Record number of entries show Digital Awards quality

A panel of judges, including KCOM’s director of business Alan Worthing, had the difficult task of examining entries, before selecting three finalists for each category.

Competition this year was higher than ever, as Hull continues to cement its place as one of the UK’s leading digital hotbeds.

David Keel, Hull’s Digital Ambassador, said: “The amount of entries the awards has received this year is staggering.

“The standard this year has been incredibly high. We have got businesses which have won numerous awards in the past not even make the shortlist this year.

“The judges were impressed with the number of young people shining out in the digital industry. Hull is a very exciting place to be at the moment if you are a digital business.”

KCOM’s Alan Worthing, said: “The bar just keeps being raised higher and higher for the Digital Awards and the standard this year has been phenomenal.

“It has been incredibly difficult picking just three finalists for each category which shows what a vibrant and innovative place Hull is to be at the moment with a very buoyant digital sector.”

Winners of the KCOM-sponsored awards will be revealed on Thursday, 20 September, at what promises to be an unforgettable night at the city’s new Bonus Arena.

Ticketing and invitation details will be released this week, for more information please call 01482 315300.

The finalists for the 2018 Digital Awards are below:

Best Mobile App

Retain, by Global View Systems – The app has become a central cog in the country’s retained firefighter service, helping to notify crew of incidents, track and map firefighters, and timetable teams.

Trade Chimp – The job management app allows smaller businesses to track performance, improve profitability and help stay organised and on top of admin tasks.

Sauce/Ideal Boilers – The app allows Ideal boiler owners to set advanced schedules, adjust temperatures and even detect faults to aid with a quicker repair.

Young Digital Person of the Year

Matt Wildbore – Described as “highly motivated and passionate,” Matt has secured and maintained more than 80 clients in Hull through his business Mattix Design. He has also seen the company increase its turnover by 40 per cent from year one to two.

Jenni Harrison – Her sexual exploitation prevention campaign was taken to new levels through innovative films told in real time through social media platforms.

Hayden Barton – The entrepreneur who learnt his trade at home in his bedroom has now created the world’s smallest microcontroller.

Best Digital Start-Up

Bloom Creative – The digital content and social media specialist works with some of the city’s biggest businesses to produce engaging news and content.

Good2Learn – The education platform offers extra-curriculum lessons in English and maths, using interactive and eye-catching videos and questions.

Mattix Design – The company produces innovative branding, websites, interfaces and graphic designs for fellow businesses.

Best use of technology in education

Serious Geo Games – The University of Hull project uses video games and gaming technology to engage with people about environmental issues.

Ron Dearing UTC – The college uses state-of-the-art technology and facilities to educate and inspire the next generation of digitally-savvy, employable young people.

Hull Pixelbot – The ultra-low cost bot is 3D printed, and provides a platform which can be programmed and coded for a variety of uses.

Best e-commerce

Turner Price – The Hull food manufacturer has moved away from traditional channels and embraced digital tech for its sales and communication strategies.

Rising Sun Commerce – The business helps other companies sell successfully on Amazon Japan. It has clients across the world who are trying to break into the Japanese market.

Matakki Scissors – The Japanese scissor specialist, based in Hull, have invested heavily in a new website – accompanied by a strong social media presence – to drive business.

Best digital marketing communication

Sowden & Sowden for Freedom Festival – The popular Hull festival has been revitalised this year with an improved website and powerful Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube content.

StyleTech Solutions – The company created an innovative piece of software to publicise Mastercard’s sponsorship of the 2018 Brit Awards.

Bonus Arena – The marketing campaign to drive publicity of Hull’s new flagship venue has drawn widespread praise.

Best digital innovation

Moodbeam – The invention allows its user to log, track and visualise their mood, in a bid to address the subject of mental health.

APD Communications – The company serves almost 70 per cent of UK police forces, and provides control room software which improves efficiency and communication.

Sauce/Ideal Boilers - The app allows Ideal boiler owners to set advanced schedules, adjust temperatures and even detect faults to aid with a quicker repair.

Best Hardware

Hull Pixelbot - The ultra-low cost bot is 3D printed, and provides a platform which can be programmed and coded for a variety of uses.

Nerdonic – After creating the world’s smallest microcontroller, the C4DI-based company is now working on a range of upcoming electronics.

Moodbeam - The invention allows its user to log, track and visualise their mood, in a bid to address the subject of mental health.

Best global reach

EFI Escada – With customers in more than 31 countries, the corrugated packaging specialist sells products around the world, and is currently expanding its UK operations.

Helen Gill (Ansell Microgard Ltd) – The Coretec system designed by Helen provides data on more than 200 chemicals, has become an integral part of billon dollar company Ansell across Europe and the rest of the world.

Chatta – The learning app, which provides a powerful approach to teaching English as a Foreign Language, has made change happen in schools as far away as Spain and Malaysia.

Best emerging technology

Octovision Media – The drone technology business has already wowed customers with never-before-seen images and film, combining 360-degree tours and panoramic footage across the city.

Upstream Health – The team has created a health platform which aims to improve patient experience, cut down on admin tasks, and improve clinical treatment.

Eon Visual Media – The company has worked with Reckitt-Benckiser to use augmented technology to demonstrate the causes and symptoms of a sore throat, and the benefits of Strepsils.

Winners of the awards will be revealed on September 20, at what promises to be an unforgettable night at the city’s new Bonus Arena.

Ticketing and invitation details will be released this week, for more information please call 01482 315300.