THE annual search to find the cream of Hampshire’s companies has begun with the launch of this year’s Hampshire Business Awards.

This year, the awards, sponsored by the Hampshire Chronicle’s sister newspaper, the Daily Echo, will be aiming to highlight companies that show resilience, resourcefulness and the ability to step up their game with innovative responses to the recession.

Now in their 19th year, the awards set out to identify the county’s very best business talent.

They’ll be presented at a dinner to be held in October at the famed country house hotel, Chewton Glen, New Milton, and hosted by BBC business and finance expert, Declan Curry.

Judges will be looking for the county’s best business in three categories, the KPMG Company of the Year award, the Bond Pearce award for Innovation and, for the first time, the Royal Bank of Scotland has come up with a new category.

In place of its previous International Trade Award is the new RBS Management Team of the Year Award aims to recognise a team of individuals whose hard work, commitment and insight has made a major impact.

Phil Cotton, senior partner at KPMG’s Southampton office, said: “We are looking forward to receiving entries from a range of companies telling us about their achievements. We recognise that tougher trading conditions exist but we are also aware of the high calibre of businesses still thriving in the local vicinity.

“We are interested to hear from companies that continue to succeed and have recognised the importance of adapting to the ever-changing market.”

Nick Page, chairman at Bond Pearce, added: “The awards are open to a broad range of businesses and we look forward to hearing from both well-established corporates and up and coming younger businesses, which often boast new and exciting ideas and products.

“The innovation award always produces some surprises, which demonstrates the importance of innovation at all times in the life of a business.”

Dan Salanson, head of corporate banking for RBS Solent, said: “We are excited to launch a new category and look forward to receiving nominations from management teams who contribute to the overall success of a business.”

Businesses can enter as many of the three categories as they wish ahead of the deadline of Friday, June 12.