The business, which has offices in Nottingham, Glasgow, Melbourne and Calgary, provides software to public and private sector organisations across 17 different countries. Its software allows law enforcement agencies and investigation teams to solve crimes, reduce fraud and corruption, increase efficiency, save time and streamline processes using secure, trusted technology.

Last year over 25 per cent of its security software was sold outside of the UK – a key factor in the business being recognised by the awards, which have celebrated the best of British businesses since they were established in 1965.

The award win, which Altia says acknowledges the success of its software in helping law enforcement and private sector organisations connect the dots in big data, comes as the business aims to establish itself as the global leader in intelligence and investigation management software following investment from NorthEdge in 2020. It has also appointed Andy Peet as CFO and Huw Bristow as CTO to help drive growth.

Andy joins from sales software business, Sales-i, and brings more than 10 years’ experience in senior financial roles. Huw has over a decade of experience in senior technology roles, leading development in businesses including smart home product provider Lightwave and contact centre systems provider Genesys.

Altia plans to target new private sector markets with its solutions including its case management and data analytics platform, which has applications across multiple sectors and international markets. As part of this work the business is undergoing a brand refresh to help it target more clients around the world.

Rob Sinclair, CEO at Altia, said: “Winning a Queen’s Award is the culmination of everyone in our team pulling together in the same direction. Security and customer excellence is at the heart of everything we do, and that has allowed Altia to grow internationally through our quality proposition. We’re one of a small number of businesses offering investigative solutions of this calibre globally and this has opened the door to conversations with public sector authorities around the world.

“We’re increasing the pace further in 2021. We’re honing our private sector and international sales strategies, reinforcing our team and refining our approach through a brand refresh – ensuring we effectively communicate how our best-in-class software can help private sector clients.”

Kevin O’Loughlin, Investment Director at NorthEdge, said: “Altia’s potential internationally is hugely exciting and gaining the recognition of a Queen’s Award is further evidence of its market-leading status.

“Altia is a great example of the type of business NorthEdge looks to partner with. It has a unique and exciting proposition, supporting investigation teams globally to transition to a digital-first approach, long-term customer relationships and an opportunity to increase its addressable market. However, ultimately, its ambitious and passionate people are the reason it is leading in its market.”