Entries now open for the Hampshire Business Awards 2009

In the final of our spotlights on the three award categories, today we review the Bond Pearce Innovation Award with the chairman of Bond Pearce, Nick Page.

Nick said: “This award category has a history of revealing some of the county’s most exciting businesses, yet interestingly it is not just about technology and scientific wizardry.

“Previous winners include Red Funnel, which in order to transform its operations, needed to come up with innovative solutions not only to continue to operate their business successfully during a period of change but also to overcome a series of obstacles in order to achieve the change they wanted. It is often the case that companies are not always aware just how innovative they are.

“Innovation is alive and well in Hampshire, which is exactly what we have set out to demonstrate and celebrate,” he said. “Innovation can occur in many different ways and is particularly visable in sectors such as IT, pharmaceutical and defence sectors. We are equally keen to hear from businesses which innovate through creative methods of working. It may be the way in which a problem has been tackled, or the successful introduction of a unique service or adapting existing technology to achieve new solutions.”

Last year’s winner was Isle of Wight-based Milmega, a specialist design and manufacturer of high power, solid state amplifiers, for its range of new products, launched in 2007 after a year long development programme. What set Milmega apart was the company’s ability to combine, “genuine innovation with demonstrable business leadership.

p For details of how to get your company involved in the KPMG Company of the Year Award, the Bond Pearce Innovation Award or the RBS Management Team of the Year Award, log on to dailyecho.com/business or call Hazel Gibbs at KPMG on 023 8020 2051.