Now in their 22nd year, the awards seek to recognise companies large and small and between January and May one winner a month will be selected – with the final being held in July. Tony McDonough reports

A £10,000 prize is up for grabs for one dynamic Liverpool city region firm as the 22nd Merseyside Innovation Awards is launched.

The awards seek to recognise companies large and small and between January and May one winner a month will be selected. Three entrants will go into the final in July with the winner receiving the £10,000 top prizes and each runner-up winning £2,500.

Last year, Marlan Maritime was the overall winner, narrowly beating gas safety-monitoring company Gas Tag and virtual reality social media app, vTime.

Recognised for its coastal surveillance and innovative use of radar in monitoring tidal patterns, Marlan Maritime provides engineers, conservationists and councils with up-to-date information about the ever-changing patterns of shorelines.

Managing director Alex Sinclair said: “Interestingly, winning the Merseyside Innovation Awards in 2017 has fundamentally changed our perception of what we are doing.

“Prior to the award, we believed in what we were trying to do, we believed that it is going to make a positive impact to people living on and working with the coast. After winning, we knew that other people believed it too.

“Potential customers can feel a little uneasy about being early adopters of new technology, but having the endorsement of the judges provides some reassurance to the people we are talking to due to its history of excellence across Merseyside.” 

2018 will also see the return of the Prestige Award, specifically for larger businesses with a turnover of £1m to £25m, which in 2017 was awarded to EMS Healthcare, a mobile healthcare provider, in recognition of the vital services they provide to users across the region.   

Brian McCann, Merseyside Innovation Awards founder and partner of Mitchell Charlesworth Accountants, said: “The breadth of innovation and creativity within the MIA continues to astound myself and the judging panel.

For further information about the Merseyside Innovation Awards and to find out how you can apply in 2018, click here. Potential applicants can also discover more about the Merseyside Innovation Awards by attending one of two networking lunches:

• Tuesday 6^th February: 1pm – 2pm, Liverpool Science Park
• Tuesday 10th April: 1pm – 2pm, Daresbury Science Park