Cape Town - First National Bank and Paperight were crowned innovation masters in Accenture's 2013 Innovation Index at a gala awards dinner on Thursday night.

The index aims to measure, promote and reward innovative ideas and commercial concepts in both the public and private sectors. It was launched to promote business growth and the development of new, sustainable enterprises that will spur job creation.

The innovation master category was open to any organisation regardless of size or industry. The adjudicators and judges looked at each entry's entire innovation ecosystem from HR and social systems to brand, marketing and product development.

First National Bank won the Zenith award, presented to an organisation with an annual turnover above R40m, while Paperight won the Apex award for an organisation with an annual turnover of under R40m.

First National Bank's strategy of “Rewarding relationships” combines banking innovation with helpful rewards. FNB's innovation highlights include being named Most Innovative Bank at the 2012 BAI-Finacle Global Banking Innovation Awards.

It has also been recognised as the Most Innovative Bank in South Africa for the past seven years.

Paperight turns any business with a printer and an internet connection into a print-on-demand bookstore. By registering with Paperight for free, businesses have access to an online library from which they can legally print out books, magazines and other documents for their customers.

In addition, Lodox Systems’ Xmplar-dr - a full-body X-ray scanner for trauma and forensic pathology use - was named the top innovation concept.

The scanner performs a head to toe scan in 13 seconds, producing an entirely digital image of extremely high quality, while emitting very low levels of harmful radiation.

1 Call Accredited Services and Providers and Absa received special mentions.