World changing Kiwi innovations finalists have been named for the big annual New Zealand Innovation Awards.

The finalists represent game-changing innovation from every corner of the country, with new ventures, products and services from a broad range of industries and business disciplines, the New Zealand Innovation Council’s founder and chief executive Louise Webster says.

“They all demonstrate in their own way that Kiwi innovation has come a long way with a vibrant and active innovation in the business community.

“Included in the finalists are an exciting range of entries such as quiet drones, solar-powered cow collars, smart trampolines, Te Reo Maori smartphones and ethical corporate workwear. Spoilt for choice with this year’s entries – these are truly world changing innovations.

“The seventh annual innovation award winners will be named at the awards evening in Auckland on October 19. The awards night is now established as New Zealand’s most iconic innovation event. It’s great to have seen the innovation ecosystem grow and develop over this time and simply humbling to talk to so many fantastic business innovators.

“Since the awards began we have seen a shift away from businesses developing new products and services for the New Zealand market to a strong focus on export markets with many businesses going global from day one,” she says.

Bayer New Zealand managing director Derek Bartlett says Bayer are committed to helping Kiwi companies be the best that they can be.

“We have innovation at the heart of everything we do and take pride in supporting such a great initiative to celebrate and profile innovation across New Zealand,” he says.

Last year, ARANZ Medical won the Bayer Supreme New Zealand Innovation prize at the annual New Zealand Innovation awards. ARANZ Medical’s advanced scanning technology, silhouette, measures wound healing and ensures the right treatment is being used to promote faster healing and more accurate diagnosis.

The 2017 New Zealand Innovation Awards finalists are:

INNOVATION IN AGRIBUSINESS & ENVIRONMENT - Sponsored by Bayer NZ● Alliance Group - The Omega Lamb Project● Halter● Levno - Sensor and Data Technology● Marine Flex - Elastic Mooring● SPATnz (Shellfish Production and Technology New Zealand) - Next Generation Shellfish● Spring Sheep Milk Co. - New Zealand's Gentlest Milk● Squawk Squad INNOVATION IN DESIGN & ENGINEERING - Sponsored by James & Wells● ARANZ Geo - Leapfrog 3D Geological Modelling Software● Dotterel Technologies● Fisher & Paykel Healthcare - Optiflow Junior 2● Onguard Group - Seismic Systems● Rocket Lab● SolarBright - DATAeye● Springfree Trampoline - Smart Trampoline● Tectonus - Resilient Slip Friction Joint INNOVATION IN EDUCATION, TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT - Sponsored by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand● CORE Education - iNVENTIONATOR● Crimson Education● EdPotential● Fulton Hogan - Virtual Reality Training● Kami● Linewize - Classwize● Massey University Wellington - The Design+Democracy Project● Osnova - Amy INNOVATION IN FINANCIAL, PROFESSIONAL & PUBLIC SERVICES - Sponsored by Equifax● Cream● Department of Internal Affairs - SmartStart● FluentIQ - Test Center● McCarthyFinch● Simplicity● Simply Payroll● StockX - A Smarter Exchange INNOVATION IN HEALTH & SCIENCE - Sponsored by Chorus● Avalia Immunotherapies - Synthetic Vaccines● BFW Innovations - The Original Mattress Elevator● CoLiberate - Nourish Your Mind● Fisher & Paykel Healthcare - Optiflow Junior 2● FlexiMap● MARS Bioimaging● Myovolt - Wearable Vibration Therapy● Precision Driven Health INNOVATION IN FOOD & BEVERAGE - Sponsored by Plant & Food Research● Alliance Group - The Omega Lamb Project● Anteater - Premium Edible Insects● Fix & Fogg - World’s Best Peanut Butter● Fonterra Co-operative Group - Protein Ingredient (MPC4867)● Green Spot Technologies● Imake - The Grainfather INNOVATION IN TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS - Sponsored by Jade Software Corporation● Air New Zealand - Customer Innovation Programme● ARANZ Geo - Leapfrog 3D Geological Modelling Software● Corvecto - Virtual Reality Training Solutions● fulcrum - The fulcrum HUB● Moxion● Onguard Group - Seismic Systems● The Social Club● Vector - Glen Innes Substation● WaterOutlook INNOVATION SYSTEMS & PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT - Sponsored by Westpac NZ & the NZ Government● Fonterra Co-operative Group - Vitamin D Measurement● Forsite● Halter● High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) - Innovation Programme● Revisia - Industrial 3D Innovation● Soar Printing - Evolution through Innovation● Vigilance - Financial Risk Management● Waitemata District Health Board - Leapfrog Programme INNOVATION IN MEDIA, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS - Sponsored by StopPress● 2degrees - Data Hunt● AttitudeLive● Corvecto - Virtual Reality Training Solutions● Fire and Emergency New Zealand - Escape My House● Fisher & Paykel Healthcare - Optiflow Junior - Therapy Growth and Product Preference● Shuttlerock● Spring Sheep Milk Co. - New Zealand's Gentlest Milk● Workhere New Zealand - LookSee Wellington● Zavy INNOVATION IN SUSTAINABILITY & RENEWABLE ENERGY - Sponsored by NZ Innovation Council● EcobagsNZ - No to Plastic Bags, yes to Compostable● ecostore● Green Spot Technologies● Little Yellow Bird - Ethically Made Corporate Workwear● Marine Flex - Elastic Mooring● Organic Initiative (Oi)● solarcity New Zealand - solarZero energy service● Yealands Wine Group - Harnessing the power of the sun INNOVATION IN TOURISM & ENTERTAINMENT - Sponsored by Idealog● GeoZone● Haka Tourism Group - An Innovative Business Model● Modern Maori Quartet● Off The Beaten Track● Pop-up Globe Auckland● Sonnar Interactive - Audio Games● Tourism Holdings (THL) - Mighway● Wherewolf INNOVATION IN MAORI DEVELOPMENT - Sponsored by KPMG● Hiakai● Huawei New Zealand - Te Reo Maori Smartphone● Metia Interactive - Takaro● Plink Software - Tipu Te Reo Maori● Punarau Media - Pipi Ma EXPORT INNOVATION OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE)● Alliance Group - The Omega Lamb Project● ARANZ Geo - Leapfrog 3D Geological Modelling Software● Fisher & Paykel Healthcare - Optiflow Junior 2● fulcrum - The fulcrum HUB● Moxion● Onguard Group - Seismic Systems● Shuttlerock● Timely EXCELLENCE IN SOCIAL INNOVATION - Sponsored by Sovereign● AttitudeLive - Attitude● Fire and Emergency New Zealand - Escape My House● Organic Initiative (Oi)● Plink Software - Tipu Te Reo Maori● Te Whare Hukahuka - Growing Maori Social Enterprise● Te Whare Hukahuka - Ka Eke Poutama● Massey University Wellington - The Design+Democracy Project● The Taranaki Retreat INNOVATION EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH● Alliance Group - The Omega Lamb Project● Avalia Immunotherapies - Synthetic Vaccines● Dotterel Technologies● Halter● Myovolt - Wearable Vibration Therapy● mango teQ - REYEDR HUD● Sonnar Interactive - Audio Games START-UP INNOVATION OF THE YEAR● Anteater - Premium Edible Insects● Burnsafe NZ - Disposal of Landmines & Unexploded Ordnance● Firstcheck● Hiakai● Mevo - Electric Vehicles On Demand● Moxion● Previously Unavailable - Toothcrush● SolarBright - DATAeye EMERGING NEW ZEALAND INNOVATION - Sponsored by Regus● Cream● Kami● Marine Flex - Elastic Mooring● MARS Bioimaging● Simply Payroll● StockX - A Smarter Exchange● WaterOutlook● Zavy DISRUPTIVE & BREAKTHROUGH INNOVATION - Sponsored by Westpac NZ and the NZ Government● ARANZ Geo - Leapfrog 3D Geological Modelling Software● Avalia Immunotherapies - Synthetic Vaccines● Fisher & Paykel Healthcare - Optiflow Junior 2● Flick Electric Co.● Halter● MARS Bioimaging● Moxion● Rocket Lab● SolarBright - DATAeye YOUNG NEW ZEALAND INNOVATOR - Sponsored by MOTAT● Erik Zydervelt - Mevo● Henry Lane - Corvecto● Jarek Beksa - Sonnar Interactive● Jody Burrell, Bop Murdock, Sarah Tuck - CoLiberate● Samantha Jones - Little Yellow Bird● Shay Wright - Te Whare Hukahuka MOST INSPIRING INDIVIDUAL - Sponsored by 3M● Asantha Wijeyeratne (Peter) - Simply Payroll● Helen Robinson - Organic Initiative● Katie Hinsen - Blue Collar Post Collective● Peter Beck - Rocket Lab BAYER SUPREME NEW ZEALAND INNOVATION - Sponsored by Bayer New ZealandWinner to be announced on the night. THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD - Sponsored by RadioLIVE● All finalists - public voting open from September 12 via www.innovationawards.org.nz

| A  New Zealand Innovation Council release with MakeLemonade  ||  September 4,  2017   |||