Belfast software firm scoops top spot at awards

Openwave, the Belfast software company that develops next-generation products for the Internet, was last night hailed as the company of the year in the first Northern Ireland software industry awards.

The Northern Ireland division of the US Internet group was applauded by its industry peers for its innovative achievements at the inaugural Software Industry Federation awards held in Belfast.

The gala awards, which celebrated the 10th anniversary of the federation, aimed to highlight the growing talents of the Northern Ireland software and high-tech telecommunications sectors.

Mr Billy McClean, chief executive of the federation, said the awards marked these industries' "coming of age".

"Ten years ago there were 900 people employed in the software sector. Today, high-tech industries such as software and telecommunications employ more than 6,000 people in Northern Ireland.

"We wanted to recognise the achievement of the software sector and mark the beginning of the next chapter for a new integrated sector in the North," Mr McClean said.

He said the federation planned to rebrand its organisation under a new identity - Momentum - because of the rapid convergence of the software and high-tech sectors.

"We believe this will encompass the multitude of companies and industries that are now established and contributing to the growth of the software/high-tech sector in Northern Ireland," Mr McClean added.

Almost 400 of Northern Ireland's leading software and high-tech industry players gathered at the Culloden Hotel last night to watch the roll-call of award winners.

While Openware emerged as the overall winner, Mr Jonathan Currie, chairman of the federation, said the achievements of the runners-up - Sx3, First Derivatives and Northbrook Technologies - were equally impressive.

Mr Currie chaired the panel of judges, which included the chairman of the Industrial Development Board, Mr Alan Gillespie; and Mr Eamon McIlroy, chairman of LEDU, the small business agency.

Two other winners also shared the spotlight with Openware last night. Bluechip Technology, the Belfast voice-recognition software company won the Innovation Award of the Year. Runners-up in this category included Lagan Technologies and TextHelp Systems.

But the one to watch in the future, according to the judging panel, is Mineit. The fledgling Internet data company won the New Company of the Year award, while the Global Email Company and Silverlink took runners-up places.