Best Business Innovation Awards 2007 |
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Rowan Best Business Innovation Award winners Three companies representing the best of midlands innovation have won the Rowan Best Business Innovation Awards ceremony 2007. The overall winner was Coventry-based Laplock Technology, with second place going to Leicester company, LED Trucklights, and third place to HL from Derby.
The Rowan awards are the region's only awards dedicated to bringing through innovations to commercial success, with the winners each receiving the hands-on support needed to help get their innovation to market and grow their business. The prizes are valued at between £3,000 - £8,000. Rowan was thrilled with the standard this year and is looking forward to even more exciting innovations for 2008. The winners represent a cross section of industries from IT to transport to the arts. 2007 Winners - 1ST, 2ND and 3rd Laplock Technology First place went to IT company Laplock Technology Ltd. Based in Coventry, Laplock has developed a security device that deters attempts to steal laptops or their data. Motion detection sensors activate the alarm and the software can distinguish between accidental nudging, measuring angles of rotation and distance travelled to determine whether the alarm should sound. With the chances of a laptop being stolen running at 1 in 10 and only 10% recovery from such theft, this device has excellent commercial potential. LED Trucklights In second place was LED Trucklights of Coalville near Leicester, who are currently in the process of launching a range of unique LED ropelights that run along the length and breadth of commercial vehicles highlighting the entire outline of the vehicle and enhancing visibility and road safety and providing a stylish look that can emphasise branding and corporate identity. HL Third place was given to Hannah Lobley of Derby for an innovative recycling technique using the printed pages of unwanted books and paper to obtain a material that can be used for sculpture. The leaves of paper are formed together, reverting back into a solid ‘wood-like' material. The material can then be used to create sculptural objects with traditional wood working methods.
The three were chosen from six finalists by a distinguished panel of judges chaired by Rowan MD Chris Rattigan and including Chris Clifford, the CBI's Regional Director for the West Midlands, John Kelly from Begbies Traynor, Bill Taylor of the University of Warwick Science Park and Ellen Campbell, Deputy Editor of the Birmingham Post. "We were impressed by the diversity of the entries in this year's awards," commented Chris Rattigan, MD of Rowan and Chairman of the judging panel. "Our winners were picked from an extremely interesting range of innovations and the choice was difficult. They are all shining examples of what Midlands inventiveness is all about. I can't wait to see what we get next year!" Keep an eye out for the Rowan Best Business Innovation Awards 2008!!! Details will be posted later in the year. |