The winners of this year’s PricewaterhouseCoopers New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards were announced on Friday night in Christchurch.
The Awards recognise excellence across New Zealand's software, electronics, biotechnology, telecommunications and creative technology industries. This year there were 160 entries, the organisers say.
“The hi-tech industry contributes more than $2 billion in exports to New Zealand and has forged a global reputation for innovation. Many companies are continuing to achieve double digit growth but this is only a fraction of what they are capable of given the right environment in which to prosper,” said Wayne Norrie, chairman of the NZ Hi-Tech Association, in a statement.
The supreme award this year went to Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, a designer, manufacturer and marketer of healthcare devices. Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s products are sold in more than 110 countries.
One high profile judge of the awards, Dell CEO and founder Michael Dell, said the opportunities for New Zealand ideas to scale and grow has never been greater or more global.
"Every new wave of growth and success has been driven by new ideas and new technology. And there’s no reason why New Zealand can’t be the home to the next Dell or Salesforce.com. Embrace your entrepreneurs and give them every encouragement,” he said.
The winners are:
Supreme Award: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
IRL Emerging Company Award: Sonar6
HiFX Innovative Service Product Award: Xero
Enatel Innovative Hardware Product Award: joint winners: NextWindow and Vesper Marine
Recruit IT Innovative Software Product Award: joint winners: Biomatters and Massive Software
Outstanding Industry Initiative Award: eDay
NZ Hi-Tech Association Special Award presented by NZX: Marion Rogers
Outstanding Individual Contribution Award: Milton Bloomfield
SwayTech Journalist Award: Keith Newman
Endace Young Achiever Award: joint winners: Andrew Graham (Inro Technologies) and John-Daniel Trask (Mindscapes)
Launchpad Best of the Rest:
(High-tech companies who have been acknowledged by other awards programmes throughout the year)
Serko Online, Landcare Research, carboNZero, InFact, Nightside Test Design, HairyLemon, Mark Taylor - FrameCAD, FrameCAD, Thureon, Orion Health, Computer Forensics, Who Stole My Money, iDesign.