Awards

Hants firms win big at South Coast Tech Awards with Southampton praised as a growing tech hub

Optima Electric Yachts in Lymington took home the award for Marine/Port Tech Company of the Year, sponsored by Hampshire Biz News.

By Daniel Face [email protected]

Published: October 15, 2023 | Updated: 15th November 2023

Businesses from across the region gathered at the Ageas Bowl Hilton last Thursday for this year’s South Coast Tech Awards, with winners recognised across 13 categories.

Richard Thompson, MD of The Business Magazine, took to the stage and addressed the 250 guests gathered to celebrate the wide array of tech talent gathered on the evening.

“A few years ago, tech was never a sector that you could say was synonymous with Southampton and the South Coast”, he said.

“But that has changed.”

Richard highlighted Southampton as a growing UK tech hub – recognition backed by a recent national survey placing the city 5th in a list of 23 technology hotspots in the country, ahead of even the likes of Cambridge.

“Southampton and the surrounding area have seen the emergence of home-grown digital companies”, he added.

“And down the coast in Bournemouth, the number of tech start-ups in the past few years has also put Dorset firmly on the hotspot map.”

Richard then handed over to comedian and BBC Radio 4 regular Lucy Porter, who was back by popular demand to host the event.

It was also a big night for the awards’ chosen charity, Wessex Cancer Support, as guests came together to raise a grand total of £3,000 towards their vital work in the local community.

The event was supported by headline sponsor Spectrum IT Recruitment (South), as well as category sponsors James Cowper Kreston, Gresham House Ventures, BGF, Blake Morgan LLP, BDB Pitmans, BDO LLP, AllPoints Fibre, Evelyn Partners, Infinigate Cloud and the University of Southampton Science Park.

Hampshire Biz News also stepped up to sponsor the Marine/Port Tech Company category.