The Wellington business community recognised its brightest entrepreneurs last night at the 2011 Bright Ideas Challenge Gala Event.

The Bright Ideas Challenge, an initiative of Grow Wellington, encourages idea generation and facilitates connections and support between entrepreneurs and Wellington’s innovation community. Only in its second year, the Bright Ideas Challenge has attracted an outstanding 925 submissions from entrepreneurs around the Wellington Region.

“The entrants in this year’s Bright Ideas Challenge are an impressive reflection of the aptitude and depth of Wellington’s entrepreneurial community,” said Nigel Kirkpatrick, Chief Executive of Grow Wellington. “As a region, Wellington really is an entrepreneurial hub; the ideas that have been generated by the 2011 Challenge are a huge testament to that.”

100 ideas have received business support and connections as a result of the Challenge with Kapiti Greenkeeper Systems Ltd receiving $25,000 growth capital for their idea - The Greenkeeper. Greenkeeper Systems Ltd are a resident business at the Clean Technology Centre in Otaki.

The Greenkeeper was a standout idea which achieves objectives of organisations around the globe to reduce carbon emissions and operating costs. The Greenkeeper is a system which ensures that desktop and laptop computers are switched off when not in use, alleviating the fact that the IT sector currently creates a greater carbon footprint than the aviation industry.

Alongside The Greenkeeper, 14 other ideas are being recognised for their excellence, ranging from Tattoo Aftercare to artificially intelligent digital and robotic characters.

“The Bright Ideas Challenge is a very successful platform which enables Wellington entrepreneurs to take their ideas to the next level,” says Nigel.

Taking it to the next level is exactly what last year’s Bright Ideas Challenge entrants are doing with over 100 businesses receiving on-going support from the innovation community and with last year’s brightest idea, Im-Able securing backing from U.S investors in June this year.

The Bright Ideas Challenge is a great showcase of the entrepreneurial talent that lies in the Wellington Region. With its innovative outlook and collaborative environment, the region really is the place for turning Bright Ideas into commercial reality.