Celebrating New Zealand companies driving innovation through the creation or transformation of Hi-Tech products or manufacturing processes - whether designing, developing, or producing them directly or through trusted manufacturing partners.

Entries in this category are judged by a panel of both local and international judges.

Eligibility for this category:

To be eligible, your company must meet the mandatory registration requirement plus at least two of the secondary criteria.

• Registered in NZ (Mandatory)
• Founded in NZ
• Global headquarters are in NZ
• At least 20% of your employees reside in NZ
• The product, service, or technology originated in NZ or was substantially developed in NZ.

Entries Open in December 

In entering this category:

• You have developed a Hi-Tech manufactured product or advanced manufacturing process that is genuinely innovative and can demonstrate how this has positioned you for future success.
• You can clearly identify and differentiate how this provides your company with a competitive edge.
• Your product or process may include software, but only as an aspect of being integrated into a physical product or process, not as a standalone software product.
• The manufacturing of your product may be outsourced either within NZ or overseas; however, you must still meet at least two of the eligibility criteria above.
• Your company demonstrates in process or product features, functionalities, or technologies that set you apart in the Hi-Tech manufacturing sector.
• You can showcase measurable improvements such as growth, efficiency, productivity, sustainability, or quality resulting from your manufacturing innovation.
• Your company is revenue-generating, and you can demonstrate real financial return on investment from the product or process entered (this excludes grants and investment) for the calendar year ending 31 December 2026.
  • Either shown through sales of the product entered or show financial reports demonstrating ROI targets such as efficiency gains, profitability or productivity.
• Upon request, you can supply the judges with evidence to support any claims made in this entry and be able to prove that:
  • The innovation originated in NZ or was substantially developed in NZ.
  • Your company owns or has rights to use the IP related to the product or process (if IP is applicable).