NZ’s Top Hi-Tech Talent Announced

NZ’s Top Hi-Tech Talent Announced

2006 PricewaterhouseCoopers New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards Finalists
To Face International Judges

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, October 21, 2006 – The Hi-Tech Association today announced the 2006 PricewaterhouseCoopers New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards finalists, who were hand picked from this year’s record entries. These finalists will now undergo individual scrutiny from five international luminaries in the hi-tech industry.

In a bid to find New Zealand’s most outstanding hi-tech companies and individuals, the finalists spanning 10 categories will be judged by Google’s Chief Internet Evangelist Vinton Cerf; New Zealand born Andy Lark, Chief Marketing Office for LogLogic; Ann Winblad, Co-Founding Partner of Hummer Winblad Venture Partners; Greg Horowitt, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Global CONNECT and Edward Farmer, Director of Corporate Finance at Panmure Gordon & Co.

Chairperson for this year’s awards, Selwyn Pellett, believes that the number and calibre of entries is a reflection of the increasing importance of the hi-tech industry to New Zealand’s economy.

“Throughout the history of the Hi-Tech Awards, the hi-tech industry has continued to grow and evolve at an exponential rate. Every year we have seen more creativity, talent and passion injected into the sector – and this has been illustrated by more and more New Zealand hi-tech companies making the leap to the global stage,” says Pellett.

“As a key milestone in any successful New Zealand hi-tech company’s history, the record number and standard of entries illustrates just how coveted these awards have become.”

International judging panel member Vinton Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist for Google, sees the international flavour of this year’s awards as a key step in driving the industry to global recognition and success.

“The New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards serve to highlight the importance of developing supra-national products and services in the IT industry. In many countries, IT-based businesses need more than the domestic market to thrive and New Zealand is as good an example as any of that need,” says Cerf.

“Success in any business requires creativity and hard work, especially so in the highly competitive and global IT industry.”

Cerf also acknowledges the role of PricewaterhouseCoopers in supporting this event.

“PricewaterhouseCoopers deserves great credit for its sponsorship of these important awards and I am also pleased to be able to play a small part in this constructive and gratifying programme.”

Winners of the 2006 PricewaterhouseCoopers New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards will be announced at the gala dinner held at SKYCITY Convention Centre on 4th November. Please visit www.hitech.org.nz for more details.

Finalists for each category are as follows:

Individual Awards
Nautech Electronics NZ Hi-Tech Young Achiever
1. Jordan Moss, Prolificx
2. Heath Milligan, Endace
3. Tim Pick, Eurekster
4. Derek Handley, The Hyperfactory

Endace NZ Hi-Tech Marketer of the Year
1. Gavin Wright, Fraame Solutions
2. Ken Johnson, Prolificx

Fronde Synergy NZ Hi-Journalist of the Year
Finalists from this category will be directly notified

NZX Hi-Tech Entrepreneur of the Year
Only the winner will be announced in this category

Tait Electronics NZ Hi-Tech Company Leader of the Year
Only the winner will be announced in this category

Company Awards
Enatel NZ Hi-Tech Innovation of the Year
1. Shoko Limited
2. Telemetry Research Limited
3. Eurekster
4. Retail Performance Management
5. The Optima Corporation
6. ProActive Software

Microsoft NZ Hi-Tech High Growth Strategy of the Year
1. Endace
2. Prolificx

Navman NZ Hi-Tech Emerging Company of the Year
1. Sprite Software
2. Wherescape
The judges also wish to commend two ‘re-emerging’ companies for their commitment to ongoing learning:
1. Software of Excellence
2. Greentree

Rakon NZ Hi-Tech Deal of the Year
1. Right Hemisphere
2. Aftermail (now Quest Software)

Avnet Electronics NZ Hi-Tech Corporate of the Year
Only the winner will be announced in this category

Ends

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