SEP has picked up two new prestigious industry awards at the UK Technology Innovation and Growth Awards.

The company was named Venture Capital Firm of the Year, beating rivals Amadeus, DFJ Esprit, Eden Ventures and JAFCO Ventures. SEP also won the Technology Venture Exit of the Year for the $275 million sale of oil technology pioneer MTEM to Petroleum Geo-Services.

The award organisers said the winner of the title was selected as a “recognised venture capital organisation that goes above and beyond the call of duty, this award is about providing much more than just finance but actively working in partnership with the portfolio to build and grow the technology businesses they invest in.”

The comments from the judges were: "SEP go from strength to strength. Its latest fundraising propelled it into an elite bunch of pan-European venture firms, and it provided some outstanding exits in a year when realisations were scarce. MTEM was a classic example of a supportive, hands-on venture investor at its best. University spin-outs are never
easy, so to have built one of the most successful of all time is a real accolade."

SEP portfolio companies were also strongly represented in the awards with Picochip, ip.access and Cambridge Semiconductor all securing nominations.

Cambridge-based ip.access, the market leader in picocell and femtocell technologies was named UK Spin-Out of the Year and wireless specialist Picochip was commended in the Hottest UK Technology Prospect of the Year category.