Christchurch Finalists Highlight for 2011
Auckland, March 24, 2011. Three Christchurch companies beat the odds and an earthquake to make this year's finals of the NZ Hi-Tech Awards. "We were amazed to have received any entries from Christchurch as the competition closed just days after the earthquake struck," says NZ Hi-Tech Trust Chair, Wayne Norrie. "To be able to announce three Christchurch companies as finalists is testimony to the hi-tech sector continuing to be a dominant force for Canterbury in the future."
Electronic fold-up bike manufacturer YikeBike is a finalist in the Dell Innovative Hardware Product category while NZ Tax Refunds and Sense Medical are finalists in the NZX Hi-Tech Emerging Company and the new Vodafone Most Innovative Product from an Emerging Market category, respectively.
The Christchurch companies join 30 others from across the country, including Pingar from Tauranga and Lifetime Health Diary from Dunedin, who were announced as finalists at simultaneous functions held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch today. Orion Health was the stand out entrant, featuring as a finalist in six categories, with newcomers Mi5 Security and VoucherMob amongst those who are finalists in two or more categories.
Entries for 2011 hit record numbers and the NZ Hi-Tech Trust chair attributes at least some of the increase to the judging panel that has been assembled for the Awards. "We have over 40 local judges and a dozen international judges including Wall Street Journal's Global Business Advisor of the Year, Gary Hamel, and Dell founder, Michael Dell," says Wayne Norrie. "Who wouldn't want to get their business in front of those guys?"
Winners of the awards in each category will be announced at a black-tie, gala dinner to be held at the TSB Arena in Wellington on Friday 6th May 2011.
The finalists for each category are as follows:
PricewaterhouseCoopers Hi-Tech Company of the Year 2011
- M-Com
- Orion Health
- Rakon
NZTE Hi-Tech Company of the Decade
- Datacom
- Endace
- Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
- Orion Health
- Rakon
NZX Hi-Tech Emerging Company 2011
- Aptimize
- Biomatters
- Foster Moore
- NZ Tax Refunds
Ministry of Science and Innovation Best Hi-Tech Start-up 2011
- Lifetime Health Diary
- Pingar
- VoucherMob
- Yonix
Duncan Cotterill Innovative Hi-Tech Software Product Award 2011
- Aptimize
- Bis2
- Compac Sorting Equipment
- Orion Health
- SERKO
- Terralink International
Dell Innovative Hi-Tech Hardware Product Award 2011
- Electronic Navigation Ltd (ENL)
- Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
- Theatrelight New Zealand
- YikeBike
HiFX Innovative Hi-Tech Services Product Award 2011
- Konnect
- Mi5 Security
- Secured Signing
- SERKO
Vodafone Most Innovative Product from an Emerging Market 2011 - Mobile Technologies
- Mi5 Security
- Outpost Central
- Sense Medical
- VoucherMob
Recruit IT Hi-Tech Employer of Choice Award 2011
- Orion Health
- Redvespa
- Vodafone New Zealand
- Web Drive
NZMEA Hi-Tech Exporter of the Year 2011
Under $5million
- Magritek
- SERKO
- Sonar6
Over $5million
- BankLink
- Orion Health
- Zeacom
Maxnet Hi-Tech Young Achiever Award 2011
- Genevieve Clark
- Sarah Perkin
- John-Daniel Trask
Swaytech Hi-Tech Journalist Award 2011
- Stephen Bell
- Anthony Doesburg
- Divina Paredes