And the winners are....Ireland’s top innovators to be honoured tonight

The identity of the most innovative businesses on the island of Ireland will be revealed this evening when the winners of The Irish Times Innovation Awards are announced at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

A total of 21 finalists from across the island and working in seven different industry categories are in the running for awards tonight. The aim of the awards, which are now in their seventh year, is to showcase and reward excellence in innovation across a range of products and services.

The shortlist features entries from established companies, innovators, start-ups and academia. Thirteen of the companies are from Dublin; two are from Cork, two from Limerick, with one each from counties, Derry, Sligo, Galway and Wicklow. You can find out more about the firms at our awards page.

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O'Connor will address over 220 people who are attending this evening's event while the MC for the evening is Today FM's Matt Cooper.

The overall winner of ‘Innovation of the Year’ will win a communications and advertising package worth in excess of €150,000. In addition, they’ll also win a UCD Smurfit Business School scholarship for an Executive Education programme commencing in 2017.

You can follow the event on Twitter @IrishTimesBiz