REVEALED: 2015 New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards finalists

Wayne Norrie, chair of the NZ Hi-Tech Trust, highlights the high calibre of nominations this year.

A record number of entries from a record number of companies across New Zealand have lifted the bar for this year’s New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards, with finalists spanning the breadth of the technology sector.

“This year’s finalists span the full spectrum of the hi-tech sector with a record number of new companies entering for the first time," says Wayne Norrie, Chair of the Hi-Tech Trust.

"There has been a huge number of entries across the board and it’s awesome the level of entries in the start-up and young achiever categories has been so high.

“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. ”

The calibre of entries have also reached a new milestone, he states. This has been reflected by the judges with several of them commenting that the quality of the entrants is at an all-time high this year.

As a result the next phase of judging is likely to prove a challenge as the judges select the winners from such a strong pool of finalists.

This year’s international judges include renowned 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 most successful technologists and entrepreneurs.

“We are truly thankful to all our judges, both here and around the world, who give up their personal time to assist us with judging," Norrie adds.

"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."

Winners in each category will be announced at a black-tie gala dinner at the TSB Arena in Wellington on 15th May 2015.

The finalists are:

PwC Hi-Tech Company of the Year 2015

• ARANZ Geo

• Serko

• Shotover Camera Systems

• Xero

Cisco Hi-Tech Emerging Company of the Year

• ARANZ Medical

• Dbvisit

• Movio

• Totara Learning

• Unleashed Software

• Volpara Solutions

New Zealand Venture Investment Fund (NZVIF) Hi-Tech Start-Up Company of the Year

• Career Engagement Group

• Mindscape

• Stretchsense

• Timely

Callaghan Innovation Best Technology Solution for the Creative Sector

• Shift72

• Shotover Camera Systems

• StarNow

• Umajin

Duncan Cotterill Innovative Hi-Tech Software Product

• ARANZ Geo

• GeoOp

• Mindscape

• Movio

• Umajin

• Vend

Grow Wellington Most Innovative Service

• StarshipIT

• Straker Translations

• WaterOutlook

Endace Innovative Hi-Tech Hardware Product

• Dairy Automation

• Phitek

• SnapitHD

• Solar Bright

UK Trade & Investment Innovative Hi-Tech Mobile Product

• Geozone

• IkeGPS

• Mobi2go

• Social Code

Fronde Hi-Tech Young Achiever

• 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

• Dairy Automation

• Fibre-gen

• Grasslanz

• SnapitHD

IBM Most Innovative Initiative Award

• LiquidStrip

• Network for Learning

• Thank You Payroll

• The Mind Lab

• Wiki NZ

Qual IT Best Public Sector Technology Solution

• Business.govt.nz

• Foster Moore

• Network for Learning

• Orion Health

• Water Outlook

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