Seven companies last night received recognition for their innovative approach to business by being honoured with the first annual Convergence Journal Age of Innovation awards.
[VIDEO]Although the organisers say the intention was to look at all areas of innovation across a spectrum of industrial and retail sectors, five of the seven winners hail from the IT or telecommunications sphere, with top honours going to software company Rubico.
"The intention is to highlight companies that are not big enough or have not been around for long enough to be on the radar screen," said Michael Herman, editor of Convergence. "But that does not exclude large and listed companies."
[VIDEO]Among the finalists were Telkom and PQ Africa, and Sasol featured among the winners.
Herman says there were many software companies among the 70-odd companies that made it to the second round of judging, from which 26 finalists were selected, a fact he ascribes to the Convergence Journal`s large IT readership.
[VIDEO]Rubico was awarded the grand prix award based on the results of a 10-point questionnaire which included financial information and a motivation explaining why it is innovative. The other winners were Airborn Wired & Wireless, Discovery World, Fundamo, the IQ Business Group, iTouch SA and Sasol.
"All these winners enhance the reputation of SA through their use of innovation," said Herman.
[VIDEO]The other finalists were AdvanceNet, Alcatel, Artec Product Design, Attitude Dynamics, Borntosend, Convergent Interactive, Digital Mall, Fraxion Software Corporation, KMPG Consulting, Media Post SA, Netsurit, NeuralAct, PQ Africa, PreWorx, Telkom, The Boom Room, The Digital Message Network and The E-mail Corporation.
Convergence hopes to attract government departments and non-governmental organisations to participate in the 2002 awards, which could also include a more thorough look at the financial state of the entrants and a venture capital auction.
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