UK IT Industry Awards now open for entries

Computing and the BCS are now inviting entries to this year's UK IT Industry Awards

The BCS and Computing UK IT Industry Awards 2011 are now open for entries.

Alongside the usual project, organisation, technology and individual categories are three new ones: UK innovation and entrepreneurship, embedded software, and mobile technology. There are now 23 categories in total.

David Clarke MBE, chief executive of the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, said: "Our awards are about recognising the professionalism of IT teams, organisations and individuals, and year on year we see the quality and variety of entries, and those who win, go from strength to strength. The awards really demonstrate the value that IT adds, not only to businesses, but also to our society as a whole."

Last year's awards attracted more than 400 entries from organisations and businesses of all types and sizes. Winners included Newport City Homes, Portaltech, NFU Mutual, National Grid and Proctor & Gamble.

Clarke added: "I am particularly excited that we are introducing several new categories, including the UK Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award. I hope this category will attract entries from some of the many exciting start-ups in the UK. These companies are really important to our economy and this award forms part of a wider BCS project, dubbed BCS Entrepreneurs, which fosters and supports entrepreneurs."

Abigail Waraker, editor of Computing, said: "The categories are really exciting this year, and Computing is again delighted to be working with BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT. As we have seen from previous years, winning one of these awards - which are rigorously judged - means a great deal for those involved and can be a valuable aid to gaining new contracts and customers, attracting media attention and helping attract and retain staff."

The eventual winners will be announced and celebrated at a lavish awards ceremony on 10 November at the Battersea Park Events Arena.

Entry for the awards is via an online application process, and initial judging will take place in August. In September, finalists will be invited to an interview with a panel of expert judges drawn from across the industry.

Full details of how to enter are available here.