Design technology will be showcased at this year's MTN/Business Day Technology Top 100 (TT100) awards later this year when captains of industry and senior government ministers - including president Mbeki - gather to recognise the 100 most technologically excellent companies in the country.

The TT100 awards are an initiative of the South African Engineering Association (SAVI), in partnership with the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology.

Design technology company, Autodesk, funds two of the TT 100 awards - the Autodesk award for the most effective use of design technology in the manufacturing category and the built environment sector. 2002 is the company's third year of involvement in the awards programme.

The Autodesk awards are presented to the companies that are judged to have made the most effective use of computer-aided design (CAD) technology to promote innovation, design excellence and competitive advantage - for themselves and for South Africa. They must have demonstrated that their successful implementation and use of CAD technology have led to at least four of the following: South African innovation, design excellence, competitive advantage, the creation of South African intellectual property value, increased productivity, reduced costs, increased quality and export opportunities for products or services.

The adjudication process involves completion of a detailed questionnaire and an exacting interview. For more information on the adjudication process, contact Carol Varga at SAVI, tel: 011 900 4466.

For more information: Autodesk Africa, 012 664 8115, geo-south-africa@autodesk.com