In order to be awarded with an honourable mention or a prize, there is only one requirement: to have created excellence. This excellence could come from the way that an idea was developed that led to innovation or it could be as simple as maintaining coherent and high quality standards in your equipment and in the services you provide.

Therefore, each year I proudly watch university professors who are largely unknown to the general public have their work recognised. This is not a life’s work it is many lives’ works. Theirs, their students’… their universities.

It is with immeasurable pride that I see project managers with little visibility being distinguished. These projects then gain more visibility through this distinction. This is the case with Pordata.

This was also the case with alimentestaideia.net from the Food Bank Against Hunger that was distinguished this year and then two weeks later received another award.

It is also important for companies, the majority of which are international, because these awards show that here in Portugal there is someone who is looking at local groups and their abilities and praising their work. This is a complete contrast to the typical attitude here in Portugal that the Portuguese do not do anything better than anyone else.  

I cannot imagine how the youngsters who receive these awards must feel. This year teams from Seed Studios, Landka and INESC Porto all won awards. These groups are young, they are bursting with talent and they are immune to pessimism. And they have proved their worth; they are not a mere smokescreen. They have fought hard, they are fighting for what they believe and they are looking for success. They are entrepreneurs. They are taking their first steps. They take the risk and create technology based businesses in the current economic climate. 

It is also particularly exciting to hear business people, scientists and politicians…call the “The Best of Portuguese Technology” conference a renowned event for Science and New Technology in Portugal. This year, however, the event that ends with the presentation of awards was particularly special.

I was part of the jury for the “Personality Award” and we unanimously decided to posthumously give the award to Diogo Vasconcelos. I was very happy when we voted and his name was selected.

But nothing compares to the heartfelt homage paid by José Tribolet, the president of INESC and the jury, when we attributed the awards to the parents of Diogo Vasconcelos. I have been working at Exame Informática for over a decade and that was certainly a moment that I will never forget.

By Pedro Miguel Oliveira

Exame Informática, 1st January 2012