Awards 2025
Celebrating the best in tech
The Tech South West Awards shine a light on the game-changing innovation taking place across the South West tech ecosystem.
From marinetech to aerospace, agritech, fintech, createch and advanced engineering, the awards celebrate the founders, organisations, entrepreneurs, accelerators, educators and sector suppliers that make the South West one of the best places to do tech.
Innovation is worth celebrating.
Last year's winners include
Headline Partner
Supporting Partners
Category Sponsors
Categories
AI Award
For the organisations leveraging artificial intelligence to enact positive change in the world.
Whether you’re using AI to identify diseases, disrupting traditional sectors like insurance or planning, powering up your e-commerce game or using machine learning to help with fraud protection, this category is here to showcase your success.
2024 shortlist:
- Weaving Change
- Neural Edge
- Hertzian
- Cineon
- Additive Catchments
Best Place to Work
For organisations that put their people first, foster positive working environments and empower their people to deliver change.
Whether you’ve championed flexible ways of working, have a unique way of celebrating success or offer health and wellness programs to keep your staff at the top of their game, this award is for you.
2024 shortlist:
- Illumo Digital
- Boo Consulting
- Hiyield
- Signable
- Unfold
Best Startup
Disruptive startups are the fuel to the tech sector’s engine.
Is your company less than three years old from the date of incorporation? Are you bringing real change to the world? Is your team worth celebrating?
Let’s shine a light on your success.
2024 shortlist:
- Fishy Filaments
- Additive Catchments
- Good With
- Intelligent AI
- Pollen Careers
- TRIO Technical Solutions
CleanTech *New category*
This award shines a light on the amazing tech that's helping to build a cleaner, greener future. If you're working on something that tackles environmental challenges—whether it's cutting carbon, reducing waste, boosting energy efficiency, or anything else that’s planet-friendly—we want to hear about it. Open to all kinds of cleantech projects and businesses across the South West, this is your chance to get recognised for making a real difference.
Cluster Awards
Companies who enter any of the Tech South West Awards will be automatically put through to the Cluster award category. They will be judged by local tech clusters who are looking for the most outstanding organisation in their area.
2024 winners:
- Bristol: Unlock Cyber
- Cornwall: Cognition Creative Learning
- Dorset: Dr Connie Wilson, BAE Systems
- Exeter and Wider Area: ExCode
- Plymouth: Ben Franklin, BIT Group
- Somerset: iO Academy
- Torbay: QLM
- Wiltshire: Digital Wonderlab
Commitment to Diversity
For the organisations going the extra mile to ensure the tech sector is represented by a diverse range of backgrounds, experiences and voices.
You might be a tech company, education provider or supplier to the sector - if you’re working to make the tech ecosystem more representative of the vibrant society in which we live, this one’s for you.
2024 shortlist:
- Professional Apprenticeships
- Binit
- Cognition Creative Learning
- Ghyston
- iO Academy
- Unlock Cyber
CreaTech
Creativity meets technology. For the organisations that embrace creative skills, emerging technologies and new ways to engage audiences.
From virtual reality and augmented reality to 5G and other creative fields.
Let’s celebrate the creative side of tech.
2024 shortlist:
- TRIO Technical Solutions
- Jam Up!
- Nautoguide
- Sanders Studios
- SEIKK
- Spark
HealthTech
For companies using technology to improve health outcomes, from research to procurement, diagnosis, treatment and systems.
If you’re using technological innovation to improve the health system then we want to hear from you.
2024 shortlist:
- Lutra Health
- SpatialCortex
- Ferryx
- EarSwitch
- Digital Wonderlab
- Cineon
- Neuronostics
Innovation
If you're not moving forwards, you're standing still.
For companies pushing the sector forward with fresh ideas.
2024 shortlist:
- Additive.earth
- CALMFLOOR
- Oort Energy
- SpatialCortex
- QLM Technology
- WASE
- ZeroUSV
This one’s for the people putting their money—and support—behind the South West’s brightest tech talent. Whether you're an angel, VC, or investment group, if you’re helping startups and scaleups grow with more than just funding (think advice, connections, and belief), this award is all about recognising the investors who are making a real difference in the region’s tech scene.
MarineTech
For the organisations making waves in the marine sector.
From offshore energy to navigation, underwater devices, marine restoration or ocean research - if you’re making a splash with technological innovation, hit that button to enter now.
2024 shortlist:
- Inyanga Marine
- Actisense
- Additive Catchments
- Kilo Solutions
- ZeroUSV
People’s Choice
For individuals who deserve a little recognition for their work.
Nominated by you, chosen on the night of the Tech South West Awards by the attendees.
And no, you cannot nominate yourself!
Nominated individuals must be working in the South West and be connected to the tech sector.
The nominations received will be judged to create the final shortlist for voting on the night.
2024 shortlist:
- Matt Jones
- Rose Goodship
- Neil Morris
- Andy Doyle
- Daniela Dandes
- Neil Morris
- Andy Robinson
- Mia Jacobs
Space & Aviation
Satellites, Earth observation, space navigation and flight... for companies reaching for the skies in space and aviation.
2024 shortlist:
- Graphic PLC
- G&H
- Sora Aviation
- Virtual Tour Experts
Supporting Talent
This award celebrates the organisations supporting the development of tech talent in the region.
That might mean providing knockout training for your team, encouraging greater access to the sector or facilitating career-switches to find great roles.
If you’re encouraging the development of great tech talent in the South West, we want to shine a light on your work.
2024 shortlist:
- Future Space
- Adopstar
- BIT Training
- Bluefruit Software
- Hiyield
- Timewade
Supporting the Sector
For the organisations that help the sector thrive - including legal firms, marketing agencies, financial services, startup consultancies, accelerators, incubation hubs, science parks and more.
You’re the grease that keeps the tech cogs turning, and we think that’s worth celebrating.
2024 shortlist:
- Future Space
- Bright Evolve
- Exeter Innovation Accelerator
- Michelmores
- Silicon South
- Tech Cornwall
Sustainability
There is no Planet B.
This is for companies using technology to look after the one we've got.
From renewable energy to biotechnology, low-impact food production and green building solutions.
2024 shortlist:
- WASE
- BluGreens
- Oort Energy
- Our Rainwater
- QLM Technology
- SMARTech Energy
Tech Company of the Year
Achieved something brilliant this year?
Hit record growth? Expanded your team? Broken into new markets, or rolled out a knockout marketing campaign?
This award celebrates the organisations with revenues knocking it out the park in every way across their operations.
2024 shortlist:
- ZeroUSV
- A2Z Cloud
- digiLab
- Ghyston
- Hertzian
- Zapmap
Tech for Good
This award celebrates the organisations and initiatives that help to promote a better world.
That might mean improving health outcomes, tackling inequality, supporting marginalised groups or protecting the environment.
2024 shortlist:
- South West Grid for Learning Trust
- Additive.earth
- Get Out Get Love
- SpatialCortex
- Thought Quarter
NEWSLETTER
Sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date with the latest news, events and updates from the South West tech sector.