On 15 February, one of the most exciting showcases of mobile innovation of the year will be on display in Barcelona: the Mobile Premier Awards in Innovation. The awards are the largest start-up competition in the mobile sector and they are a unique grass-roots discovery tool: each chapter of the global community of Mobile Monday chooses one candidate. 49 candidates have been chosen (have a look further down). An international jury (I am flattered and proud to be a member) selects 20 finalists who will pitch in Barcelona at the Palau de la Musica on the afternoon of the first day of the Mobile World Congress.

It is a wonderful display of the innovation and creative power the mobile industry has to offer and I invite you to have a good look at the candidates.

If you are in Barcelona that week (and who isn’t?), you should make sure to book your ticket for the event here.

I hope to see you in Barcelona to celebrate innovation in mobile!

To stay in touch with everything around the awards, follow them on Twitter (@mobilepremier), become a fan on Facbook,

And, once your in Barcelona, you should not miss Mobile Sunday Barcelona 2010, which has fast become an unofficial kick-off event to MWC for mobile bloggers. It is on on Sunday, 14 Feb, from 7pm CET onwards.

Here’s a list of the 49 candidates (with links here):