Strong showing for FutureBook Innovation awards

Penguin, HarperCollins, Profile, Bardowl and The History Press have been shortlisted for a FutureBook Innovation Award, the third year of the initiative that aims to recognise innovation and those teams, companies and individuals involved in the transformation of the book trade. This year's awards, sponsored by e-bookseller Kobo, are to be presented at The Bookseller's FutureBook Conference on 3rd December.

HarperCollins, Faber, Profile and Faber are to go head-to-head in the best adult app category, with Naomi Alderman's Zombie, Run! interactive story app published with Six to Start completing the five-strong shortlist.

In the reference category, independent publisher The History Press is up against HarperCollins' Atlas; CUP's Shakespeare apps; Heuristic Media's London app; and apps from Natural History Museum; and the Royal Collection. In the children's category, small indies Nosy Crow and Barefoot Books are up against Dorling Kindersley, StoryToys, and Penguin. Khoya, an interactive fantasy adventure illustrated and animated by Indian illustrator Shilo Shiv Suleman, written by Avijit Michael and built by Tank & Bear is also shortlisted in this category.

Bloomsbury, Constable & Robinson, OUP, HarperCollins, Random House, Biteback and Sourcebooks are all vying for the best website award. Meanwhile, Macmillan has three campaigns shortlisted under the best integrated digital marketing campaign category, including the 30 anniversary of Dear ZOO books. Hachette Children's is also shortlisted in this category, along with Random House, OUP, Penguin and The History Press.

Shortlisted for best start-up are digital audio book download service Bardowl, which last year won the Innovation Award for best technological innovation. Joining Bardowl is Readmill, ILoveBooks.com, Jellybooks, and textbook rental service Flooved. Kobo's reading app, FirstyGroup, CourseSmart, Harlequin, Thomson Reuters, and Impelsys are shortlisted in the best technological innovation category.

Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller and FutureBook, commented: "For a second consecutive year, we've seen the standard and diversity of the award entries grow. Much has been written about how publishers are only slowly adjusting to this new world, and how they might express their content on the new platforms, but these entries show that innovation is alive, kicking, and finding a place in the market." In total 221 entries were received from 19 different countries.

"As well as the UK and US, entries came from far and wide, including: Israel, Norway, Australia, Croatia, India, South Africa, Singapore, Germany and more.

Judging takes place next week, with judges including Jones, The Bookseller's head of events and marketing Sam Missingham, Osprey chief executive Rebecca Smart, Bloomsbury digital director Stephanie Duncan, Harlequin Mills & Book director of digital and direct Tim Cooper, and Macmillan's digital director Sara Lloyd.

The awards will be announced at the FutureBook conference on 3rd December. A special award will also be given to most inspiring digital person, won last year by Smart.