Innovate Manawatu Top 10 Finalists Announced
Palmerston North, New Zealand | 17 May 2012
Innovate Manawatu has announced its top ten finalists for 2012. Innovate was created in 2011 by the BCC, a Palmerston
North based business that specialises in taking high technology ideas to market.
The competition had 350 total entries, with 163 stage two entries being processed. Entries were accepted over 61 days (1
March to 30 April).
The judges panel, comprised of Simon Barnett, Vicki Stewart, James Watts, Paul Yortt and Larry Ellison, all have
substantial entrepreneurial backgrounds and run very successful businesses in New Zealand.
The judges heard pitches from 32 semi-finalists over the course of 2 nights, and last night announced the 10 that will
be moving through to the final stage where they will go through Market Validation process with experts from the BCC.
Simon Barnett, convenor of Judges, was excited at the quality of entries. "This year's entries were not only high in
quality, but many were based on new and emerging technologies, social trends and communication methods. Perhaps the most
exciting thing to see was the number of entries that were scalable and able to be taken to the global market, rather
domestically focused."
The 10 finalists, and their entries are (in no particular order)
• Peter Vullings
• Charles Allen
• Richard Carran
• John Howarth
• Mikaila Barber
• Brad Hislop & Nick Carroll (team)
• Sally Hensman, Roy Matthews & David Blackwell (team)
• Nick Rowe
• Thaddeus McCarthy & John McCarthy (team)
After completing Market Validation, contestants will make their final pitch on 30 July. A winner will be selected and
presented with the $10,000 grand prize on 31 July 2012.
ENDS