/or customer-focused in its purpose and its impact will be proven and measurable in qualitative and quantitative terms.

Entrants will have to substantiate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, any business impact claims made.

In each category a shortlist of three finalists will be created, with each entrant then undergoing an audit assessment.

The shortlist will be published in Innovation on Friday, February 5th, 2010. After this, each of the shortlisted entrants will be invited to present their innovation to a selected judging panel.

The category winner will be selected on the basis of their presentation and their overall application. In addition, an overall Innovator of the Year winner will be selected from the category winners. The winners will be announced - along with the overall Innovator of the Year - at an awards ceremony in Dublin next March.

According to Aiden Gough, InterTradeIreland strategy and policy director: "Innovation is critical to the future of the island economy North and South.

"Now, more so than ever, businesses should look to develop an innovative and enterprising culture for commercial success and growth. These awards will showcase those businesses - regardless of size and sector that do it best across the island."

Along with The Irish Times and InterTradeIreland, the category sponsors include Accenture, the UCD Michael Smurfit Business School and BCM Hanby Wallace.

For more details visit: irishtimes.com/events/ innovation-awards