AIIA calls for green iAwards nominations

Emerging talent, businesses and entrepreneurs from all walks of the ICT industry have been invited to enter the 2008 iAwards in a call for nominations announced this week.

Conducted by the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), the annual awards recognise the most outstanding Australian ICT innovators of the year. This year, the iAwards will focus especially on "green" innovations, recognising in particular energy efficient products and efforts to minimise our environmental footprint.

"Entry to the 2008 iAwards provide independent recognition of ICT excellence and exposes participants to important audiences including industry peers, competitors and new customers whilst showcasing their innovations at a local, and possibly national and international level," said Sheryle Moon, Chief Executive Officer, AIIA.

This year's competition will be conducted in a new two-tier manner, in which judging will begin at the state and territory level. Winners from the first level of judging will go on to compete at national level, where they will present to a judging panel and compete against winners from other states and territories.

National winners in each category will have the opportunity to represent Australia in the Asia-Pacific ICT Awards (APICTA), which will be held in Indonesia in late 2008. Other APICTA member economies include Brunei, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.

AIIA's new two-tier approach is expected to provide award nominees with more opportunities for industry recognition, and the chance to raise their profile in the broader ICT community.

Nominations for the 2008 iAwards will close on March 7, and the individual state and territory winners will be announced at AIIA state events by March 25.

National winners will be announced at AIIA's gala event in Melbourne on May 28.