Previous winners

CATEGORY CRITERIA

To be eligible for this award, the nominee must have conceptualised and developed an innovation involving a product, service, technology, idea/theory or process across any industry sector including (but not limited to) health, science, technology, robotics, business, education, environmental, sustainability, agriculture, disadvantaged communities, and non-profits.

Nominators should consider talking about the following areas in their nomination:

  • INNOVATION: Describe the innovation of your nominee and the thoughtful, creative, and innovative approach it takes to resolve a challenge.
  • NEED: What problem does the innovation solve? And how is it unique to the market?
  • COMMITMENT: Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to develop the innovation to this point (this may still be ongoing).
  • PROVEN IMPACT: How has the innovation clearly demonstrated a positive impact on the targeted community (particularly over the last 12-months)? How has this been measured?
  • POTENTIAL: Describe the opportunity the innovation has to generate economic, social, and/or environmental benefits for a local industry sector, the nation, and or globally.
  • LONG-TERM IMPACT: How is the nominee planning to enhance, grow, and/or adapt the innovation in the future to best meet the changing needs of the targeted population? How would winning this award impact this person and the work that they are doing?

Conditions of Entry

“This award celebrates the New Zealanders who disrupt the status quo, whose inventions and ambitions are building towards a better tomorrow. As Aotearoa’s largest digital services and telecommunications company innovation is at the heart of everything we do, so we’re proud to be supporting the kaupapa behind the 2023 Spark New Zealand Innovator of the Year Award.”
Jolie Hodson
Spark New Zealand CEO