Navigating the uncharted waters of education during a global pandemic, Penelope Barton boldly spearheaded the growth of Crimson Global Academy (CGA) as co-founder and CEO, New Zealand’s first registered online high school. With her steadfast commitment to equity, excellence, and innovation, Penelope transformed the education landscape, not just domestically but globally. Today, Penelope serves as co-founder and CEO of Crimson Academies Group including CGA and the newly launched Aotearoa Infinite Academy, New Zealand’s first tuition fee-free online charter school, and leads Crimson AGE School and Mt Hobson Academy. Under her vision, this ecosystem is multi-mode, multi-curriculum, and multi-ability, meeting students where they are and redefining the concept of school.

CGA has grown exponentially, delivering high-quality, borderless education to over 2,500 students across 70 countries, supported by a substantial faculty based in Aotearoa. Penelope’s innovation lies in pedagogical transformation powered by technology. She spends significant time building the software, processes, and systems that integrate real-time learning analytics, AI-supported personalised pathways, and elevated virtual classroom experiences while maintaining a rich pastoral care system at the core. Her unwavering belief that every learner, regardless of postcode or background, deserves world-class education has positioned these schools as powerful incubators of Kiwi educational talent.

Luke Kemeys, a Fellow Chartered Accountant and co-founder of Next Advisory, is leading a nationwide movement to make financial literacy accessible and relatable through his groundbreaking initiative, Keep The Change. Since launching in 2020, the independent platform has become a trusted hub for practical financial education, offering tips, budget templates, “Money Mail” newsletters, and a popular podcast with more than 2.25 million downloads. Each week, Luke’s clear, conversational advice helps tens of thousands of Kiwis take control of their money.

Far beyond traditional finance education, Luke is shifting the national mindset around money. His transparent, jargon-free style has made personal finance approachable for rangatahi, small business owners, and families alike. Through Keep The Change, he is building financial confidence across Aotearoa New Zealand – empowering people to make smarter decisions, reduce stress, and achieve long-term financial freedom. His goal is to help 100,000 Kiwi improve their financial literacy and he might just be there already.

Peter-Lucas Jones, Chief Executive of Te Hiku Media, is transforming the future of te reo Māori through world-leading artificial-intelligence innovation. Under his leadership, Te Hiku achieved a global first: natural-language-processing (NLP) tools that transcribe te reo Māori with 92% accuracy and produce precise synthetic voices. These innovations strengthen revitalisation efforts, preserve kaumātua voices and regional dialects, support tamariki and whānau learning, and embed te reo Māori across classrooms, broadcasting, and digital platforms.

This foundation paves the way for Māori-led AI tools and digital platforms that keep Māori language alive and accessible in modern life. Equally groundbreaking is his creation of the Kaitiakitanga Data License, an Indigenous-led framework that protects Māori data sovereignty while guiding ethical AI development. Through this model, Peter-Lucas has shown that technology can be built on tikanga and kaitiakitanga, inspiring Indigenous technologists worldwide – from Canada to Hawai‘i – to reclaim their languages and data. Recognised on TIME Magazine’s TIME100 AI list, he stands as the only Māori and only New Zealander among the world’s most influential AI leaders, proving that innovation and Indigenous wisdom can evolve together. He advocates that language is the key to culture, and unlocks traditional wisdom.

Craig Piggott is the founder and CEO of Halter, the New Zealand agritech company enabling dairy farmers and beef ranchers to operate more productive and sustainable farms. Halter’s virtual fencing and farm operating system includes solar-powered smart collars and an app that allow farmers to remotely guide and monitor livestock while precisely managing pasture. This world-first technology is reducing emissions, improving animal welfare, and freeing farmers from physically intensive, time-critical daily tasks.

Over the past year, Craig has led Halter through a defining period of momentum as it rapidly scales across New Zealand, Australia and the United States. The company topped the 2024 Deloitte Fast 50 Index with 1,539% revenue growth and, in 2025, secured $165 million to accelerate global expansion. Raised on a Waikato dairy farm, Craig blends practical farming experience with engineering ingenuity. His leadership is helping farmers adopt low-emissions practices without compromising productivity– positioning Aotearoa New Zealand as a global leader in sustainable agricultural innovation.