Nominations are now open for the 8th annual SD Times 100, which are awarded to software industry organizations and individuals that have demonstrated innovation and leadership in the previous year.

The SD Times 100 looks for companies, non-commercial organizations, open-source projects and other influencers that have determined a direction that developers followed. Last year, 100 companies were recognized in 14 categories.

As we wrote in the debut awards in 2003, “When choosing the SD Times 100, our panel of judges carefully considers each company’s offerings and reputation. We also listen for the “buzz”—how much attention and conversation we’ve heard around the company and its products and technologies—as a sign of leadership within the industry.”

Reader nominations are open from Feb. 1 until Mar. 5. The 2010 SD Times 100 will be published in the Jun. 1, 2010 issue of the newspaper.