A RECORD number of entrants have been whittled down to a final shortlist for the 2019 Digital DNA Awards.
The awards recognise the companies and individuals which are excelling in the world of technology, with this year's high-calibre shortlist featuring the best and brightest in the north.
Finalists in the coveted Company of the Year category include heavyweights Kainos, Novosco and Allstate, as well as Dawson Andrews, See Sense and Whitespace.
It is one of 13 categories, with all the winners to be announced at the awards evening, being held in St Anne's Cathedral on March 28.
Shortlisted companies and individuals will also receive complementary passes to Digital DNA 2019, taking place in Belfast's St George's Market on June 18 and 19.
Victoria Shanks, global head of Kx Services at First Derivatives and one of the judges for the awards said the calibre of entries has been extremely high.
“We knew there is a rich seam of entrepreneurial tech talent in Northern Ireland but this year’s entries have really blown us away," she said.
"They have proven that we are capable of creating technology businesses and talent which is not just impressive in a local sense, but are capable of competing at the highest level on a global basis."
Simon Bailie, CEO of Digital DNA added: “The judges were impressed by another stellar list of entries so once again it is going to be another tightly fought competition. This competition has gone from strength-to-strength and promises once again to reinvigorate the technology sector in Northern Ireland and let the world see the brilliant individuals and businesses we have here.”
The full list of shortlisted finalists are:
:: App of the Year
TakeTen Ltd - Relaxit
Origin Digital - Smart Care Doc
Scaffold Digital - IPA Directory
Secure Broadcast - Universal App
STATSports - Apex Athlete Series
Sugar Rush Creative - Whistle App
:: Deal of the Year
Dawson Andrews - GSMA Case for Change
Decision Time - HM Land Registry
DHD - Halfstack
Fathom - UX Design Institute
Neueda - Daera
Whitespace - Austrailian Challenger Bank
:: Developer of the Year
Dermott Barron - STATSports
Gregg Craig - Allstate NI
John Kyle - PA Consulting
Luke Donnelly - axial3D
Nuala Carland - Origin Digital
Ritu Bhatt – iEngageIT
:: eCommerce Project of the Year
Northside - DigitalPrinting.co.uk
Pitchbooking.com
Eyekiller - Robinsonsshoes.com
Groundswell - statsports.com
Media Nerds - tourticketireland.com
Zesty - kelloggsculcamps.gaa.ie
:: Entrepreneur of the Year
Daniel McGlade - Oroson
David Henderson - David Henderson Design
Jack Williams - Selazar Limited
Jason McKeown - Neurovalens
Jessica Dornan - Afterbook
Lucy McMullan - Only Just Media
:: Large Tech Company of the Year
All State
Kainos
Novosco
Options IT
Rakuten
STATSports
:: Best Digital Marketing Campaign
Kainos - Kainos Academy
Groundswell - Modius Headset
My Car Needs A - UK Brand Awareness Campaign
Power NI - Power NI Perks
Tomorrow Lab - Electric Ireland
Waterfront - Digital First Campaign
:: Business Personality of the Year
Adrienne Hanna - Right Revenue
David Henderson - David Henderson Design
Gareth Burns - Selazar
Joe Boyle - Salt DNA
Paddy O'Hagan - Neueda
Tara Simpson - Instil Software
:: Digital Project of the Year
Danske - Data Intelligence
Education Authority - Pupil Transport System
Liberty - Workgrid Assistant
Neueda - DAERA
TYSS - Apple Pay
Whitespace – Colinked
:: Small Tech Company of the Year
See.Sense
Datactics
Fathom
Liopa
Neurovalens
Whitespace
:: Start-up of the Year
CropSafe
Deep Labs
Groundswell
Importwise
loyalBe
VU.CITY
:; Tech for Good Innovation
Allstate - Cyber Security for Kids Programme
Angel Eyes NI - Helping families with visually impaired kids
Dawson Andrew - Big Data for Social Change
Mencap - The World Around Us
U-Hub - Suicide Prevention App
Young Enterprise NI - Company Tech Programme
:: Young Person of the Year
Aisling McGibbon - PwC
Andy McComb - Irish FA
Becca Hume - TapSOS
Daniel Crawford - axial3D
Jordan McDonald - Kainos
Sophie McDonald - Options IT
