THIS year's Daily Echo-backed Hampshire business Awards were launched with a splash today, starting the campaign to find the very best of business talent in the county.

The awards, sponsored by commercial lawyers Bond Pearce, business adviser KPMG and The Royal Bank of Scotland, are now in their 14th year and have a long tradition of revealing Hampshire's hottest business talent.

This year's awards will culminate in a gala dinner at the marina in Ocean Village on September 16 to tie in with the start of the Global Challenge, the toughest round-the-world yacht race.

Nick Page, commercial partner at Bond Pearce in Southampton, said: "With the Global Challenge recognised as one of the most demanding events in sailing, holding this year's event at Ocean Village, the home of the Global Challenge, will provide an exciting and unique dimension to this important event in the business calendar.

"However, there's a long search ahead to find the exceptional companies in the running this year. So, Hampshire businesses, let us know about your success and achievements!"

New for this year's Hampshire Business Awards is the Royal Bank of Scotland's International Trade Award.

Mark Price, RBS's regional director of corporate banking, said: "Hampshire has a long tradition of being committed to international trade and we want to celebrate the companies which have really embraced the global marketplace. We are looking forward to hearing about the companies which demonstrate that the county's businesses are truly world class."

The other two sought-after awards, which have been established for a number of years, are the Bond Pearce Innovation Award, which recognises innovation in business process, products or services, and the KPMG Company of the Year, which seeks out all-round business excellence.

Tony Cottam, senior partner at KPMG's Southampton office, said: "The Hampshire Business Awards offer an opportunity for businesses to really shout about their success and achievements in different ways and reveal a wealth of business talent and a range of skills.

"These three different awards offer the business community a great opportunity to highlight the skills that allow them to ride the crest of Hampshire's business wave."

Business South - part of the Daily Echo - will be providing extensive coverage of the runners and riders in these awards, as well as focusing on how firms that won last year's categories fared.

Entry forms are available now and can be obtained by emailing HBA04@KPMG.co.uk