UK Monarch invades Cromwell country to reward Cambridge innovation in Autonomy, Cambridge Consultants
Cambridgeshire's most famous son Oliver Cromwell, the only English republican who ever delivered on his vision, may well be turning in his grave as Her Majesty Elizabeth II invaded, ‘virtually', his home turf to recognise the quality of some of the companies operating in the so-called Cambridge Cluster.
The Queen's Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious UK business awards and are a celebration of the country's most successful organizations. The Awards are made each year by The Queen, on the advice of the Prime Minister, assisted by an Advisory Committee that includes representatives of Government, industry and commerce and the trade unions.
Autonomy Corporation plc, a global leader in infrastructure software for the enterprise and the largest company by market capitalisation HQed in Cambridge, said its flagship Meaning Based Computing solution, the Intelligent Data Operating Layer (IDOL), has been awarded the Queen's Awards for Enterprise, in the Innovation category.
The award probably confirms Autonomy's reputation as the UK's leading software house.
CEO and founder Mike Lynch said: "Autonomy has revolutionized the software industry and we pride ourselves on innovation, so we are thrilled to be recognised by such a prestigious entity for our efforts."
Autonomy, the second largest software firm in Europe, was founded by Dr Lynch in 1996 based on his vision to change the way in which people interact with information and computers, ensuring that computers map to the world of humans rather than the other way round. IDOL, which lies at the heart of Autonomy's infrastructure software, forms an understanding of all data in the enterprise including human-friendly formats such as Web pages, emails, voice and video. By processing over 1,000 data formats automatically, IDOL enables organizations to unlock the hidden value of these traditionally untapped data assets.
The iconic Silicon Fen firm Cambridge Consultants has been awarded a Queen's Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category, in recognition of the strong growth of its export business.
The company, which celebrates 50 years of operation next year, has offices in both Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts and is part of the Altran Group. Its 300 engineers, scientists and designers create innovative solutions for the medical technology, consumer, transport, wireless and cleantech industries.
In 2008, exports accounted for more than 70% of the company's business, an achievement based on its reputation for helping clients - from start-ups to blue-chip multinationals - get their products to market fast and gain competitive advantage.
CEO Brian Moon said: "Our international trade, which is based on our reputation for delivering quality, has increased significantly in recent years.
"I think it demonstrates that companies requiring innovative product development, wherever in the world they are, will seek out UK excellence. This award is a mark of quality and reflects the effective work and expertise of our 300 staff."
Between 2004 and 2008, ten Cambridge-based firms have received a Queen's Award, three of which - Cambridge Silicon Radio, Inca Digital and Xaar plc - were spun out from Cambridge Consultants.
Collectively, Cambridge Consultants and its numerous spin-outs have been pivotal in the creation of wealth and jobs, and in the evolution of a world-class technology hub known colloquially as the ‘Cambridge Phenomenon'.
