Technology Top 100, mandated by the Department of Science and Technology, handed out awards to emerging companies at an awards ceremony in Sandton last night.
Noah Greenhill, speaking on behalf of the JSE, said the Johannesburg-based bourse hopes to be home to the next Microsoft. The JSE has partnered with the awards in order to facilitate listings and funding of smaller companies.
TT100 GM Stephan Lamprecht said that among trends the judges had noticed in the entries was that funding was seen as a big issue. However, he emphasised that companies needed to diversify away from only having technical expertise and must be able to present a coherent market plan.
He also said the use of mentors and coaches was a valuable proposition, and companies should make use of government grants, as well as take part in national programmes aimed at fostering collaboration.
Lamprecht said the competition was not about winning, but about taking part in a process that facilitates dialogue and provides feedback to companies with innovative ideas on how to take those ideas to the next step.
The Gauteng leg of the awards saw six companies receive - in no particular order - an award for their promising innovations and concepts. The awards are not judged on technical expertise alone, but also on how the companies plan to get their design to market.
Two companies also received commendations for noteworthy achievements. Five awards have already been presented to companies during the Cape Town leg.
The winners are:
Gauteng
Water Angel: Provides an early detection system for geyser and moisture-related problems.
BottleTot: Provides a stocktaking control mechanism through printing individually calibrated stickers to determine the remaining volume of beverages.
TimeTunnel Consulting: Designed SAP implementation solutions to reduce the cost of licence and implementation fees.
I-Slices Innovations: Has combined licensed polymer hydrogel technology to develop a cosmetic product to export worldwide.
River Bioscience: Developed a virus for commercial control of plant pests.
Altis Biologics: Tissue engineering firm that has developed an osteogenic implant technology.
Most noteworthy achievers
Tswane University of Technology`s Centre of Advanced Tooling: Provides SA with a competitive system for manufacture of tooling.
Dumisane Mzamane African Institute of Kidney Disease: Developed a tool that allows clinicians to capture clinical information on patients.
Cape Town
Skyrove: WiFi technology used to create coverage leveraging individual hotspots.
SmartGuide: GPS tour guide for use in motor vehicles.
Fraxion: Developed a spend-management tool.
White Wall Web: Specialises in Web-based database systems.
Cell-Life: Uses available technology to manage the treatment of various illnesses on the African continent.
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