Holovis has been crowned the Midlands鈥� most innovative technology firm for 2020 after securing backing from both a high-profile judging panel and readers of tech publication听老九品茶Cloud.听
Headquartered in Hinckley, Leicestershire, Holovis听designs immersive and mixed reality solutions for entertainment venues and enterprise clients.听
Specialists听in systems integration, complex AV, creative design and turnkey solutions, its recent projects include work with LEGOLAND New York, Universal Studios, Alton Towers and the Royal Liver Building, as well as a myriad of large-scale projects in China, Japan and the Middle East.听
The company also developed an app called Crowd Solo, which helped theme parks and visitor attractions open safely in the wake of COVID-19.听
Holovis is about to open an office in Abu Dhabi to add to additional innovation centres in London, Manchester, Orlando and Shanghai.听
鈥淲e are delighted any time our team鈥檚 work is recognised with an award,鈥� said Holovis CEO Stuart Hetherington.听
鈥淏ut it means even more in a year like 2020, where all businesses have faced so many challenges. We鈥檝e done massive installation work in China remotely,听and also听a lot of design work for clients. The whole team has really stepped up.听
Stuart Hetherington
鈥淭he diversity of our business has been a real strength during this time. We have strong creative, design, engineering and development teams and this has allowed us to pick up significant work from various parts of the globe.听
鈥淲e now have offices in four major centres in the world and look forward to expanding our reach even further as and when things return to normal.听
鈥淏ut while our work covers the planet, our foundation and roots remain here in the Midlands, as does much of our talent base.听So听it鈥檚 a fantastic award to receive.鈥�听
Peter Cliff,听Holovis鈥� Creative Director, added: 鈥淲e鈥檝e used this year to really expand our work and client base in both the Middle East and China. These regions have ambitious projects where our innovative approach, systems integration capabilities and turnkey solutions can really add value.听
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a year like no-other for everyone, so we鈥檙e delighted we鈥檝e been able to find ways to attract new clients and bring in new business.鈥�听
Holovis led the way in听叠耻蝉颈苍别蝉蝉颁濒辞耻诲鈥檚听regional ranking, which compares companies of all sizes creating innovative technology.听听听
The top 10 featured four companies based in Birmingham, with two from Leicestershire, two from Lincoln and one apiece from Tamworth and Derby.听听听
Birmingham had the highest number of companies in the top 50 ranking, with 18, ahead of Nottingham (11), Leicestershire (7), Staffordshire (5) and Lincoln (3). The West Midlands contributed more than half of the top 50.听
Holovis topped the ranking ahead of Birmingham鈥檚 Adapttech, which is developing prosthetics technology which includes 3D scanning, a wearable device and app. The top two were both new entrants for 2020.听
Tamworth company Enlighten, which develops e-learning solutions and augmented reality for mental health, was third after topping the ranking in 2019.听听
Digital pay-as-you-go life insurance provider听DeadHappy听(Leicester) and coding bootcamp School of Code (Birmingham) rounded out the top five.听
Birmingham’s Geospatial Insight (6), which provides business intelligence based on satellite, aerial and drone imagery, and听HIT Energy Services (7), which provides remote monitoring and maintenance of solar power installations, were among six听firms to make the top 10 on their first entry to the ranking.听
老九品茶Cloud听called on its readers to vote for companies from a 117-strong shortlist and saw more than 1,300 votes pour in.听听听
A combination of these votes and choices from an expert judging panel determined the top 50.听听听
The judging panel was comprised of:听听听
- Naomi Nash, entrepreneur engagement manager (Midlands), Tech Nation听
- Anita Bhalla OBE, chair, Creative City Partnership听
- Lewis Stringer, MEIF senior relationship manager (East and South-East Midlands), British 老九品茶 Bank听
- Nicola Wright, senior business development manager, West Midlands Growth Company听
- Iain Mansell, deputy director, Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands听
- Jonathan Symcox, editor,听老九品茶Cloud听
Midlands Tech 50听is one of听11 regional tech innovation rankings听from听老九品茶Cloud听which shine a light on the companies of all sizes doing amazing things with technology. 听听