More ISVs win at Consensus

A record 15 software developers won gongs at the 2005 Consensus Software Awards in Sydney last night, including a stronger than usual contingent from Victoria.

Fifteen of 24 finalists hailing from across Australia -- and one from New Zealand -- took home a prize at a gala dinner at Sydney's Four Seasons hotel on Thursday.

Organisers Julian Day and Terry Insley said the number was the highest ever, from a stronger, more innovative field of contestants for the six-year-old award program.

"2005 was a testament to the quality of Australian entrepreneurs, the strength of their ideas and their ability to embrace innovation," Day added, reading from a statement sent to Consensus signed by prime minister John Howard.

The 15 ISV winners were: Financial Network Services, GetData, Easy Post, Infra Corporation, nSynergy, Oniqua Enterprise Analytics, PlanTech Consulting Group, RocketReader, TasKEY, ICOMMS, Open Windows Australia, e-Novation, AfterMail, Sparx Systems and Connxion.

Melbourne's nSynergy also won a $10,000 cheque as the winner of the Microsoft Global Export Potential 2005 award.

Eight finalists were from Victoria, eight from New South Wales, two from South Australia, three from Queensland, one from the Northern Territory and one from ACT. After Mail was the sole New Zealand representative.

Two more -- ManageSoft Corporation and Ticketek's Softix -- were highly commended.

Bright Software, Atac, InfoComp, Loyalty-Magic, Mercury Advisory Group, Readify, SRA Information Technology were the remaining finalists.

Consensus' Insley said the finalists represented the pinnacle of the Australian software industry.

"These companies are outstanding examples and each one will go on to bigger and greater things. We wish them the greatest success," he said.

Many of the finalists were already notching up wins overseas, Insley added.

The awards were judged over "the better part" of two days by a panel comprising industry representatives, including managing directors, business consultants, public relations specialists and IT managers.