On The Up: Bay of Plenty shines in NZ Hi-Tech Awards with five finalists
Bay of Plenty innovators have made a strong showing in one of New Zealand's biggest awards events.
Tauranga and the Bay boast five finalists in the prestigious Hi-Tech Awards, including for cutting-edge work in drone technology, lymphatic therapy and software assisting with legal disputes.
For 30 years, the awards have
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
18-07-2025
- NZ Herald
On The Up: Innovative exporters celebrated at Bay of Plenty Export Awards
Judges said they were impressed by Trimax's continued commitment to innovate and grow in a niche but hugely valuable market. Chief executive Michael Sievwright said Trimax was 'intent' on succeeding internationally. 'We're a proud New Zealand-based exporter, and this award shows what can be achieved by companies based in the Bay of Plenty.' Trimax's revenue had tripled in the past five years, and to date, it has sold more than 33,000 mower decks worldwide. To win Exporter of the Year, Trimax had to have more than five years of international operations and a total annual revenue between $5 million and $50 million. 'We've focused on delivering large strategic projects in key offshore markets', Sievwright said. Trimax Mowing Systems' chief executive, Michael Sievwright. Photo / Supplied Trimax has networks in the United States, the UK, and Australia, with mowers used by groundsmen in locations including England's Windsor Castle and PGA golf courses in the United States. 'The award is recognition for all the hard work our team has done across the board.' Oasis Engineering was recognised with the Excellence in Innovation award for success in the commercialisation of innovation in international markets. Oasis manufactures high-pressure control devices for gases, such as hydrogen and compressed natural gas. Managing director Kevin Flint said the whole business was built on people and innovation. 'We are striving to be a leader in the alternative fuel market.' Flint said everything Oasis did was about innovation, but it was their people who were at the heart of that innovation. 'This award vindicates our determination to be at the forefront of fuelling a greener tomorrow.' An AI-first healthcare operating system took out the award for Best Emerging Business. Carepatron, which launched in 2021, is an AI-driven practice management software platform, helping medical practices manage appointments in person and online. The company has more than 3000 customers across multiple international markets and aims to be the central hub for all administrative and clinical tasks for healthcare providers. Co-founder and chief executive Jamie Frew said receiving the award for Best Emerging Business was 'symbolic but powerful.' 'It builds confidence and velocity, as we hyperscale exports in the US market where we are growing rapidly.' Carepatron co-founders, Jamie Frew (left) and David Pene (right). Photo / Supplied Carepatron were also a finalist for Best Software at the NZ Hi-Tech Awards, and was highly commended in the Most Innovative Hi-Tech Software Solution section. Sarah Webb and Karl Stevenson were both unanimously presented with the Export Achievement Award by judges. This award recognised an individual who made substantial material contributions to the export success of a business. Karl Stevenson, who is the head of product at BlueLab, said he felt lucky to be part of the Bay of Plenty's export community. 'To be supported and encouraged to share what I've learned over the years, and bring people together to grow, has been a great privilege and something I cherish.' Sarah Webb was the founding force behind LawVu, a provider of a unified, cloud-based legal workspace designed for in-house legal teams. She said she felt honoured to be recognised at the Export Awards. 'I'm incredibly proud and grateful for the dedication and passion our team brings to the table.' Steve Saunders, co-founder and chief executive of Robotics Plus, was recognised as an individual who had made a significant contribution to exporting success in the Bay of Plenty. He is one of the founders of Mount Pack & Coolstores Ltd (MPAC), the largest packhouse in the Bay of Plenty, and served for 12 years with Priority One. 'I am very humbled to receive this award, for me, it's all about the success of the region.' Saunders said he was passionate about the Bay of Plenty and Tauranga and loved the spirit of collaboration that resides in the region. 'It's great to see this region and its people do well.' The awards were organised by the EMA (Employers and Manufacturers Association) on behalf of ExportNZ. ExportNZ ASB Bay of Plenty Export Awards winners Exporter of the Year award - in partnership with Sharp Tudhope Winner: Trimax Mowing Systems Highly Commended: LawVu Best Emerging Business - in partnership with Air New Zealand Cargo Carepatron Excellence in Innovation - in partnership with Page Macrae Winner: Oasis Engineering Highly Commended: Carepatron Export Achievement Award - in partnership with Zespri Sarah Webb (LawVu) Karl Stevenson (Bluelab) Services to Exporting - in partnership with Orbit World Travel Steve Saunders (Robotics Plus) Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.
Techday NZ
09-06-2025
- Techday NZ
Projectworks secures NZD $25 million in funding to drive global growth
Projectworks has closed its Series A funding round at NZD $25 million, securing investment from US fintech investor Ten Coves alongside existing shareholders. The latest funding boost takes the Wellington-founded software firm's total capital raised to more than NZD $33 million. The Series A round, which the company describes as one of the largest of its kind for a New Zealand technology business in recent years, included continued participation from Bridgewest Group and Punakaiki Fund. The investment coincides with Projectworks being awarded Hi-Tech Emerging Company of the Year at the 2025 Hi-Tech Awards. The company has also recently been recognised in the Deloitte Fast50 and the Inc. 5000 list, underscoring its growth trajectory. Strategic investment Ten Coves Managing Partner, Steve Piaker, has joined the Projectworks board as part of the investment. Piaker emphasised the shifts occurring in the global consulting market, particularly as smaller, specialist firms gain ground through technology adoption. "It's a good time to challenge the status quo," said Steve Piaker, Managing Partner, Ten Coves Capital. "With the latest advances in project intelligence, specialists with lean teams and deep experience can go toe-to-toe with larger firms — and win. Projectworks is the first end-to-end solution built for consultants from the ground up. It breaks down silos that get in the way of growth, and gives firms the tools to bid for and manage projects from a position of strength. . Having backed Mark Orttung when he served as president of BILL, we are thrilled to reunite with him and support his team as they break new ground in the professional services automation space." The funds are earmarked for expanding product development, customer success and go-to-market teams. In particular, Projectworks will focus on integrating generative artificial intelligence tools, such as automated time tracking and proposal generation, into its platform. The company expects to increase its headcount by approximately 50% in the coming year. Leadership changes Mark Orttung, who was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2024, has headed an acceleration of Projectworks' expansion, especially in North America, since taking up the post. Orttung previously held senior positions including President and Chief Operating Officer of BILL and CEO of Nexient, which was acquired by NTT Data in 2021. Orttung said the new funding and recognition highlighted a shift in the consulting services industry, where firms face mounting pressures and must find efficiencies in their project management. "Great consulting firms spend all their time on clients. That doesn't leave any time to manage their own firms. Specialists are solving some of the world's hardest and most important problems, yet they often shortchange key areas like resource planning, project and firm profitability, time sheets, time off/expense management, and invoicing. If you don't nail the basics, nothing else matters. You can't scale. You can't make a profit. And most importantly, you can't serve your clients, employees, or shareholders. That's what makes Projectworks so special. We automate the routine so firms can focus on what really matters—profitable, meaningful, impactful work." Orttung added: "Projectworks is now a truly global company, but we retain our Kiwi attitude. We listen, we innovate, we deliver. We eliminate project chaos and help our clients focus on work that makes a real difference in people's lives. We are growing at a spectacular rate as a result." Recognition and growth Projectworks' growth was praised by the Hi-Tech Award judges, who commented on the company's strong reputation among over 600 consulting clients in more than 50 countries. The judges remarked, "Projectworks has carved out a clear niche in the professional services world, building a smart, practical software platform that grew from solving internal pain points of their own consulting business, to supporting over 600 consultancies in more than 50 countries." The panel further stated, "Projectworks is a stand-out example of how a New Zealand company can quietly and successfully go global by focusing on what services firms actually need. They've executed well and built a solid pipeline of innovation for future growth." Co-founder and Chief Product Officer Matt Hayter attributed the achievement to the dedication of the team and the confidence shown by early supporters. "We're here today because of the people who believed in us from the start. We were backed by ambitious Kiwi consulting firms - many of whom were scrappy young startups like us - and it's because of them that we grew. It's because of them that we are here today, taking on the world from Wellington. The future of NZ tech is bright and I've never been as optimistic as I am now. Sure, there are challenges and headwinds, but if there's one thing the last four years have taught me, it's that the world isn't run by the smartest or best people - it's run by the people who keep showing up. With Projectworks, I know we're just getting started." Operational progress Founded in 2019, Projectworks reports a compound annual revenue growth rate of 140% since launch. The company now serves more than 600 clients, including tens of thousands of users worldwide. In 2024, Projectworks moved its headquarters to Silicon Valley, marking a step-up in international ambitions targeting the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Europe. Projectworks' software automates time-tracking, invoicing, resource allocation, forecasting and reporting, and integrates with commonly used workplace systems such as QuickBooks, Salesforce, Hubspot, Jira and Zapier. The company aims to give SMB consultancies a clearer overview of complex, cross-border projects. Customer perspectives Marc Foster, Vice President at Cypress Environment and Infrastructure, said, "A lot of software for consultants feels like the past -- enterprise with a capital E. Projectworks was the first solution we came across that really felt like the future. It's lightweight and nimble, not a big, clunky ERP. We've been growing like crazy the last few years, and it's reassuring to know Projectworks understands the challenges of firms like ours. It doesn't force you into a particular way of doing things. I love how it integrates with our accounting software, because it makes hiring so much easier. No matter where you are, you can always find someone who knows how to run QuickBooks." Christian Nolden, President of Groundline Engineering, USA, commented, "We've grown our team 10X over the past decade and recently made a major move into the US market—an exciting but complex transition for any company. We needed a project automation solution that could keep up with our pace, but more importantly, one that was easy to adopt and didn't require months of onboarding or training. Before Projectworks, we were juggling multiple disconnected platforms and relying heavily on spreadsheets just to get basic insights. Pulling data manually was time-consuming and error-prone, especially as we expanded globally. It was clear we needed a better way. Projectworks completely transformed how we manage projects. It was quick to set up, intuitive to use, and immediately gave us a single source of truth for all our projects. Within days, we were syncing teams across countries, tracking progress in real time, and making faster, more confident decisions. It's been a game-changer for our US expansion and beyond." Projectworks' leadership has signalled ongoing emphasis on international expansion, especially in North America, as well as continued investment in technology development and customer support teams.
NZ Herald
03-06-2025
- NZ Herald
On the Up: ‘Emerging Company of the Year' Projectworks raises US$10m, plans AI splash
Wellington-founded start-up Projectworks is on a hot streak. On May 23 it was named the Hi-Tech Awards 2025 'Emerging Company of the Year'. Now it's just closed a US$10 million ($16.6m) Series A extension funding round, led by Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Ten Coves Capital and supported
