AIE chairman and CEO John De Margheriti also founded computer game studio, Micro Forté. Photo: supplied.
Canberra’s innovative ICT industry is making waves, with a clutch of tech-firms among the finalists in the 2017 Telstra ACT Business Awards.
An academy for digital creatives and an IT quality control service join 12 other finalists in the awards which will be announced on Friday 21 July, at the National Gallery of Australia.
Telstra Director, Branded Channels, Mike Tregurtha, said the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) educated and produced the next generation of 3D animators and digital creatives. It has campuses in Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney, Seattle and Lafayette in the US, and online.
Founded by chairman and CEO John De Margheriti from computer game studio, Micro Forté, in partnership with the Canberra Institute of Technology, AIE has invested $5.4 million and given business support to innovative technology start-ups through its incubator program.
Mr Tregurtha said Informatech, an organisation delivering IT testing services, had met the increasing demand for faster deployment of IT systems, delivering quality control as a critical element of modern IT projects.
He said founders, Nathan Bligh and Scott Cleburne, had a mission to solve IT failures before they happened.
The Informatech team, from left, business manager Amanda Lax, principal tester Scott Cleburne and director Nathan Bligh. Photo: Supplied.
The Telstra Business Awards turn 25 this year and is the longest running program honouring the achievements of Australia’s best small and medium businesses (SMBs) and more recently, charities as well.
Mr Tregurtha said this year’s finalists were demonstrating what it took to become ‘that’ business – a leader in their field, a name that is trusted and admired and an organisation that inspires others.
“Many of the ACT finalists are great examples of innovators and early adopters who have used technology to help them gain an advantage in the market. They show how technology is fundamentally changing the way businesses operate today and delivering enormous benefits,” he said.
Other ACT finalists include Tailored Accounts, which provides hands-on, timely and innovative solutions in bookkeeping and accounting services; and Mint Content, a specialist content agency for IT and technology companies.
State and Territory category winners will go to Sydney for the national judging on 24 August, culminating in a celebration dinner on the night of 25 August 2017.
The finalists are:
New Business
- Dex, Canberra
- Informatech, Canberra
- Ki Acupuncture Pty Ltd, Canberra
- Black Fire Restaurant, Braddon
- Mint Content, Canberra
Small Business
- Capital Chemist Wanniassa, Wanniassa
- Tailored Accounts, Canberra
- Corporate Catering by Mr Cappuccino, Canberra
- Wholistic Financial Solutions, Canberra
Medium Business
- Barton Private Hospital, Canberra
- Forward IT, Canberra
- ABS Façade, Canberra
- Rork Projects Pty Ltd, Canberra
- The Academy of Interactive Entertainment Ltd, Canberra
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