While adjudication on entries from emerging companies started this week, established companies still have time to enter the Technology Top 100 (TT100) awards, as entries close on 14 July.
The awards, which seek to showcase and aid innovation in SA, have already received some exciting entries from emerging companies, says GM Stephan Lamprecht.
One entry is the School of Magic, which aims to excite school children by demonstrating science`s application through magic. Another entrant, Smart Guide, has entered again this year after improving on its 2005 entry.
The company devised an automated GPS tour guide, which is in use in Cape Town. It functions by alerting tourists to look left or right at attractions in the city. Lamprecht says that, last year, the company was too focused on the GPS box, and not enough on the application.
The concept behind the awards is that companies with innovative ideas have access to a panel of experts, and receive feedback on their entries. This allows companies to improve on those entries and - hopefully - get them to market.
A benefit of winning is that the company can use the TT100 logo for marketing purposes, and as the JSE has stepped on board as a sponsor, companies could also look into listing on the bourse`s Alternative Exchange. This would aid in facilitating access to finance for the enterprises in this sector.
"The reality of South Africa is that there are more small and medium organisations than large companies so we are sponsoring the Technology Top 100 Business Awards Programme to provide them with the opportunity to grow," says Noah Greenhill, marketing and business development manager for the JSE. "Growing SMEs means jobs, wealth creation, empowerment and a growing economy."
Lamprecht says the awards have been growing, as emerging company entries have grown from 60 last year to 80 this year. He hopes that established company entries will beat the 240 entries received last year.
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