ICS.AI Win AI Excellence in Innovation Award at the South Coast Tech & Innovation Awards 2025

On 16 October 2025, leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs from across the South Coast gathered at the Hilton Utilita Bowl for the South Coast Tech & Innovation Awards 2025 - a celebration of the region’s thriving technology and innovation landscape. The evening showcased how rapidly the South Coast’s tech ecosystem is evolving, from early-stage start-ups to established enterprises.

ICS.AI were proud to take home the first award of the evening, from a competitive field, with the AI Excellence in Innovation award, with the judges hailing:

“ICS.AI as having a mature product offering and a proven track record, with the team already helping local councils unlock scalable solutions that achieve major cost savings.”

Key Themes from the Awards

• The UK leading AI innovation – The presence of such a number of AI organisations from the South Coast highlighted the importance of AI innovation.

• Regional innovation is flourishing - The strong turnout and diverse award categories reflected a healthy ecosystem that’s scaling rapidly across multiple industries.

• Visibility drives growth - Recognition through awards such as these offers start-ups and SMEs a valuable insight platform for investment, partnerships, and brand visibility.

• Momentum is building - With next year’s event already in planning, the South Coast is positioning itself as one of the UK’s fastest-growing regional tech hubs.

All involved were winners

Receiving the AI Excellence in Innovation Award on behalf of ICS.AI was Rahim Bajou, CTO, presented by lead sponsor Spectrum IT Recruitment and host Timandra Harkness.

Congratulations to all the finalists and winners from the evening, including: Tekever Ltd, Canary Care, Total Security Limited, entrustIT, Sarah Neenan & Emma Dawson from IBM, CV-Library, Trellint UK, Absolar Solutions, QWARE Ltd and Echo AI.

A Night of Collaboration and Momentum

A huge thank you to the judges, organisers Insider Media and The Business Magazine - South East, backed by a strong line-up of sponsors - including Spectrum IT Recruitment, alongside BDO UK, Blake Morgan LLP, Menzies LLP, S&W and University of Southampton Science Park - the event highlighted how innovation now cuts across every sector. Far from being a single-industry showcase, it demonstrated the South Coast’s growing ability to bring together technology, business, academia, and public services under a shared vision of progress.

Why It Matters for the South Coast

The South Coast Tech & Innovation Awards 2025 served as a clear indicator of where the region’s economic and digital priorities lie. Beyond the trophies and recognition, the event reflected a strong ecosystem mindset - one where local collaboration drives national competitiveness.

These signals matter for investors, educators, and policymakers who want to understand where growth is happening and how best to support it.

Looking Ahead

As digital transformation accelerates across every sector, the South Coast’s blend of technical expertise, creative talent, and collaborative culture is proving to be a major competitive advantage. The 2025 awards made that clear – innovation here isn’t a future goal; it’s already part of the region’s identity.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable night celebrating the very best of South Coast tech and innovation and networking with all involved. We feel incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved delivering AI to help public sector organisations unlock their full potential through our SMART: AI Unified Platform - driving measurable outcomes, ethical implementation, and sustainable value for communities across the South Coast and the wider UK.

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