NORTH East companies will soon hear if they’ve been singled out for honours at this year's Big Chip Awards.
The digital industry awards will be handed out an event in Manchester on July 5, and there are several representatives for the region to cheer on at The Palace Hotel.
The Tyneside Cinema has been shortlisted in both the Best Application of Technology and Best Not For Profit Project for its work on the Time Machine interactive learning experience, which challenges nine to 12-year-olds to complete missions to help save the Tyneside from an evil king.
Private sharing app Cupple has been receiving some attention from the UK and European tech press of late, and it’s up for Best Mobile Project. Cupple allows two people to link up and share words, pictures and locations privately on their mobiles.
Mediaworks has been shortlisted for Best Use of Search for its search engine optimisation for sofa retailer ScS, while MobiCart could go home with the Big Chip International Award for Innovation for its mobile commerce site builder which allows businesses to set up their own mobile shops.
Newcastle University’s Efthymios Ziogas, David Simkin, Stephen Cathcart and Danny Kemp are up for the Little Chip Student Award. A company with North East links will definitely claim an award in at least one category, since the Best Newcomer award will be given to either Status Digital or Ignite100 alumnus Givey.
Givey is the brainchild of Dave Erasmus, and aims to simplify giving by allowing people to donate through a tweet or a text message. Erasmus developed the platform at the Ignite100 digital accelerator in Newcastle last year, and hopes it will become the world’s largest donation platform by 2014.
Newcastle’s Status Digital is also up for Best E-Business Project for its work on the Go Activities activity and adventure booking website, a project it carried out with Go Outdoors. Go Activities allows people to search for activities by category or location, check prices and also book accommodation.
This year, Big Chip organiser Manchester Digital has also teamed up with regional media including the Journal to promote the event, and received a record 261 entries from cities such as Newcastle, Nottingham and Liverpool.
