The government today announced the shortlist of finalists for its first-ever awards to recognise the best of British science, technology and innovation.

The final iawards winners will be announced during a ceremony at the Science Museum on 16 November.

The shortlist innovators announced today include:

• The iaward for energy and environment: AlertMe, AMEE UK Ltd and Siemens Mobility, Traffic Solutions: Environmentally Friendly ELV Traffic Systems;
• The iaward for places to live and work: E-Stack Ltd: E-Stack Atrium Ventilation System, Quiet Revolution Ltd: qr5 Wind Turbine, Crest Nicholson: Sustainable Communities;
• The iaward for digital communications: Mippin: Mippin Buzz Widgets, BigHand: BigHand for BlackBerry smartphones, Powertraveller Ltd: solargorilla;
• The iaward for entertainment and media: Publishing Research Laboratories Ltd: Intelligent Flatplan, Cortexica Limited: Cortexica, The Foundry: Ocula;
• The iaward for a consumer product: Unilever R&D: Pureit – home water purification device, MAS Design Products Ltd: One Touch™ Automatic Jar Opener, trueCall Ltd: trueCall;
• The iaward for cross-application of technology: Legal Advice Direct-Video Conferencing Services Limited Information: Advice Support Service, Metrasens Ltd: Ferroguard, National Physcial Laboratory: Automated Vegetable Harvesting Vehicle;
• The iaward for best collaboration: Opal Contracts: Infection Minimising Curtain Hook, Nottingham Scientific Ltd: Next Generation Satellite Navigation Receiver, Thales Research & Technology (UK) Limited: nuVa;
• The iaward for British inside: Ubisense: Ubisense Real Time Location System, DigePrint Ltd: LumeJet, Alumet Systems (UK) Ltd: ABLE Facade System;
• The iaward for best technology start-up: Horizon Discovery Ltd: Introducing the X-MAN: A Model Cancer Patient, i2O Water Ltd: Intelligent Water Control – Advanced Pressure Management, Novacem Limited: Novacem;
• The iaward for the next big thing: Diverse-Energy Ltd.: PowerCube, Baxi Group:  Baxi Ecogen micro-CHP, Argento Diagnostics Ltd:  Argento Diagnostics.

All entrants had to specify the British involvement in any innovation, demonstrating that creative thinking and development came from a British organisation or team. Each entry also had to illustrate how its innovative qualities relate to at least one of the following challenges:

• Addressing the healthcare needs of an ageing society;
• Increasing international security from tackling global poverty to minimising the threat of terrorism;
• Preserving finite natural resources in the face of population growth and climate change; and
• Delivering public services which make best use of new technologies.

• iawards recognise cutting-edge British innovation