It’s on - Winners of the Origin/Jucy Next Big Small Business Competition Announced
For the past two months Origin IT and JUCY have been on the hunt for the next kiwi success story.
A range of prizes were on offer to entrepreneurially driven small businesses with the vision and determination to take
on the world. This included business advice from Tim Alpe of JUCY (recent recipient of the Sir Peter Blake Leadership
Award), and IT services from Origin IT.
The awarded prizes and winners are as follows:
• Lunch with Tim Alpe to discuss growing a small business quickly, has been awarded to Danu Abeysuriya of Rush
Digital.
Rush Digital is a K-Road based company who specialise in “engineering innovation”; creating bespoke solutions that fuse
the real and digital worlds. Their recent work includes creating the Amazing Race Tug of War between New Zealand and
Australia that saw the teams compete in a cross-Tasman war of brute strength.
The judges were impressed by the company’s can-do kiwi attitude, and their unique service offering that places them in a
very niche, but lucrative space.
• A half-day session with Kerry Hull, Origin’s lead IT business consultant, goes to Mons Royal.
Mons Royal are a quickly emerging player in the global merino garment industry. Based on the shores of Lake Wanaka and
winners of the 2014 Otago Deloitte Fast 50 fastest growing exporter with a rapidly growing direct to market strategy in
Europe, the US, NZ and Australia, this brand is one to watch.
The judging team was very impressed by the company’s story to date, brand and vision.
The judges of the competition were Tim Alpe CEO of JUCY, Michael Russell, CEO and founder of Origin and Stacey Riordan,
Origin’s marketing and communications manager. Shortlisted companies were notified and met face-to-face to understand
their business in more detail. From there the judges conferred and awarded the prizes.
More information:
To learn more about Rush Digital, visit www.rushdigital.co.nz
To learn more about Mons Royale, visit www.monsroyale.com
ENDS