Innovations sought from across island

The search for the most ingenious and original innovations on the island begins today, with the launch of The Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation Awards 2014.

The awards showcase excellence in innovation across a range of groundbreaking products and services.

Recent winners have been rewarded for innovations as diverse as drug-delivery systems and state-of-the- art network switching, to anti- allergy pillows and new technologies for cleaning/disinfection.

The aim is to recognise and promote the best innovations within organisations of all sectors and all sizes from across the island.

In the run-up to the final selection of category winners, we will also be reporting in-depth on the finalists.

Prizes
Each category winner will receive a €10,000 communications package in The Irish Times and an iPad with an annual subscription to The Irish Times ePaper.

The winners will then be in the running to win the overall Innovation of the Year title and receive a communications package, worth in excess of €150,000, comprising advertising promotion across The Irish Times Business+Innovation supplement. UCD Smurfit School will provide the overall winner with a scholarship for an executive education programme starting in 2015.

They will also receive a state-of-the-art laptop with a one-year subscription to The Irish Times ePaper.

North-South project
There is also a special recognition award given to the company with the best North-South collaboration project.

Aidan Gough, strategy and policy director at InterTradeIreland, said: "InterTradeIreland's aim is to have Ireland and Northern Ireland recognised internationally as a centre of innovation excellence.

“These awards are designed to do just that, by recognising the best innovations in business across the island,” Mr Gough added.

“We would encourage companies regardless of size or location from the cutting edge pharmaceutical sector to manufacturing, engineering and the service sector to consider entering these awards this year to showcase their innovations.’’

The closing date for applications to the awards, run jointly by The Irish Times and IntertradeIreland, is December 2nd. Entries are encouraged from all sectors and company sizes across the island, North and South.

Those interested in entering can do so here.