Who's the UK's IT Community Hero of the Year?

Entries are now open for the prestigious CNET Networks UK Business Technology Awards 2008, awarding some of the most sought-after accolades in the UK technology industry.

Last year's event was the most successful yet, with the best and brightest across both the supplier and user communities in the UK technology industry rewarded for their achievements.

The awards are brought to you by CNET Networks UK, ZDNet.co.uk's publisher, and include categories for companies and individuals who want to showcase their achievements and innovations over the past year.

One new category this year is for IT Community Hero of the Year. The winner will be the person, team or organisation who has done the most to make the lives and jobs of people in IT easier and more productive through building connections fostering a sense of community. This could encompass anything from an individual's IT blog to corporate sponsorship of an IT community effort, such as an open-source project.

Among the other categories are CIO of the Year — won last year by former Tesco chief information officer Colin Cobain — and IT Team of the Year, another new award.

The judges will also be accepting entries for the best technology products and services, including Server or Storage Product, Business Application, Networking Product, Security Product or Service, Communications Product or Service, Mobile Product or Service and Technology Innovation of the Year.

The best technology projects in the public sector, retail and leisure industry, and financial services sector will also pick up a gong at the prestigious awards ceremony and gala dinner on 23 September, 2008, in London.

The deadline for entering the awards is 30 May, 2008, and full details of the categories and entry criteria can be found on the awards website.

The shortlist will be decided by a comprehensive judging panel before the winners are announced at the end of September.

If you have any nominations you'd like to share for the categories — perhaps a project you know about, a product you love, a technology innovation that has wowed you, or someone you regard as a real IT community hero — please let us know using the Talkback facility below.