Regional tech sector set for annual Dynamites Awards celebration

Dynamites 21 Awards are being held at Newcastle Civic Centre banqueting suite, next Thursday (November 11).

The awards, now in their eighth year and in association with Invest Newcastle, North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA) Digital and NTCA Good Work Pledge, shine a spotlight on successful regional tech companies and recognise the talent within the north-east tech sector.

Charlie Hoult, Chair of regional tech network Dynamo who organise the awards, said: “Dynamites 21 will be a wonderful evening –as well as recognising and rewarding our superstars and rising stars, the awards provide a brilliant opportunity for networking.

“Tickets are flying out for what is the biggest industry awards event in the region, so I urge people to get their tickets quickly to avoid disappointment.”

More than 400 attendees are expected at the awards dinner and those booked so far include Waterstons, Sage, Baltic Apprenticeships, Difrent, Opencast, Saggezza, tombola, Ubisoft and Aspire Technology Solutions.

This year’s judging panel was chaired by Cate Kalson, Director at Dynamo North East. Other members of the panel were: Karen Elliott, Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor, Newcastle University; Andrew Gill, Northern Regional Head, Waterstons; Laura Kemp, Dynamo Cluster Engagement Manager; Nigel Moralee, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Programme Manager, Sage; Rachel Murphy, CEO, Difrent; Nick O’Reilly, Chief Technology Officer, NHS Business Services Authority; Simon Parker, IS Director, Home Group; Paul Swaddle, Head of Technical Solutions, NBS; and Fareeha Usman, Founder Being Woman and EDI Innovation Manager at Dynamo North East.

Many of the region’s leading IT and technology companies have made it on to the shortlist, alongside SMEs and some of the north east’s largest businesses and organisations which have critical IT departments. The shortlistees for this year are:

Best Use of Data, sponsored by BJSS:

Connect Health

Data2Action

Kani Payments

Sage

XBIM Ltd

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, sponsored by Fueled:

Cognassit

Later Life Audio and Radio Co-operative

Waterstons

Growth Explosion, sponsored by LDC:

Everflow Water

Iamproperty

Opencast

So Post

Innovator of the Year, sponsored by Sage:

Durham University

Haystack

OPPORTUNI

PlaceChangers

Project of the Year (Corporate), sponsored by Saggezza:

Fueled – Qwake

Iamproperty – movebutler

Opencast – eConsult/Opencast Digital Health

Project of the Year (Public Sector/Not for Profit), sponsored by Red Hat:

Difrent – Transforming NHS Recruitment

DWP Digital – Passport Benefit Checker

DWP Digital – New Style Employment and Support Allowance

Rising Star in Memory of Nate Sterling, sponsored by University of Sunderland:

David Fairbairn – Tharsus

Elena Lanzarini – Wordnerds

Jack Sheriff – Connect Health

Peter Bakare – Nutritroops

Skills Developer, sponsored by Gateshead College:

Baltic Apprenticeships

Nicole Robson, Saggezza

Ubisoft

Tech for Good, sponsored by tombola:

Connect Health

Nebula Labs

Notify Technology LTD

Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust and the Academic Health Science Network for the North East and Cumbria

Tech Champion, sponsored by Invest Newcastle, NTCA Good Work Pledge:

Dylan McKee – Nebula Labs

Jamie Hardesty – Sunderland Software City

Opencast

The Experience Bank

As last year, this year’s categories also include the Dynamites People’s Choice Award. This award winner will be from the 37 shortlisted entries and chosen by a public vote.

Further support has been provided to Dynamites 21 by Brewin Dolphin (table and programme sponsor) and Opencast.

To book tickets for Dynamites 21 go to  https://tinyurl.com/9rvw6dyd

Dynamo is part funded by the ERDF as part of the Catalysing Innovation 2021-23 in North East Clusters project, delivered by the Innovation SuperNetwork.