The awards championed key players in the region’s digital sector, celebrating the successful entrepreneurial path of business founders and leaders.

Performance Horizon was awarded the ‘Overall Judges’ Award’ at the Northern Tech Awards, recognising the business’ key role in driving innovation both in the Northern region and on a global scale.

Performance Horizon is an online marketing technology provider, supporting brands in building successful partnerships and improving growth by harnessing data technology and artificial intelligence. Founded in Newcastle in 2010, it has over the years scaled to reach the international market, and now operates across four different continents.

Tech businesses whose success has led to their rapid growth were also rewarded, with In Touch Networks winning ‘Fastest Growing Company of the Year’ and Evolution Funding winning ‘Fastest Growing Larger Company of the Year’.

The award winners were selected by a panel of high-profile judges. Sherry Coutu CBE, Chair of Founders4Schools, Jacqui Ferguson, director of Wood Group, and Melinda Matthews, chief executive of the Edinburgh-based digital skills academy CodeClan, were part of this year’s new additions, sitting on the panel alongside longstanding judges such as David Rowan, Founding Editor of Wired UK.

Melinda Matthews, CEO of CodeClan, commented: “At CodeClan, we support technology businesses by giving them access to resources they need to scale. Scotland has the potential to be a leader in the global digital economy – it was an honour to reward the entrepreneurs who are involved in making this happen.”

Hugh Campbell, Managing Partner of GP Bullhound, commented: “We have seen the Northern region’s technology sector grow extensively as local businesses are scaling to reach the global market. Companies such as Peak AI and Sykes are a testament to the potential of Northern businesses to become international tech giants – we expect to see many more local companies with great ideas grow to reach the global technology landscape.”

The Northern Tech Awards 2018 are presented by GP Bullhound as a not-for-profit event with the support and sponsorship of Barclays, Squire Patton Boggs, OBI Property, Scottish Equity Parners, Aquiline, Frazer John Recruitment, Mercia Technologies, Berenberg, Inflexion, Tech North, BGF, London Stock Exchange, Draw Code and Seven Hills.

 

2018 Northern Tech Awards Winners:

Top Northern Star (run with Tech North): BigChange

Fastest Growing Company of the Year: In Touch Networks

Fastest Growing Larger Company of the Year: Evolution Funding

Judges’ Innovation Award: Peak AI

Judges’ Award for International Success: Purple

Judges’ Leadership Award: Sykes

Tech4Good Award: Virtual College

Judges’ Young Entrepreneur Award: Nicholas Mealey, Connex One 

Judges’ Entrepreneur Award: Steve Oliver, MusicMagpie

Overall Judges’ Award: Performance Horizon

 

The Northern Tech 100 league table ranking the top 100 fastest growing tech companies in the North, is available here

 

Enquiries

For enquiries, please contact Bev Boettcher at bev.boettcher@gpbullhound.com

For more information, please visit www.northerntechawards.com