Seven firms shortlisted for tech awards

SEVEN TECHNOLOGY firms have been shortlisted for the Irish Technology Leadership Group (ITLG) /Irish Timesinnovation awards.

The winning companies will be announced at an awards ceremony at Stanford University, California, next Monday night at a function attended by state governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The shortlist was drawn up from companies who presented to ITLG and potential investors at workshops in Belfast last October.

Chaired by former Intel chief executive Craig Barrett, the ITLG is a group of senior Silicon Valley technology executives who aim to help Irish startups do business in the US. On Sunday Taoiseach Brian Cowen will open the ITLG’s Innovation Centre in San Jose, an initiative to support startups similar to the Digital Hub in Dublin.

Reflecting the all-Ireland focus of the group, three of the shortlisted companies are based in Northern Ireland with the other four based in the Republic.

The four companies competing for the innovation award are: RedMere, a designer of chips for high-definition cable connections; DecaWave, a semiconductor company focused on low-power wireless communications; Dial2Do, a service that allows phone users to carry out tasks such as sending e-mail using voice commands while driving; and Kainos, a Belfast IT services provider which has developed a “near-shore” business model to win international business.

The shortlisted firms for the most promising technology award are: B-Secur, which has developed a personal tracking system using GPS and biometric technology; SiSaf, a drug delivery firm focused on dermatological products; and Sentry Wireless, a developer of security services for mobile phones including ones that tackle text spam and cyberbullying.

ITLG chairman John Hartnett said the shortlist was drawn from an initial 100 companies that applied to attend the Silicon Valley Comes to Ireland event in Belfast last year. Each of the 12 who came to Belfast pitched for investment Dragons’ Den-style. “Companies are about products and people,” said Mr Hartnett. “When you are trying to pick winners, a business plan is not going to do it: it demands a face-to-face.”

Despite the tough economic climate, Mr Hartnett, who was previously global head of sales for Palm and is now chief executive of cleantech firm G24 Innovations, said the quality of companies he saw was improving.

“Entrepreneurs have got hungrier, which is a good thing,” said Mr Hartnett.

“A tough environment and crisis can bring out the best.”