The search is on for the best businesses in Sussex.

The Sussex Business Awards 2003 were launched at Alias Hotel Seattle, Brighton, last Thursday, when almost 100 of the county's leading businessmen and women met this year's panel of judges and heard from three of last year's winning companies on what the awards meant to them.

Three new awards were announced and new sponsors were introduced. The Innovation and Business Development category is for companies that have been through a period of substantial change, developing new products, entering new markets or finding new ways of doing business, and is sponsored by law firm asb-law in association with the Sussex Innovation Centre (Sinc).

The principal judges for the category will be Caroline Armitage, partner asb-law, and Michael Herd, executive director of Sinc.

Also new is an award for Sustainable Business, which has been introduced for companies which create wealth while protecting the environment.

This is being sponsored by South East Water in association with the Environment Agency.

The principal judge is Margaret Devlin, managing director, South East Water.

The third new award is for Entrepreneur of the Year and will go to the person who has shown the most outstanding enterprise.

Sponsored by Meridian, it will be judged by Lindsay Charlton, managing director of Meridian Broadcasting.

The other award categories are: Company of the Year, Learning Pays, Small Business, University-Business Partnership, Dynamic Business, Career Development, Business Community Citizenship, Creative Industries and Sussex Businessman/Businesswoman of the Year.

This year, the Company of the Year will be chosen from the most outstanding entrants for all the categories and will be for the company that has demonstrated outstanding performance in one or more aspects of its business over the year.

Deloitte & Touche, the UK's fastest-growing professional services firm, is the new sponsor for this award.

Business Link will be sponsoring the awards programme for the first time.

The Argus is again sponsoring the Sussex Retailer of the Year but this year readers will be invited to nominate their favourite retailer. Marcus Naylor, group advertisement manager, Newsquest (Sussex), will be the principal judge.

Register online at www.sussex-business-awards.co.uk or complete the registration form in the prospectus available from the awards press office on 01273 207155.

Wednesday May 7