Hi-Tech Awards Reaches New Highs
Auckland, 22 March 2012.
A record number of entries from companies across New Zealand have lifted the bar for this year’s Hi-Tech Awards.
Multiple finalists from Cambridge, Palmerston North and Dunedin join well over 30 finalists from the three main centres
in what the NZ Hi-Tech Trust Chair, Wayne Norrie, describes as a true spread of New Zealand’s high-technology
industries.
“This year’s finalists range from our rural roots, with a high-tech lettuce thinner from Oraka Developments in
Cambridge, to some of New Zealand’s largest technology companies such as Gen-i. New Zealand has a unique flavour of
high-tech that extends well beyond the realms of traditional ICT and it is great to see such a range of entries in the
mobile, agritech and startup categories,” he says. “The new multinational category is also giving us the opportunity to
recognise the contribution companies headquartered outside of New Zealand make to our high-tech industry. Some amazing
new companies have come to light and we look forward to telling their stories this year.”
Amongst those making their mark are Auckland-based Outpost Central, a finalist last year, and online foreign exchange
specialist KlickEx, both of which are finalists in three categories. And with technologies ranging from those used in
the marine industry, car-parking and remote robots to gaming, horticulture, broadcasting and a whole lot more, it is
going to be an interesting time for the judges.
“This year’s eight-strong international judging line-up includes original Facebook investor Peter Thiel, the Director of
Engineering for Google in New York, Craig Nevill-Manning, and Senior Vice President for Cisco, Howard Charney,” says
Wayne Norrie. “We are rapidly gaining international credibility as a high-tech hotbed and these awards continue to be
the primary showcase for our local talent.”
Winners in each category will be announced at a black-tie gala dinner to be held at SkyCity in Auckland on 11th May
2012.
The finalists are as follows:
PwC Hi-Tech Company of the Year Award
• Compac Sorting Equipment
• Enatel
• Fronde
• Gen-i
Microsoft Hi-Tech Emerging Company Award
• 3i Innovation
• Biomatters
• GreenButton
Ministry of Science & Innovation Start-up Award
• ArcActive
• BIMstop
• CropLogic
• Invert Robotics
• Im-Able
• KlickEx
HSBC Most Innovative Product from an Emerging Market Award - Agritech
• Grasslanz Technology
• Oraka Developments
• Outpost Central
Vodafone Most Innovative Mobile Technology Award
• Booktrack
• Igtimi
• Jade Software
• VMob
Voco Innovative Hi-Tech Services Product Award
• Car Parking Technologies
• Gen-i
• Infotools
• KlickEx
• Outpost Central
State Government of Victoria, Australia Innovative Hi-Tech Hardware Product Award
• Enatel
• Outpost Central
• Vesper Marine
Duncan Cotterill Innovative Hi-Tech Software Product Award
• Booktrack
• GreenButton
• KIDS
• KlickEx
• Vend
• WhereScape Software
NZMEA Hi-Tech Exporter of the Year Award
Over $5 million
• Compac Sorting Equipment
• Gentrack
Under $5million
• Sonar6
• Unlimited Realities
• Xero
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Best Contribution by a Multinational Company Award
• IBM
• Gameloft
• Microsoft
• Navico APAC
Maxnet Hi-Tech Young Achiever of the Year Award
• James Bell-Booth
• Robert Bell
• Ahmad Jubbawey
• Alistair Scarfe
------------------
The NZ Hi-Tech Awards
Now in their 18th year, the New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards celebrate the success of our producers of goods and services from
the software, electronics, telecommunications, mobile, agritech, creative and other high-tech industries. The Awards are
run by the NZ Hi-Tech Trust, a not-for-profit organisation aimed at promoting and supporting the wider industry. The
Board is formed by seven trustees: Ross Peat, Brett O’Riley and Wayne Hudson in Auckland, Chair Wayne Norrie and John
Fokerd in Wellington and Christchurch-based trustees Owen Scott and Andrew Plimmer. www.hitech.org.nz
ENDS