The National Export Awards were announced last Friday night (December 5th), and I was fortunate enough to be at the event - along with several others from Intelledox. Being our first year entering the awards, we were thrilled to have won the ICT category in the ACT, and were looking forward to a special night at the Awards Gala in Melbourne.
The event didn't disappoint. Wall-to-wall tuxedos and gowns, award-winning Australian wines, excellent food, and a showcase of Australia's best exporters - large and small, and from cheese makers to deep-sea diving innovations.
I'd briefly looked at the other companies in the ICT category and knew Intelledox had some stiff competition. It was gratifying, though, when the company that DID win our category (Appen) went on to win the overall prize - the Prime Minister's Export Award for 2008.
I was very surprised, then, when the Rust Report stated this week that ICT had missed out in this year's export awards. How so? It was quite the contrary - with many innovative, clever ICT companies show-cased and Appen taking out the major award.
What was most apparent was how well Australian technology is received around the world. And even in the current climate there are still huge opportunities for companies that offer a genuinely good product, with real value, at a reasonable price - like Intelledox!
We will soon be able to announce another couple of overseas deals, building our story for the 2009 export awards. If we get to the finals again, I fully hope and expect that the ICT competition will again be tough. It's how it should be.