The 100 fastest-growing tech firms in the North were honoured in the prestigious Northern Tech Awards ceremony in Edinburgh last night.
The list featured high-growth achievers from across the North of England and Scotland.
The prize for the fastest-growing company went to Manchester-based In Touch Networks, which has transformed the way businesses recruit, followed in second place by Harrogate firm Chameleon Technology.
Evolution Funding聽was the聽fastest-growing聽large company i.e. those with revenues over 拢10m.
Performance Horizon was awarded the 鈥極verall Judges鈥� Award, recognising the business鈥� key role in driving innovation both in the Northern region and on a global scale. Founded in Newcastle in 2010, it now operates across four different continents.
It was a golden night for three Manchester tech entrepreneurs as Connex One MD Nicholas Mealey, Music Magpie CEO Steve Oliver and Purple CEO Gavin Wheeldon were honoured.
Funniest moment of the night was when Will Lewis of gets a phone call from on stage as he鈥檚 about to announce the winner
鈥� ChrisMaguire (@editor_Maguire)
The Northern Tech Awards are now in their fifth year and Hugh Campbell, managing partner of GP Bullhound, struck an upbeat note about the health of the UK鈥檚 tech sector in 2017.
He said: 鈥淭he UK technology sector continued to demonstrate its prominence across Europe, securing over $5.4 billion in VC funding 鈥� more than twice its nearest rivals in Germany and France.鈥�
Data compiled by the technology advisory and investment firm showed that the 100 companies generated 拢4.5bn in 2017, more than double the 2016 figure of 拢1.9bn.
The speaker was Rob Jones, co-founder of tech unicorn FanDuel and co- founder of start-up Flick.
Fascinating interview with Rob Jones co-founder of fantasy sports success
鈥� ChrisMaguire (@editor_Maguire)
The award winners were selected by a panel of high-profile judges. Sherry Coutu CBE, Chair of Founders4Schools, Jacqui Ferguson, director of Wood Group, and Melinda Matthews, chief executive of the Edinburgh-based digital skills academy CodeClan, were part of this year鈥檚 new additions, sitting on the panel alongside longstanding judges such as David Rowan, founding editor of Wired UK.
Three of the five fastest-growing technology companies in the North were eCommerce specialists, while companies delivering IT services made up almost one third of the top 100 list.聽There were 22 enterprise software companies in the rankings, an increase from 19 companies last year.聽Of the top 100, 29 were based in Manchester, with Leeds聽boasting the next biggest number of top 100 businesses with 13.
2018 Northern Tech Awards Winners:
-
- The Region鈥檚 Top Northern Star from the competition run by Tech North: BigChange, Leeds
- Fastest Growing Company of the Year (with revenues under 拢10m): In Touch Networks, Manchester
- Fastest Growing Larger Company of the Year (with revenues over 拢10m): Evolution Funding, Chesterfield
- Judges鈥� Innovation Award: Peak AI, Manchester
- Judges鈥� Award for International Success: Purple, Manchester
- Judges鈥� Leadership Award: Sykes Cottages, Chester
- Tech4Good Award: Virtual College, Ilkley
- Judges鈥� Young Entrepreneur Award: Nicholas Mealey, Connex One, Manchester
- Judges鈥� Entrepreneur Award: Steve Oliver, MusicMagpie, Manchester
- Overall Judges鈥� Award: Performance Horizon, Newcastle
The fast-growth 100:
- In Touch Networks, Manchester
- Chameleon Technology, Harrogate
- The Car Buying Group, Wakefield
- Fruugo.com, Ulverston
- The Lead Agency, Liverpool
- Social Chain, Manchester
- Origin Broadband, Rotherham
- Giacom, Hessle
- Hedgehog Lab, Newcastle
- Matillion, Altrincham
- BigChange, Leeds
- Outplay Entertainment, Dundee
- Hyperdrive Innovation, Sunderland
- Castlight Financial, Glasgow
- AccessPay, Manchester
- TVSquared, Edinburgh
- Resulting, Manchester
- Redu Group, County Durham
- LADBible, Manchester
- Looking4.com, Leeds
- CurrentBody.com
- Cloud Technology
- Peak
- ZeroLight
- Evolution Funding
- Cubic Motion
- IDHL Group
- Performance Horizon
- Godel Technologies
- Shield Safety Group
- Ecometrica
- ProofID
- Converge Technology
- Trak Global Group
- Quint Group
- Planixs GRP
- InVentry
- The Hut Group
- Volcanic
- Sky Betting & Gaming
- M24Seven
- Uinsure
- rradar
- Opencast Software
- Purple WiFi
- Evoke Creative
- Bede Gaming
- E-days Absence
- Connex One
- Sykes Cottages
- Mobysoft
- ContractHireAnd
- Azzure IT
- The Floow
- r2c Online
- MTech IT Solutions
- Better2Know
- Aspire Technology
- Preasto Consulting
- Music Magpie
- Parcel2Go
- ProVu Communications
- Virtual College
- Ripe Thinking
- Digital Next
- Airangel
- Sonocent
- Mando
- Lead Tech
- Wax Digital
- Uniform
- Waterstons
- Mobica
- Fire sh Software
- Visualsoft
- Vaioni Group
- Parallax
- Caboodle Technology
- Elementary Technology
- ANS
- OpenCRM
- UKFast
- Zuto
- NGC Network Services
- Intechnica
- Blue Logic
- Hiring Hub
- Apadmi
- The Webinar Vet
- Radius Payment
- TribePad
- Nexus Vehicle Rental
- Maginus
- TPP
- SITS Group
- Elite Group
- eBECS
- Everything Different
- CascadeGo
- Degree 53