MEMBERS of the EADT’s Suffolk Future50 met for an evening of “speed networking” at the first of a series of events planned for 2013.

The Suffolk Future50, launched last November, is based on a listing of 50 businesses identified by a panel of judges as having the drive, ideas and potential to achieve high growth over the coming years and so help lead the county’s economic recovery.

The chosen businesses are also being invited to a variety of special events to help the Future50 become a vibrant business community in its own right, with links also being encouraged through social media.

Welcoming Future50 members and sponsors to the event, business editor Duncan Brodie said the continuing success of several Future50 businesses had already covered within the business pages of the EADT since last November’s launch, and he looked forward to featuring more news from member firms over the coming months and years.

The evening, facilitated for the EADT by Lexia Media, and held at the St Nicholas Centre and Sanctuary cafe in Ipswich, was also attended by representatives from East Anglian enterprise agency NWES, main sponsor of the Suffolk Future50, and fellow sponsors Birketts, Coutts & Co and Lovewell Blake.

The format for the evening saw the Future50 members and sponsors split into two groups for quick-fire one-to-one networking, with each conversation limited to three minutes.

NWES is also sponsoring a dedicated award for Suffolk Future50 members in the EADT Business Awards for 2012. The One of Watch category, open only to Future50 businesses, aims to recognise a firm which, besides its potential for sustained growth going forward, can also demonstrate outstanding success of the past year.

For the full criteria for the One to Watch category, visit www.eadtbusinessawards.co.uk.