FEMALE entrepreneurs are being encouraged to enter a new category at the Spirit of Innovation Awards this year.

The Female Innovator category aims to seek out entrepreneurs who have recently designed or developed a unique product or service, which stands out as an example of cutting-edge innovation.

The additional accolade is part of a drive to encourage more female enterprise and innovation in the North-East.

Research carried out by Professor Pooran Wyanarczyk and Jonathan Brown from the Small Enterprise Research Unit, at the University of Newcastle, found that the region has a low participation of women in high level economic activities, such as science, innovation and invention.

Although 70 per cent of the North-East firms surveyed had female employees, only about ten per cent of those were involved in innovation and other scientific and technical related activities, compared with 60 per cent of their male counterparts.

Heather Kitching won the overall Spirit of Innovation award in 2004 with her 'Reuzip' packaging products.