2026 NZ Hi-Tech Award Winners and Highlights

About this episode

This episode features discussions with the winners of the 2026 NZ Hi-Tech Awards, highlighting innovation and growth in New Zealand's tech sector.

The 2026 NZ Hi-Tech Awards highlight a sector reaching new heights in innovation, global growth, and impact, celebrating the organisations and individuals driving New Zealand’s tech success story. In this special episode, host Paul Spain speaks with several of this year’s standout winners. Hear from Dr Yoram Benit, CEO of Tait Communications, named NZ Hi-Tech Company of the Year, and Matty Blomfield, co-founder and CEO of Hectre, winner of both the NZTE Most Innovative Hi-Tech Agritech Solution and the Greenmount and Poutama Trust Māori Hi-Tech Company of the Year. We also recognise Vaughan Fergusson’s contribution to the industry as this year’s Flying Kiwi, alongside insights from Jock Richardson and Peter Tait of TCS, winners of the Kiwibank Most Innovative Hi-Tech Solution for a More Sustainable Future. Plus, Arash Tayebi and Noreen Wilson of Kara Technologies share their journey after taking out the 2040 Ventures Hi-Tech Startup Company of the Year. With tech now contributing $24 billion to New Zealand’s economy, this episode explores the momentum behind the sector’s growth and what’s next. Thanks to our partners: One NZ, Workday, 2degrees, Spark, Fortinet, and Gorilla…

People in this episode

Host: Paul Spain

Guests: Dr Yoram Benit, Matty Blomfield, Jock Richardson, Peter Tait, Arash Tayebi, Noreen Wilson

Topics covered

• NZ Hi-Tech Awards
• innovation
• technology growth
• agritech
• sustainability
• entrepreneurship

Keywords

• NZ Hi-Tech Awards
• innovation
• technology
• agritech
• sustainability
• entrepreneurship
• Tait Communications
• Hectre
• Kara Technologies

Sponsors

One NZ, Workday, 2degrees, Spark, Fortinet, Gorilla Technology

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Tait Communications, Hectre, TCS, Kara Technologies

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