Lincolnshire County Council’s onlincolnshire project is inviting people to show their support for the Lincolnshire Technology Hubs by voting for them to win a prestigious national award.

The technology hubs, which have been set up by onlincolnshire in Boston, Horncastle, Lincoln, Louth and Mablethorpe, have been included in the 2015 Digital Leaders 100 list and shortlisted in the Best Digital Skills Product or Service category.

Voting for the overall winners of the Digital Leaders 100 is now open and will close at the end of May 2015. To vote for onlincolnshire visit www.digitalleaders100.co.uk

The top places and sector winners from the 2015 list will be announced at an awards dinner on the 25th June at the Hilton on Park Lane.

The Digital Leaders 100 list honours the highest digital achievements from across the UK’s public, private and non-profit sectors, celebrating individuals and organisations that are using digital to transform the UK’s public services and its social and economic opportunities.

Each year, the Digital Leaders community comes together with the wider digital sector to nominate candidates across ten categories, each with ten places, to create the Digital Leaders 100 list.

Following the announcement of this list, the public vote is launched and the results combined with the views of an eminent judging panel of ten digital experts from the Digital Leaders community to determine the final order of the list.

The Lincolnshire Technology Hubs were set up as part of the county council’s onlincolnshire project to give businesses access to state-of-the-art digital technology.

Nicola Radford from Lincolnshire County Council said just to be included in the list is an amazing achievement: “I am over the moon that the efforts of the hubs to help Lincolnshire businesses keep up to date with technology and improve their digital skills and knowledge have received national recognition.

“We’ve worked with some fascinating businesses from budding entrepreneurs who want to make a prototype to manufacturing firms who want to improve the efficiency of their processes. And this is what the hubs are all about: enabling businesses to leverage new technology to achieve their potential.

“So far we have welcomed 780 businesses through the doors and we’ve already won two national awards: a Digital Education and Expertise Award in the Next Generation Digital Challenge Awards 2014 and a High Impact Award from Global Entrepreneurship Week 2014. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that we can make it a hat-trick!”

The hubs, which are part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), are home to a range of digital technology including 3D printers, laser cutters, scanners, GoPro cameras, milling machines and Oculus Rift virtual reality headsets.

At the Louth Hub visitors can access professional movement and sport analysis using ultra high-speed cameras and biomechanical techniques to study people or machinery moving at high speed. The footage can then be played back in 2D or 3D and analysed in minute detail to help improve performance, technique or business process.

All of the equipment can be borrowed or used for free by eligible businesses, with just a small charge to cover insurance costs and materials used. Businesses can also take advantage of 12 hours’ free one-to-one advice and support specifically tailored to their needs.

To find out more about the Lincolnshire Technology Hubs please visit the onlincolnshire website www.onlincolnshire.org , follow @onlincolnshire on Twitter or visit www.facebook.com/onlincolnshire

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Notes to Editors:

About onlincolnshire
• onlincolnshire is a Lincolnshire County Council-run project which is part-funded by the East Midlands European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013.
• In March 2013, the council signed a £48 million contract with BT to provide superfast broadband to at least 88% of county properties by 2016, with the remaining properties having access to at least of 2Mbps broadband. A further investment of £2.8 million was announced in February 2014 which has increased the number of properties to 89%.
• The contract with BT concentrates on an intervention area of over 150,000 premises where existing or planned commercial roll outs would not deliver superfast speeds.
• The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit www.communities.gov.uk/erdf
• Some internet users in rural Lincolnshire experience speeds of less than 1 Mbps. The UK’s average broadband speed is 12 Mbps, according to Ofcom.
• onlincolnshire also offers up to 12 hours of support and advice to eligible Lincolnshire businesses to help them make the most of their access to improved broadband. Specialist consultants provide demonstrations, workshops, masterclasses or one-to-one coaching and mentoring to businesses to improve their services, processes, productivity and profitability.