The Awards

The NZ Hi-Tech Awards celebrate New Zealand’s most successful high-tech companies and highest achieving individuals. Originally launched in 1994 as the VSI Electronics Excellence Awards, they have since evolved into a platform for recognising the best all of our technology industries: ICT, electronics, software, biotechnology, creative, telecommunications and digital media.

The year-long Awards calendar has several events that showcase and provide networking opportunities for New Zealand technology companies. We hope to put talented Kiwis well and truly in the spotlight, promote our high-tech successes, and extend our profile beyond the technology sector.

Winners include

The NZ Hi-Tech Trust

The NZ Hi-Tech Trust was established in 2009 to advance the growth and success of New Zealand's hi-tech industries through an awards and education programme.

All profits generated by the Awards programme are reinvested by Trust to ensure the continuance of the programme and to benefit the long-term development of the industries it supports.

The current trustees are:

Marian Johnson (Chair)

Marian Johnson is the Chairwoman of Electrify Women Founder Programmes and former CEO of Ministry of Awesome whose mission is to grow the economy through startup innovation. She led the establishment of Founder Catalyst, NZ's most prolific early stage startup incubator, Electrify Aotearoa, NZ's first ever women founders' summit, and Electrify Accelerator which is NZ's only women founders' accelerator. She is a member of the inaugural NZ Startup Council and Chair of the NZ HiTech Trust.

David Downs 

In his ‘day job’, David Downs the CEO of New Zealand Story, working to enhance New Zealand’s reputation beyond natural beauty. David has also held various roles at NZTE, in the Services, Customer, and Corporate Services teams. David spent 13 years at Microsoft, in New Zealand and as regional director for South-East Asia, and has set up and run successful businesses of his own.

David is a published author on New Zealand Innovation, with three highly successful books – Silver Linings, No.8 Re-wired, and No.8 Recharged. He’s an ex-comedian, TV and Radio actor, and a genetically modified organism who documented his battle with cancer in the popular column ‘A Mild Touch of the Cancer’ on NZ’s Stuff. David regularly presents and gives talks on his cancer journey, and recently appeared with Phil Keoghan on his web series ‘BUCKiT’ on the power of positive thinking and optimism.

Sir Ian Taylor (The Flying Kiwi representative to the Hi-Tech Trust)

Inspired by the changing world around him, Ian Taylor is well known for his huge impact on the technology sector in New Zealand and abroad. He founded Taylormade Media in 1989 and later established Animations Research Ltd - responsible for the international shift in 3D computer graphic technology. Later, Ian and his team partnered with Terrabyte to lead the revolutionary real-time Internet streaming of the America’s Cup, with Ian's 3D Graphics package model.

Ian took out the the Hi-Tech Flying Kiwi Award 2008, was named North and South Magazine’s New Zealander of the Year 2010 and Outstanding Maori Business Leader of the Year 2013. He has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the NZ Computer Society, appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit and won the Creative Sector of the World Class New Zealand Awards.

Andrew West

Dr Andrew West specialises in investing in and governing or managing high technology start-ups, mainly with a green or bio technology specialisation, including being Managing Director of Synthase Biotech (a life-extending recombinant enzyme), Chairman of Ligar Ltd (high value or polluting molecules and heavy metals extraction technology), Chairman of Aquafortus Technologies Ltd (extremely low energy water and alcohol extraction technology, and zero liquid discharge technology), Chairman of Lanaco Ltd (wool-based air-filtration technology), a director of Bioceta Ltd (anaerobic digestion) and a director of Humble Bee Ltd (natural polymers). He is also a founding General Partner of the Matū Fund that invests in NZ-based high tech start-ups at pre-seed and seed stage.

Andrew is a scientist who holds a PhD in microbial ecology with many international publications. Over 17 years he was Vice-Chancellor of Lincoln University, Chief Executive of AgResearch, founding Executive Chairman of the Tertiary Education Commission, Chief Executive of the NZ Qualifications Authority and Chief Executive of GNS Science. Previously he led the reform of New Zealand’s public science system and then its tertiary education system. 

Mike O'Donnell

Mike "MOD" O'Donnell is a professional director, writer and advisor with a focus on where technology, business and consumers meet.

He is chair of Garage Project, deputy chair of both New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and global music company Serato. He is also a director of FinTech PaySauce, Sandfield Technology, Radio New Zealand, Fairway Resolution and www.realestate.co.nz. MOD is an independent weekly business columnist for Stuff Media and host of Television show Start Up.

He was previously Chair of Timely, COO of Trade Me, CRO at vWork, Head of Wholesale Investment at Gareth Morgan Investments and Head of Distribution at AMP Capital Investors.

Mandy Simpson

Mandy is Z’s Chief Digital Officer, responsible for leading the charge towards a digital-first and data-driven future, and providing leadership for Z’s Digital function. Mandy has an executive background in financial, operations and technology roles, including as Chief Operating Officer at NZX, and has been a member of faculty at US-based Singularity University since 2016.

Mandy is a New Zealand Institute of Directors and New Zealand Global Women member.

Sarah Ramsay

Sarah is the CEO and co-owner of United Machinists, which manufactures components and assemblies for Australasia’s leading aerospace, medical, marine, defence, and cinematography companies.

Sarah is an active angel investor, mentor, Chartered Professional Director, a founding Director of regional engineering collective SOREC; and former Chair of Mainland Angel Investors and Startup Dunedin. She is actively involved in industry working groups and committees such as Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa, Hanga-Aro-Rau, the Workforce Development Council, the New Zealand Defence Industry Association, and Callaghan Innovation’s Industry 4.0 Network.

Sarah founded her first company, Immersion Marketing, at 28, following an early career within the investment banking and commercial property sectors in NZ and Australia.

Amber Taylor (Ngāti Mutunga, Te Ati Awa, Ngāti Whātua, Te Rarawa, Ngapuhi)

Amber Taylor is Co-Founder and CEO of ARA Journeys, a SaaS and mobile games company that blends the digital world with te taiao and te ao Māori. Inspired by and drawing on mātauranga Māori, ARA’s award-winning games use AR, MR, XR, and AI to promote connection, education, and exploration. Amber is a business mentor with the NZ Business Mentor Association and NZ Tech Women, a Young Business Leaders Initiative member with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs & Trade, and a 2003 Te Hapori Matihiko - Innovator Tipu Award recipient.