The Chamber

January sees the launch of this year’s Merseyside Innovation Awards.

The Awards recognise, reward and encourage the use of innovation as a means of boosting growth and profitability on Merseyside.

2008 is the twelfth year of the Awards which are the brainchild of Brian McCann from Vanguard Corporate Finance and are supported by sponsors including Amatica, BBC Radio Merseyside, Brabners Chaffe Street, Business Link for Greater Merseyside, JAB Design, NatWest, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce & Industry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Ventures, Insider, W P Thompson and L1 Marketing.

The Awards are open to individuals or companies with less than 50 employees and are based in the Merseyside region. They carry a first prize of £10,000 in cash and up to £4,000 in consultancy support.

Monthly winners will be recognised through January to April. The grand final will be in July, where three finalists will showcase their products before a panel of entrepreneurs and other leading figures in
the business community, when an overall winner will be selected and the major prize presented. Previous finalists have gone on to compete on BBC’s Dragons Den.

Peter Lunt, one of the sponsor group and Manager of Commercial Banking Technology Team at NatWest, Liverpool Office, said “The quality of applications we have had in recent years reflects the creative talent of Merseyside people. All of the sponsors are committed to working with our local innovators, as they strive to turn their great ideas into successful businesses”.

Visit the website and apply online at www.merseysideinnovationawards.co.uk or please contact Jean Hughes, at Vanguard Corporate Finance on 0151 705 3520.