Minister for e-commerce Patricia Hewitt has kicked off the second annual ISI/InterForum award scheme, designed to recognise small businesses that achieve big things on the internet.

The scheme has a total prize pool of £118,000 and is open to any company with less than 250 employees.

The competition is run by the Department of Trade & Industry's Information Society Initiative group, jointly with the non-profit technology campaigner InterForum. The DTI sees it as an ideal vehicle for promoting the message Ms Hewitt never seems to tire of: "We are committed to making the UK the best place in the world for electronic commerce by 2002,"

she said. The organisers have established a series of 11 regional heats, followed by a national final scheduled for June.

Last year's winners were remarkably diverse, spanning service companies, retailers and manufacturers.

More information is available on: www.dti.gov.uk, www.isi.gov.uk or www.interforum.org

Elliott Chase