A celebration of innovation at VentureFest North East

International speakers and business leaders gathered to provide inspiration and practical tools to delegates at VentureFest North East before celebrating local success stories at the North East Innovation Awards.

VentureFest North East is about bringing together people from different business sectors to learn from each other and use innovation to improve competitiveness and profitability.

VentureFest and the North East Innovation Awards are part of the wider Innovation SuperNetwork programme, developed with around 60 partner organisations and supported by the North East LEP, Northumbrian Water, ENGIE and the North East BIC.

The North East Innovation Awards were this year delivered by the Innovation SuperNetwork in partnership with RTC North.

They shine a light on organisations and individuals that are driving innovation forward in the region. Competition was steep with a record number of entries received for each category.

The winners were announced as:

Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Award in partnership with Martel Instruments
–       Abfad Limited

Offshore and Energy Innovation Award in partnership with ENGIE
–       Hyperdrive Innovation

Healthcare and Life Science Innovation Award in partnership with AHSN
–       Your Health and Care

Creative and Digital Innovation Award in partnership with Jumping Rivers
–       Nine Software

Innovation Champion in partnership with CPI
–       Northern Accelerator

Innovation of the Year (linked to the Innovation Showcase) in partnership with North East Business Innovation Centre (BIC)
–       Mistura Informatics

Idea of the Year (pitching competition with live delegate vote) in partnership with RTC North
–       Railview

Lifetime Achievement Award
–       Graham Hillier, CPI

Simon Green, CEO at the Innovation SuperNetwork, said: “I speak on behalf of all the judges when I say that deciding an overall winner for each category was a difficult and painstaking task.
“The quality of entries this year was outstanding and reflects the high standard of innovative practice that is currently taking place in the region.”

Paul Marriott, programme lead at RTC North, added: “We are delighted to have had such an overwhelming response and are thrilled that the Awards continue to go from strength to strength.

“RTC North helps businesses across the region innovate, compete and grow so our involvement in the Awards is extremely important to us as it helps showcase the best of the region’s innovative talent.”