Parijs, 19 februari 2007 - Twintig Europese bedrijven zijn uitgeroepen als finalist voor de European Information and Communication Technology Prize 2007 (European ICT Prize). De 20 finalisten zijn door een Europese jury gekozen uit in totaal 70 genomineerde Europese bedrijven. Duitsland levert dit jaar de meeste finalisten: 7 Duitse bedrijven dingen mee naar de prestigieuze European ICT Grand Prize ter waarde van EUR200.000. De andere finalisten komen uit Frankrijk (4 finalisten), Oostenrijk (3 finalisten), Zweden (2 finalisten), Finland (1 finalist), Israël (1 finalist), Noorwegen (1 finalist) en het Verenigd Koninkrijk (1 finalist). De eerder genomineerde Nederlandse bedrijven hebben geen finaleplaats weten te behalen. In totaal wordt EUR700.000 aan prijzengeld verdeeld onder de winnaars en finalisten van de European ICT Prize.
De European ICT Prize is een jaarlijkse Europese prijs voor ICT-innovatie, ondersteund door de Europese Commissie. Eurocommissaris Viviane Reding onthult op 16 maart 2007 de winnaars van de European ICT Prize 2007.
In totaal 450 deelnemers uit 30 verschillende landen namen deel aan de European ICT Prize 2007.
Voor meer informatie over de finalisten:
www.ict-prize.orgZie ook het volledige, Engelstalige persbericht hieronder.
# # #
Final twenty for top European technology prize announced
Paris, 19.02.2007
20 finalists have been announced for one of Europe's most coveted technology prizes. At stake - a total of EUR700,000 in prize money, to be awarded to the winning candidates for the 2007 European Information and Communications Technology Prize.
The Prize is awarded to companies for new and imaginative products and services based on information and communications technologies, or "digital technologies". This covers the converging fields of computer, media and communications industries - considered to be among the driving forces in modern economies.
Following the initial selection in January of 70 Nominees from a record-breaking 450 candidates, the judges faced the difficult task of choosing the final 20 companies that will compete for a share of the EUR700,000 prize money. The Winners and Grand Prize Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at CeBIT, one of the world's major ICT events, in Hanover, Germany on March 16th.
Germany heads the list of finalists with an impressive 7 representatives, followed by France (4), Austria (3), Sweden (2) and Finland, Israel, Norway and the UK each with 1 finalist.
See full details of the finalists and their projects at:
www.ict-prize.orgFor the companies selected, nomination for the Grand Prize is an endorsement of their technological and business potential. It boosts their commercial prospects and helps attract finance for their business ventures.
The Prize is supported by the European Commission as part of its efforts to promote Europe's ICT industry and boost growth. Participation is open to candidates from 33 countries. The Commission will select the Winners and Grand Prize Winners in March, based on the ratings of the judges. Prizes will be presented by European Commissioner Mrs Viviane Reding at CeBIT on March 16th.
###
The European Information and Communication Technologies Prize is organised by Euro-CASE with the support and sponsorship of the European Commission. Euro-CASE is a European non-profit organisation of national academies of Engineering, Technologies and Applied Sciences from 20 European countries.