This year has seen a record number of nominations for the SPARKies tech and digital awards 2019, and they’ve been some of the highest quality ever seen.
Across 16 award categories, 18 Judges have spent 2 weeks carefully deliberating over some of the most creative and innovative projects, companies, experiences and designs – as well as some of the most dedicated people in the region – all deserving of recognition for the work they’ve done to support and grow the South West tech cluster.
The SPARKies shortlist
Each of the 16 awards was closely contested with the nominees deemed of very high quality, with 8 companies still battling it out to be named The People’s Choice Award winner (vote here now).
The final award winners will be announced at The Assembly Rooms, Bath on 27 June.
Check out the shortlist for each award below.
Best Startup Award
| Bunk |
| Epics Digital Collectibles Inc. |
| Fourth Floor Creative |
| Homelync |
| KETS Quantum Security |
| tapmydata |
| Virti |
Judges:
| Gary Duguid Director Interaction |
Joyann Boyce Founder The Social Detail |
| Mike Oram Academy Lead Mayden Academy |
 |
The ‘Totally Killing It’ Award
| Fourth Floor Creative |
| Gapsquare |
| Immersive Labs |
| Mayden Academy |
| Open Bionics |
| Storm Consultancy |
| Virti |
Judges:
| Charly Patrick Entrepreneur Development Manager Natwest |
Gary Duguid Director Interaction |
| Rosie Bennett Centre Director Bath SETsquared |
 |
Founder/Entrepreneur of the Year
| Christopher Sanderson |
| David Darke |
| David Kelly |
| Gareth Williams |
| Georgia Stewart |
| Seth Jackson |
| Silas Adekunle |
| Zara Nanu |
| Zoe Taylor |
Judges:
| David Henderson Head of Transformation Hargreaves Lansdown |
Heather Macdonald Tait CEO & Founder WHY Communications |
| Helen Bassett Director Smith & Williamson |
 |
Best Scaleup Award
| Immersive Labs |
| Keel Over Marketing |
| KETS Quantum Security |
| Open Bionics |
| Reach Robotics |
| Techmodal |
Judges:
| Briony Phillips AD & Scaleup Enabler Engine Shed |
David Henderson Head of Transformation Hargreaves Lansdown |
| Helen Bassett Director Smith & Williamson |
 |
Most Innovative Use of Tech
| Bristol is Open/Zeetta Networks |
| Rocketmakers |
| Tapmydata |
| Tiny Giant |
| Virti |
| Zenotech |
Judges:
| Dan Page VR Impresario Bristol VR Lab |
Melanie Goward Investment Director Maven Capital partners |
| Tatjana Humphries Senior Business Executive Invest Bristol & Bath |
 |
Best Use of VR & AR Award
| Limina Immersive |
| Nymbl |
| Rocketmakers |
| Virti |
| We The Curious |
| Zubr |
Judges:
| Dan Page VR Impresario Bristol VR Lab |
Emma Williams Marketing Manager Invest in Bath |
| Rosie Bennett Centre Director Bath SETsquared |
 |
The ‘Data Data Data’ Award
| Adarga |
| DesAcc EMEA Ltd. |
| Elucidata Rising Arts Agency |
| iXport Ltd |
| Rising Arts Agency |
| YellowDog |
Judges:
| David Henderson Head of Transformation Hargreaves Lansdown |
Lloyd Skinner CEO Greyfly |
| Marina Traversari Business Development Rocketmakers |
 |
Best Place to Work in Tech
| Atomic Smash |
| Ghyston |
| Hargreaves Lansdown |
| NMI |
| Rocketmakers |
| Simpleweb |
| Storm Consultancy |
Judges:
| Emma Williams Marketing Manager Invest in Bath |
Gary Duguid Director Interaction |
| Heather Macdonald Tait CEO & Founder WHY Communications |
 |
Best Cyber Company
| Cyber Security Associates |
| Immersive Labs |
| KETS Quantum Security |
Judges:
| Elaine McKechnie Business Development Director Oxford Innovation |
Helen Bassett Director Smith & Williamson |
| Lloyd Skinner CEO Greyfly |
Melanie Goward Investment Director Maven Capital partners |
The Best Digital Design Award
| Atomic Smash |
| Gravitywell |
| Haio |
| Ready to Blog |
| Rocketmakers |
| Storm Consultancy (For Engine Shed website design) |
| Storm Consultancy (For the Institute of Coding website) |
Judges:
| Joyann Boyce Founder The Social Detail |
Melanie Goward Investment Director Maven Capital partners |
| Zara Nanu CEO & Founder Gapsquare |
Best Mentor Award
| Andrew Mulvenna |
| Beccy Kedward |
| Charlie Coggans |
| Marina Traversari |
| Verity McIntosh |
Judges:
| Charly Patrick Entrpreneur Development Manager Natwest |
Constance Flueriot Director Pretty Digital |
| Elaine McKechnie Business Development Director Oxford Innovation |
 |
The ‘Good’ Award
| EZ Education, creators of DoodleMaths and DoodleEnglish |
| Helpfulpeeps |
| LettUs Grow |
| Studio Meineck |
| Virti |
| Walk to Beat |
| Service Robotics |
| Black Girl Convention |
Judges:
| Marina Traversari Business Development Rocketmakers |
Rosie Bennett Centre Director Bath SETsquared |
| Zara Nanu CEO & Founder Gapsquare |
 |
The Hardware Award
| Fusion Processing |
| KETS Quantum Security |
| LettUs Grow |
| Mobius Logistics Ltd |
| Walk to Beat |
Judges:
| Constance Flueriot Director Pretty Digital |
Dan Page VR Impressario Bristol VR Lab |
| Tatjana Humphries Senior Business Executive Invest Bristol & Bath |
 |
The FutureSPARK Award
| Abby Scarborough |
| Harry Cobbold |
| Lucia Velasco |
| Patrick Benjamin |
| Sarah Roberts |
Judges:
| Briony Phillips AD & Scaleup Enabler Engine Shed |
Mike Oram Academy Lead Mayden Academy |
| Zara Nanu CEO & Founder Gapsquared |
 |
Lifetime Achievement Award
| Dick Penny |
| Lars Sundstrom |
| Louise Pasterfield |
| Phil Bates |
| Richard Godfrey |
This award will be decided by the TechSPARK team.
The People Choice Award
Vote now for The SPARKies People’s Choice Awards 2019
Nominated? Want to see who wins? Pick up your SPARKies tickets now.
