OpenAdvantage is an IT consultancy based in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom. They are a unique initiative providing the West Midlands region (the counties of Warwickshire, West Midlands, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire & Worcestershire) with a Centre of Excellence specialising in Open Source software.

OpenAdvantage deals strictly in open source software solutions, providing its clients with everything from a basic introduction to open source, to custom development services. The best part? It's all free. The United Kingdom is divided into nine Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) for the purpose of local economic development and regeneration. Each RDA receives a budget with which to fund programs and initiatives that it determines will enhance that region's economy and infrastructure. Advantage West Midlands, the RDA under whose jurisdiction OpenAdvantage falls, has furnished OpenAdvantage with enough money to enable the company to provide all of its services gratis to businesses within the region.

OpenAdvantage is a finalist in the 2005 CNET Networks UK Technology Awards in the category of "Open Source initiative of the Year"

Source: IT Managers JournalPrashanth RaiTag(s):Open Source