The finalists of the 2015 New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards have been announced, with the winners to be revealed at a gala dinner to be held at the TSB Arena in Wellington on May 15.
Wayne Norre, Hi-Tech Trust chair, says this year there was a record number of new companies entering for the first time, with a high level of start-up and young achiever entries, and there have been a huge number of entries across the board.
“The New Zealand technology sector is clearly in great shape for the future with so many dynamic young companies embarking on their big journey.
“The Hi-Tech trust is looking forward to following these new emerging companies and individuals and the diversity they bring to the tech sector, ” Norrie says.
On top of this, several of the judges have commented on the fact that the quality of the entrants is at an ‘all-time high' this year.
This year's line-up of international judges includes American business strategist, Gary Hamel; co-founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak; founder of Massive, Claudia Batten; Director of Engineering for Google in New York, Craig Nevill-Manning; Senior Vice President for Cisco, Howard Charney; Andy Lark; CMO of Xero and Managing Director for IDG Ventures, Pat Kenealy.
A local judging panel of more than 40 joins the international judges, including some of New Zealand's technologists and entrepreneurs.
“The Hi-Tech Awards continues to be New Zealand's most important industry celebration of success and a wonderful showcase for our technology innovation and talent,” says Norrie.
The finalists are as follows:
PwC Hi-Tech Company of the Year 2015 • ARANZ Geo • Serko • Shotover Camera Systems • Xero
Cisco Hi-Tech Emerging Company of the Year 2015 • ARANZ Medical • Dbvisit • Movio • Totara Learning • Unleashed Software • Volpara Solutions
New Zealand Venture Investment Fund (NZVIF) Hi-Tech Start-Up Company of the Year 2015 • Career Engagement Group • Mindscape • Stretchsense • Timely
Callaghan Innovation Best Technology Solution for the Creative Sector 2015 • Shift72 • Shotover Camera Systems • StarNow • Umajin
Duncan Cotterill Innovative Hi-Tech Software Product 2015 • ARANZ Geo • GeoOp • Mindscape • Movio • Umajin • Vend
Grow Wellington Most Innovative Service 2015 • StarshipIT • Straker Translations • WaterOutlook
Endace Innovative Hi-Tech Hardware Product 2015 • Dairy Automation • Phitek • SnapitHD • Solar Bright
UK Trade - Investment Innovative Hi-Tech Mobile Product 2015 • Geozone • IkeGPS • Mobi2go • Social Code
Fronde Hi-Tech Young Achiever 2015 • Danu Abeysuriya - Rush Digital • Reuben Bijl - SmudgeApps • Madeleine Martin - Ossis • Ben O'Brien - Stretchsense • Ben Richmond - Xero
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Innovative Agritech Product 2015 • Dairy Automation • Fibre-gen • Grasslanz • SnapitHD
IBM Most Innovative Initiative Award 2015 • LiquidStrip • Network for Learning • Thank You Payroll • The Mind Lab • Wiki NZ
Qual IT Best Public Sector Technology Solution 2015 • Business.govt.nz • Foster Moore • Network for Learning • Orion Health • Water Outlook