After an intense judging period, the finalists for the Wales Technology Awards 2019 have been revealed.

Now in its seventh year, the Wales Technology Awards are powered by the ESTnet and celebrates the success and innovation of Wales’ vibrant, enabling technology industry.

Following a sell-out ceremony in 2018, the awards have grown again this year with a record number of entries received, showcasing the diverse range of technology businesses in Wales.

The winners of Wales Technology Awards 2019, which are in partnership with Headline Partner Cardiff Metropolitan University and their School of Technologies, will be announced at a gala awards ceremony on June 20th at City Hall, Cardiff.

The shortlist highlights the diversity of the technology industry in Wales, and is a showcase for the dynamic, innovative organisations which have a critical role in transforming and enabling the way we live and work across all sectors of the economy and aspects of day-to-day life.

Judges received incredibly strong entries from technology businesses whose products and services include cyber, robotics, AI and data services across markets such as manufacturing, heath, fintech and retail, among others. The result is a shortlist that represents the breadth of the vibrant and diverse technology industry, across the whole of Wales.

Wales Technology Awards 2019 full shortlist;

The Sir Michael Moritz Tech Start-up Award

• Awen Collective
• Concentric
• Credas
• Drone Evolution
• Lion Dog Apps
• NearMeNow
• Nightingale HQ
• Route Konnect
• Security Foundry
• Talent Ticker
• Tendertec

Innovative Product Award

• Glyndwr Innovations
• Voltrics
• weflip

Technology Leader of the Year

• Eifion Evans– Pugh Computers
• Jackson Hull – GoCompare
• Victoria Mann – Near Me Now

Best Tech Workplace

• Bipsync UK Ltd
• K Sharp Ltd
• Talent Ticker

Best New Talent

• Gerad Church – GoCompare
• Lucy Heskins – Careercake
• James Thomas – KSR Electronic Systems

International Impact Award

• Bipsync UK Ltd
• CDSM
• Delio
• Object Matrix
• RFIDdirect Ltd
• TXO Systems

This year, the Wales Technology Awards’ award categories are partnered by GoCompare, Innovation Point, Sony UK Technology Centre, Wynne Jones IP, IQE Plc and Acorn Recruitment.

Also to be announced at the evening ceremony is the winner of the ESTnetNG Tech Prize which helps young people who have shown outstanding commitment, enthusiasm and interest in the technology field fulfil their talent and ambition – with the winner receiving £2,000 in prize money.

Last year’s ESTnetNG Tech Prize winner was David Barton managing director of Kaydiar and a former student of Cardiff Metropolitan University, Headline Partner of the 2019 awards.

Avril Lewis MBE, managing director of the ESTnet said;

“The competition has been especially fierce this year, with the awards receiving a record number of entries from a diverse range of technology businesses.

“The Wales Technology Awards are important in recognising the achievements from the Welsh technology industry and the cultural, social and economic contributions Wales’ vibrant, enabling technology companies make to the UK and indeed internationally.

“What makes this year’s awards particularly exciting, is the range of new up and coming businesses that have made the shortlist, along with the established names in the Welsh technology sector. With such a wide scope of nominees, this year’s shortlist really represents the essence of the Wales Technology Awards and we’re looking forward to seeing who will take home a coveted award at the evening ceremony on June 20th.

“We’d like to thank everyone who has helped make this year’s awards our most competitive yet, including the finalists, all the nominees, award partners, our Headline Partner Cardiff Metropolitan University and of course our excellent judges Paul Shepherd, Gwenllian Roberts, Dr Cerian Jones and Stephen Holt.”

Prof Jon Platts, Dean of Cardiff School of Technologies said:

“We are delighted to support the ESTnet as the Headline Partner of the Wales Technology Awards 2019. The Cardiff School of Technologies is designed to meet the employment needs of South Wales and its growing tech sector. We partner with a wide range of technology-focused companies to ensure that we are developing the skills required by employers, in a sector with an increasing number of highly-paid graduate level careers.

“The Wales Technology Awards provide an excellent opportunity to recognise the wide range of sector-leading work being carried out by Welsh tech businesses on both a national and a global scale. We look forward to learning more about the innovative work taking place across the sector.”

To book your place at The Wales Technology Awards and for more information on this year’s finalists, please visit; http://www.walestechnologyawards.co.uk