Three Gwent tech companies have come out as winners at the Wales Technology Awards 2019.

Gerard Church and Jackson Hull, from Newport-based comparison site GoCompare, won Best New Talent and Technology Leader of the Year respectively.

Chepstow-based TXO Systems, took home the International Impact Award for Hardware and Drone Evolution, based in Caerphilly, won the Sir Michael Mortiz Tech Start Up Award.

Powered by The ESTnet, the awards celebrated the best of the thriving Welsh technology industry.

Keynote speaker at the awards ceremony was Lee Waters, deputy minister for economy and transport.

Avril Lewis, managing director of the ESTnet, said: “The technology industry is hugely important to Wales. It provides more than 40,000 high value jobs across the country, contributes significantly to our economy and enables other industries and market sectors to transform and grow.

“The technology industry in UK is growing one and half times faster than the overall economy. This means that the impact this industry has will only continue to become more prevalent over the next few years.

“Across the whole of Wales, there are innovative companies doing truly great work, and it has been an honour to bring the industry together and celebrate their achievements at the biggest night of the year for Welsh technology.

“The theme of the past year has been uncertainty, both within the UK and internationally. However, the theme of this year’s awards has been unity and togetherness. Together we can continue to build a thriving industry that sits at the heart of the Welsh economy and capitalise on the endless opportunities available to position Wales on the global stage.”

Lee Waters said: “At a time of economic uncertainty and upheaval we are seeing the technology sector in Wales continue to flourish. Successful Welsh tech start-ups are growing into small, medium and even large businesses, creating high value, highly-skilled opportunities for people across Wales while bringing forward solutions and technology that in many cases are genuinely world leading.”

“I’m delighted to be a part of the Wales Technology Awards; to take the time to recognise and celebrate the achievements of the businesses nominated here, and across the industry. It provides further opportunity to engage with this transformative industry, to understand what we can do to harness the talent we have in Wales to ensure we maximise the potential of tech to transform the public sector, and all industries across Wales.”

Professor Jon Platts, dean of Cardiff School of Technologies at headline sponsor Cardiff Metropolitan University, said: “We are hugely impressed by the standard of entries in this year’s awards and warmly congratulate all the winners on their well-deserved honours."