Navigating the uncharted waters of education during a global upheaval, Penelope Barton boldly spearheaded the birth of Crimson Global Academy (CGA), Aotearoa 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 on a global stage. With an audacious vision and strategic leadership, she has created an education model that is multi-mode, multi-curriculum, and multi-ability, meeting students where they are and redefining the concept of school.

Under Penelope’s leadership, CGA has grown exponentially, providing high-quality, borderless education to over 2,000 students across 70 countries, with a substantial faculty based in Aotearoa. Beyond technology, Penelope’s innovation lies in pedagogical transformation, integrating real-time learning analytics and AI-supported personalised pathways, whilst ensuring a rich pastoral care system. Her unwavering belief in access to quality education for all has driven CGA’s success and positioned it as a powerful exporter of Kiwi educational talent and innovation.

Luke Kemeys, a Chartered Accountant and founder of Next Advisory, has been leading an impactful financial literacy revolution across Aotearoa New Zealand through his groundbreaking initiative, Keep The Change. Established in 2020, this independent platform has swiftly become a hub for accessible financial education, helping everyday Kiwis navigate money matters confidently. From emailed tips and budget templates to “Money Mail” newsletters and over 400 informative podcast episodes, Luke’s compelling content reaches tens of thousands nationwide, with the platform recording an impressive 1 million podcast downloads.

Luke’s impact extends beyond content creation to catalyse a culture change. His transparent, jargon-free style has made finance more approachable, especially for rangatahi, small business owners, and those underserved by traditional systems. Through Keep The Change, he is empowering Aotearoa to make smarter financial decisions, contributing to a more confident, financially free generation.

Peter-Lucas Jones, a highly influential figure in artificial intelligence, is spearheading the revitalisation of te reo Māori in the digital age. As the Chief Executive of Te Hiku Media, he has achieved a global first by creating natural language processing (NLP) systems for te reo Māori – a remarkable accomplishment previously deemed unattainable for an Indigenous language. Peter-Lucas’s innovation extends beyond technology, with the creation of the Kaitiakitanga Data License, a model safeguarding Indigenous voices and knowledge whilst fostering responsible innovation.

His work has profoundly transformed education, media, and public services in Aotearoa, ensuring te reo Māori’s visibility and accessibility. Internationally, Peter-Lucas’s frameworks have inspired Indigenous technologists from Canada to Hawaiʻi to reclaim their data and revitalise their languages. Celebrated on Time Magazine’s TIME100 AI list, he is the only Māori, the only New Zealander, and one of the few Indigenous leaders on the global stage.

Craig Piggott, agritech pioneer and CEO of Halter, is reshaping Aotearoa’s agricultural landscape with his forward-thinking innovations. Raised amidst the rhythms of a dairy farm, Craig’s intimate understanding of agriculture fused with his engineering acumen, sparked the creation of Halter. The company’s distinctive technology – solar-powered smart collars for livestock – enables farmers to manage and move their herds remotely. This game-changer not only amps up on-farm productivity but also heightens animal welfare and minimises environmental impact, aiding a nationwide shift towards sustainable farming.

In the past year, under Craig’s stewardship, Halter’s growth trajectory skyrocketed, securing top honours at the 2024 Deloitte Fast 50 with a staggering 1,539% revenue increase. In 2025, Halter raised $165 million in funding, accelerating its global footprint and solidifying Aotearoa’s standing as a leader in agricultural innovation. Craig continues to empower farmers, transform rural economies, and lead the charge in sustainable livestock farming, showcasing Kiwi inventiveness on a global platform.