Xero is New Zealand’s Hi-Tech Company of the Year
- 15 May, 2015 20:30
“It takes continuity of performance over more than a single year to earn this award,” says Wayne Norrie, chair of the Hi-Tech Trust, as the winners are announced at a gala dinner in Wellington.
“The company evidences superb operational efficiency, planning a new version of its software each week, with 400 releases in 2014,” says Norrie. “Development of new features follows a tried and true winning behaviour: give your customers what they request. Lastly, the open API’s for go-to-market through the accountancy channel is brilliant.”
Another big winner twas Umajin, which won two awards, the Callaghan Innovation Best Technology Solution for the Creative Sector and the Duncan Cotterill Hi-Tech Innovative Software Product category.
The judges remarked, “Umajin has drawn on 20 years engineering, gaming design and app development expertise to create a globally unique platform for designing and publishing beautiful and user friendly apps without requirement for coding. Their editor tool has attracted an impressive list of customers and partners including Intel, IBM and leading global agency group WPP.”
Norrie says there was a record number of entries with over 150 organisations entering this year, many of them for the first time.
“There has been a huge number of entries in the start-up and young achiever categories,” says Norrie. “The New Zealand technology sector is clearly in great shape for the future with so many awesome young companies embarking on their big journey.”
The New Zealand technology sector is clearly in great shape for the future with so many awesome young companies embarking on their big journey.
"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 2016 awards will be held in Auckland.
We can compete and win in the global stage: Wayne Norrie #htanz pic.twitter.com/FuKlVY10Z3
— CIO New Zealand (@CIO_NZ) May 15, 2015
The complete list of the 2015 NZ Hi-Tech Award winners are:
Fronde Hi-Tech Young Achiever Award
Winner: Ben O’Brien – CEO and Co-founder of StretchSense
Qual IT Best Technology Solution for the Public Sector Award
Winner: Foster Moore
IBM Most Innovative Initiative Award
Winner: Network for Learning
Highly Commended: The Mind Lab by Unitec
Callaghan Innovation Best Technology Solution for the Creative Sector Award
Winner: Umajin
Duncan Cotterill Innovative Software Product Award
Winner: Umajin
Endace Innovative Hardware Product Award
Winner: Phitek
Highly Commended: SnapitHD
Grow Wellington Innovative Service Product Award
Winner: Straker Translations
NZTE Most Innovative Agritech Product Award
Winner: SnapitHD
UK Trade & Investment Innovative Mobile Technology Award
Winner: Geozone
New Zealand Venture Investment Fund Hi-Tech Start-up Company of the Year
Winner: Mindscape
Highly Commended: Timely
Cisco Hi-Tech Emerging Company of the Year
Winner: Volpara Solutions
Highly Commended: Totara Learning
PwC NZ Hi-Tech Company of the Year Award
Winner: Xero
We will be the innovation hub of the South Pacific : Stephen Joyce #htanz pic.twitter.com/AFldks8jTq
— CIO New Zealand (@CIO_NZ) May 15, 2015
This year’s line-up of international judges included 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 joined the international judges, including some of New Zealand’s most successful technologists and entrepreneurs.
.@CIO_NZ agree! NZ tech future of shining bright! Thinking maybe NZ govt should focus more on htnz than paddocks? Too much time on the farm?
— Atmospheric365 (@atmospheric365) May 15, 2015
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