Technology

Posted on April 21, 2018 by staff

Software firm flying high after Queen’s Awards brace

Technology

A small software developer whose technology helps pilots fly safely around Europe is among only eight UK winners of two Queen’s Awards.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, now in its 52nd year, are hailed as the most prestigious business award in the country, with winners able to use the emblem for the next five years.

A total of 230 companies from across the UK were recognised for their contribution in four categories: international trade, innovation, sustainable development and promoting opportunity.

SkyDemon, which was awarded a Queen’s Award for international trade and one for innovation, was one of only eight businesses to win two awards this year.

The Somerset-based company develops software used by pilots to plan and navigate their flights throughout Europe. It has enjoyed a significant surge in overseas sales since its launch in 2009.

“Using my software skills to make flying easier and safer was a challenge I set myself when I earned my pilot’s license 12 years ago,” said founder and managing director Tim Dawson. “We are now the market leaders in this industry in Europe.

“Today’s announcement of our double Queen’s Award, for innovation and for international trade, is a huge boost for us as a company and goes to show that even the smallest businesses can have the biggest impact.”

The list of eight businesses to be given two awards also includes Solentim Ltd, a Dorset-based developer of a high-resolution imaging tool for use in the life sciences industry; and Telensa, a Cambridge maker of wireless streetlight controls that accurately meter and reduce electricity usage.

Business secretary Greg Clark said: “The UK has some of the most entrepreneurial and innovative minds in the world delivering jobs, growth and greater choice for consumers and I am proud to see a wealth of these businesses being recognised today.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy – 99 per cent of UK firms are small and over 1,000 new businesses start every day. Through our Industrial Strategy we are building a Britain in which they will continue to thrive.”

Altrincham-based IT consultancy Informed Solutions is the only tech and digital company in the North West to be named among this year’s Queen’s Awards for Innovation winners, in recognition of its digital transformation work across government projects.

Examples of the company’s digital transformation work include making it easier for innocent victims of violent crime and acts of terrorism to obtain compensation; and facilitating British citizens abroad having their identity authenticated and key documents legalised through a secure online global service.

Founder and global CEO Elizabeth Vega, who set up the business over 25 years ago, said: “We’ve worked really hard to create a strong workplace culture that enshrines the values of creating innovative solutions, producing work to the highest possible standard, and being trusted and ethical professionals that only take on innovation projects that we believe we can deliver.

“From modest beginnings some 25 years ago, we’ve weathered numerous economic challenges and scaled up the business to work globally with blue chip clients and governments.”

Other notable businesses to be recognised in the Queen’s Awards include Leeds-based IT consultancy BJSS; tech-led recycling business Recycling Lives; Manchester’s The Hut Group; Wales-based software firm One Team Logic; children’s book and app publisher Nosy Crow; Berkshire-based car connectivity firm NextGen Technology; Mira Technology Park; and data integrity specialist Gresham Technologies plc.

Innovation Award winners:

Ace Aquatec Ltd

Advanced Insulation Limited

Ancon Ltd, trading as Ancon Building Products

BGF

BJSS

Bryden Wood Technology Limited

C. & L.E. Attenborough Ltd

Divelements Limited trading as SkyDemon

DNAFit Life Sciences Ltd trading as DNAFit Ltd

EDINA UK LTD

Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd

Endomagnetics Ltd trading as Endomag

Environmental Defence Systems Limited

Euromixers Ltd

Facit UK Ltd. trading as Facit Homes

Fairfax Saddles Ltd

Featurespace

Firemac Ltd

Fluvial Innovations Ltd

Focusrite Audio Engineering Limited

GDR Food Technology Ltd. t/a Just Gluten Free Bakery

Green Sheep Group Limited

Harvey Water Softeners Limited

Honeyman Group Limited

Hygienex t/a HSG UK

iCandy World Limited

IKAWA Ltd

Image Processing Techniques Ltd (trading as Omnitek)

Inclusion Housing

Informed Solutions Ltd

Jo Bird & Co Ltd

Joseph Joseph Ltd

Kelvatek Ltd.

KP Technology Ltd

Lintott Control Systems Limited

Little Forest Folk

Lumishore Ltd

MagmaTech Limited

Manvers Engineering Limited

Metrasens Ltd

Midstream Lighting Ltd

Monodraught Ltd

Moo Print Limited trading as MOO

Ndemic Creations

Newham Training and Education Centre (NEWTEC)

One Team Logic Limited

Opus 2 International

Quartix Ltd

Quicklink Video Distribution Services Ltd

Radio Design Ltd

Reincubate Ltd

Rentokil Initial plc

Resilience Communications Limited

Rocketmakers Ltd

Russell IPM Ltd.

Samuel Grant (Sheffield) lTD

SH:24 CIC

Smart Credit Limited “trading as” SmartSearch

Solentim Ltd.

SPINKO Ltd t/a Harrison Spinks

SPTS Technologies Group Ltd

T.I.S.S. Ltd

Telensa Limited

The Temporary Kitchen Company Ltd

The Wool Packaging Company Ltd

tlmNEXUS Ltd

Transdek UK Limited

Trio Healthcare Ltd

Ultrahaptics Limited

Vitabiotics Ltd

Watson-Marlow Ltd

Williams Advanced Engineering Limited

International Trade Award winners:

AC PLC

Activinsights Ltd

Addmaster (UK) Ltd

ADEY Innovation LLP ‘trading as” ADEY Professional Heating Solutions

Airline Component Services Ltd

Alexander Mann Solutions Ltd.

Artemida Pharma Ltd

A-SAFE HQ LTD

Astro Lighting Holdings Ltd.

Audio Network Limited

Baird and Co Limited known as Bairdmint

Bamboo Distribution Limited

BECK MBI Limited

Bellerby & Co. Limited

Benevo

Boyd Consultants Ltd (trading as ‘Boyds’)

Brandon Medical Company Ltd

Brian James Trailers Limited

Bridge of Weir Leather Company Limited

Brose Ltd

Cambridge Integrated Circuits Ltd

Cast Iron Radiators Ltd

Celtic Sheepskin & Co ltd. Trading as Celtic & Co.

Central Wire Industries UK Ltd

CFC Underwriting Limited

Cheeky Chompers Ltd

Childrensalon Ltd

Cobra Biologics

Cocogreen (UK) Ltd.

Cokebusters Ltd

Coombe Castle International Ltd

Counterline Limited

CPR Global Tech Ltd

Create Technologies Ltd, trading as Createc

Darktrace Limited

Dart Flyscreens Ltd

DCA Design International Ltd

Delta Diagnostics trading as Elucigene Diagnostics

Divelements Limited trading as SkyDemon

DNAFit Life Sciences Limited

Durbin

Eckersley O’Callaghan Ltd

EnSilica Limited

Eskenzi PR Limited

EUDRAC Ltd

ExVeritas Limited

FAI Automotive Plc

Firmdale Holdings Ltd T/A Firmdale Hotels

FORSYTHS LTD

Fortress Interlocks Ltd

Frog Bikes Ltd

FXBlue LLP

GAMA Healthcare Ltd.

Gate 7 Ltd

George Pragnell Limited

Global Inkjet Systems Limited

GO Superfoods Ltd T/A Green Origins & Rainforest Foods

Gresham Technologies plc

Greycon UK Limited

Hanningfield Process Systems Limited

Highclere International Investors LLP

Honeycomb Project Management Ltd.

Hot House Partnerships Ltd

HotDocs Limited

HPD Software Limited

HS Products Ltd trading as Harrison Spinks Components and Spinks Springs

Hydro Group plc

Image Processing Techniques Ltd (trading as Omnitek)

Innovative Technology Ltd

Intralink Limited

IVORY Worldwide (Holdings) Limited

John Packer Ltd

Jon Tibbs Associates Limited

Kestrel Liner Agencies Ltd

Language Connect International Ltd. trading as Language Connect

Lanzante Ltd

Lattimer Ltd

LEW Techniques Ltd

Lintbells Ltd

Loadbalancer.org Limited

Lucio & Meera Santoro t/a Santoro Licensing

Lumishore Ltd

LW Solutions Ltd t/a Laser Wire Solutions

Magnetic North Travel Ltd

Maritime Zone Solutions Limited

Mason Advisory Limited

Maverick Drinks

Microlise Ltd

MIRA Technology Park

My Nametags Ltd

NCMT Ltd

Netsparker Ltd

NextGen Technology Limited

Nosy Crow Limited

Nouveau Lashes Ltd

Oceanair Marine Ltd

‘One Lindens Ltd.’ trading as ‘Cambridge Immerse’

Ossila Limited

Peli BioThermal

Pentland Group plc

Photocentric Ltd

Prima Dental Manufacturing Ltd

Principle Holdings Ltd

PROINSO UK Limited

Proseal UK LTD

Protec Technical Ltd

R & M Electrical Group limited

Random42 Ltd

Rarewaves.com Ltd

Recycling Lives Limited

Reid Lifting Limited

Resilience Communications Ltd

Rinicom Limited

Rock School Ltd

SBD Apparel Limited

Scoliosis SOS Limited

SE10 LLP

SendMyBag (NI) Ltd

Silverlining Furniture Group Ltd

Simpsons Premium Ltd

Smylie Limited

Solentim Ltd

Specac Limited

Specialist Marine Consultants Ltd.

Swift-Cut Automation Ltd

Tecna Display Ltd

Telensa Limited

Tellurium Q Ltd

Testhouse Limited

The Company of Animals Ltd

The First Class Pet Company Ltd

The Group Company (UK) Ltd

The Hut Group Limited

The Source (Hastings) Ltd

The TALL Group of Companies

Thomas Ware and Sons Ltd

Tiffany Rose Ltd

Tom Hartley Jnr Limited

TP3 Global Limited

TPS Global Logistics

TTS Group Ltd

Turnstyle designs Ltd

Twinkl Ltd

Unicorn Flooring Ltd

Virtual Human Resources Limited

Vosaio Travel Ltd

Warpaint Cosmetics (2014) Ltd

Welland Power Limited

Wild and Wolf Ltd

Wooltex UK Ltd

Zettlex (UK) Ltd

Zone3 Ltd

Promoting Opportunity Award winners:

Busy Bees Nurseries

Census Data Ltd Trading as Census Group

Dale Power Solutions Ltd

Esh Holdings Ltd

Grant Thornton UK LLP

Willmott Dixon

Sustainable Development Award winners:

Brother UK Ltd

City Building LLP trading as City Building (Glasgow) LLP and City Building (Contracts) LLP

Commercial Limited (trading as Commercial)

Divine Chocolate Ltd

LittlePod Ltd

St Austell Brewery Co Ltd

The Lakes Free Range Egg Co Ltd

Wessex Water Services Limited