British Techies Are UK’s Unsung Business Heroes

The government has repeated its calls to celebrate the best of British tech and innovation with its iawards scheme and is citing the results of a survery into the lack of recognition given to innovative employees as a reason to get behind the awards.

The Department For Business Innovation and Skills (DBIS) released the findings of a report into attitudes to innovation in the UK this week which it claims shows that British innovators are the the unsung heroes of the UK business community.

According to the survery, aroud nine out of ten of the 300 plus business executives surveyed said that that supporting employees would help improver entreneurship in the workplace.

The government wants to play a part in helping with this recognition with its iawards scheme which will reward projects that relate to areas such as the “healthcare needs of an ageing society” or “Increasing international security from tackling global poverty”.

“Businesses are doing a great job in developing the innovations that will drive the country out of recession. It’s time to recognise and honour our best innovators – those who are creating the successful companies of tomorrow,” said Science and Innovation minister Lord Drayson. “The iawards will do just that – not just in these extraordinary times we find ourselves in, but for years to come. Make sure to get your entries in by 16 September 2009 to take part in this inaugural year.”

However despite the importance given to Britishness – all entrants must specify the British involvement in any innovation, the government claims – the scheme is being sponsored by German engineering giant Siemens and Microsoft. “Siemens will sponsor the ‘Next Big Thing’ category and Microsoft will sponsor the best technology start up category,” according to the BIS.

The BIS has been approached for comment on whether any UK tech companies had been asked to sponsor the awards but did not reply in time.

In a similar move to the announcement that The Apprentice star Alan Sugar will become a business adviser to the government, Dagon’s Den panelist and entrepreneur James Caan has been drafted in to support the iawards.

For more information, and to enter, visit www.iawards.org.uk. The closing date for entries is 16 September