MIGHT yours be the Hampshire or Isle of Wight business that has made the best use of technology this year?

Or do you know a business that deserves to be nominated?

The Best Use of Technology award will be among the trophies awarded at the South Coast Business Awards.

The award is being sponsored by GetSet Solent, YTKO Group’s service for businesses which need the support or investment readiness to grow.

GetSet Solent said: "GetSet Solent is a specialist service supporting ambitious business owners with their growth journeys; it is important for us to recognise and celebrate the thriving businesses communities across the reigion. 

"We want to take the oppotunity to champion local technology businesses who have made thier mark within the industry and contributed to the businnes growth in the South Coast.

"GetSet Solent’s commitment to small to medium sized businesses offers exciting growth opportunites to support businesses who want to reach new levels, thanks to funding from the Regional Growth Fund. 

"Our service provides acesss to the GetSet Solent Growth Grant, one-to-one support and a practical calendar of meet the expert events and marketing, finance and business growth workshops."

The South Coast Business Awards are organised by LOCALiQ, the digital marketing arm of the Daily Echo’s publisher, Newsquest, and bring together the best of businesses across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

They cover businesses both big and small, operating in fields from food to fashion, tourism to technology, employing thousands of people, exporting around the world or helping to attract visitors to our county.

The sponsors Starling Bank, Hampshire Chamber Of Commerce, Utilita, the University Of Southampton and GetSet Solent invite any company whose head office is based within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to enter or to be nominated.

The nominations will be considered by our judging panel and may be subject to a “mystery shopper” visit by the category sponsor.

The judges will be looking to announce the three finalists in each category on Thursday, September 29, in the Daily Echo and on dailyecho.co.uk

The winners will be announced at an awards event on Thursday, November 3, at Southampton Football Club’s St Mary’s stadium.

The winners of each category will receive £250 of advertising in the Daily Echo or on dailyecho.co.uk and will also be featured in the category winners’ coverage in the Daily Echo and on dailyecho.co.uk

The Business of the Year Award will be awarded to the overall winner that will be chosen by the judging panel from all the category winners.

The Best Use of Technology award will be presented to a business whose use of technology has created success through the innovative application of a new idea, product, method or process.

Do you know a business like this? If so, you can nominate them.

The judges are looking for a business that has exceeded the expectations of its’ customers through use of technology. Businesses should be able to demonstrate evidence of positive change in the last 12 months or, have identified a strategy for change in the next 12 months.

Or, you may know someone who you could nominate for one of our other awards:

Innovation Excellence Award

Service Excellence Award

Employer Award Entrepreneur Award

Business Leader Award

Small Business Award

New Business (opened in the past two years) Award

Mid-Large Business Award Business

The Community Award.

You can enter online here.

The closing date for nominations is Thursday, September 8.