Ten East Midlands businesses win ANUBIS cash in business technology competition
Ten small businesses in the East Midlands have been chosen from over 100 entries to become winners in the ANUBIS 2007 business technology competition.
They are set to receive £10,000 each to spend on new technology to transform their businesses after an independent panel of judges chose their winning ideas.
The ANUBIS business competition, which was launched in January, was aimed at companies with up to 250 employees. It was run by technology specialists, EMNET, on behalf of East Midlands Development Agency (emda).
The aim of the competition was to encourage companies to demonstrate how they would benefit from receiving the funding for a technology project.
Tim Miller, managing director of EMNET, said: “The panel of expert judges selected the businesses whose vision for how technology can help their businesses achieve success stood out. Innovation is the lifeblood for entrepreneurial success and productivity. The funding will open new doors of opportunities for these local winners.”
The 10 competition winning companies are a company which offers esolutions in the classroom for teachers; a web marketing company which links businesses with local communities; a web based company which embraces the concept of Fair Trade to the art and music industry; a CCTV signage business; an online weight management service; an equine diagnostics company; an educational and business esolutions business; an occupational health service company; an automotive IT consultancy; and a technology company which provides wireless tracking systems.
Michael Carr, emda’s Executive Director of Business Services, added: "The ANUBIS project is a great catalyst for technological innovation – a key component of creating a strong economy and a flourishing region. Last year’s winners enjoyed commercial success and I fully expect this year’s winners can mirror that achievement.”
Tim Miller added: “We hope benefits of ANUBIS project will act as an inspiration to other small businesses and see if they can realise the business potential of technology.” The ten winners are:
Data Compliance Equipment Ltd (DCE) has been developing new digital technology for CCTV signage. Many signs do not carry contact details of the “CCTV Data Controller” which is a requirement under law. DCE offers bespoke manufactured solutions, which provide required contact details, in the event that “CCTV Data” needs to be accessed for investigation.
fresherwebsites.com will launch Fresher Trading bringing the concept of Fair Trade to the arts and music industry. Fresher uses web-technology to create innovative business solutions for artists & small firms.
Intelligent Distributed Controls Ltd will use the money to develop new wireless technologies to track and direct people round large premises and organisations such as hospitals, campuses and large corporate buildings.
Millbrook Technology Solutions Ltd is an automotive IT consultancy which works heavily in the vehicle fleet market. Its winning idea is to develop web based software products which maximise the use of vehicle data for a wide range of applications.
My Magical City aims to launch a new 3D web based marketing tool for businesses to connect with the local community. It plans to launch sites across major cities within the next 3 years.
NutraTech developed the UK’s first combined online and mobile phone weight loss service. This utilises a unique food and drink database that links nutritional data to product barcodes. The ANUBIS funding will help the business to maximise this food database by developing innovative diet-related services for new markets.
Pegasus Equine Diagnostics (P.E.D.) is developing preventative diagnostics for two life threatening diseases in horses, laminitis and Cushing’s syndrome. The use of technology is key to the effectiveness of new laboratory services and data analyses for veterinary practitioners.
Prime Principle Ltd offers educational software solutions for teachers in the classroom. New web technologies are a key part of the business’s wider product offerings to schools. Its award winning applications are being installed in over 600 schools.
Solutions4elearning Ltd specialises in developing online elearning strategies for schools and businesses in the UK. It has recently developed the web based product UniTrackerTM to help schools co-ordinate their students’ applications to university and is about to launch it nationally.
WorkFuture Ltd offers an occupational health service to employers who need to manage long term absence issues through sickness or injury. It offers evaluation based systems and solutions to help address and help reduce workplace absence.