AN OLDBURY entrepreneur has scooped an award for innovation after developing a revolutionary cyber security system.

Nithin Thomas beat off competition from 800 youngsters to make it through to the final of the Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Although he missed out on the main title, the judges were so impressed with the 29-year-old’s firm SQR Systems, which has developed software to thwart hackers, they selected him to receive the LiveWIRE 2012 Innovation Award.

Nithin received the honour at a ceremony at Millbank Tower, London, last Wednesday from Shell UK chairman Graham van’t Hoff.

Nithin set up his business two years ago having developed the technology as part of his PhD in engineering at the University of Bristol under the supervision of professor Dave Bull.

The system he developed also solves difficulties with delivering high quality video content through low bandwidth and means emergency response units can access CCTV footage on a tablet device or smartphone, even in regions with low signal strength.