Small and medium enterprises need a head start when applying for government contracts. So this year, for the first time, our BT Infinity Lab award had a public sector theme. The finals of the BT Infinity Lab Awards 2015, were held on the 26 March at the iconic BT Tower and are the culmination of a three month search. Supported by BT, the Cabinet Office and TechHub, one of Europe’s largest tech start-up communities, they attracted a record number of entries.
Seven shortlisted finalists were invited to pitch their idea Dragon’s Den style. On the judging panel, helping to identify SMEs with ideas that could change lives where Elizabeth Varley chief executive and co-founder of TechHub, Stephen Allott, crown representative for SMEs at the Cabinet Office and James Hall, Crown Representative, Cabinet Office.
BT is committed to supporting SMEs. We have about 900,000 SME customers and 63% of our suppliers are SMEs. We have a stake in ensuring that small businesses are given the support and mentoring they need to grow and to be successful as public suppliers in their own right. We want to help SMEs to grow, and to encourage new innovators to step forward. That’s why the BT Infinity Lab SME Award is vital and reinforces our commitment to SMEs giving them the platform to showcase their capabilities.