Let's give a HUGE round of applause for the amazing NZ Hi-Tech Award Finalists with a particular spotlight and shoutout to New Zealand’s ‘manufacturing’ finalists demonstrating excellence across the technology sector! Wishing you all the very best for the awards night. 👏 🌟

Punakaiki Fund Hi-Tech Startup Company of the Year – 5 finalists
- NovoLabs™️ – Palmerston North; the NovoLabs™ Supercritical UV™ reactor (SCUV) provides a breakthrough in UV disinfection technology for the effective treatment of process liquids and wastewaters.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Most Innovative Hi-Tech Agritech Solution – 5 finalists (2 are manufacturers)
- Nanobubble Agritech – New Plymouth; provide agricultural technology and irrigation technology services across a range of production systems.
- The Smart Machine Company - Blenheim; founding concept was to combine engineering, artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics to address labour shortages and other challenges within the horticultural sectors.

Kiwibank Most Innovative Hi-Tech Solution for a Sustainable World – 6 finalists (3 are manufacturers)
- Aspiring Materials – Christchurch; is building a low-carbon future by providing a variety of solutions and products to reduce and sequester carbon dioxide emissions.
- NovoLabs™️- Palmerston North
- Mint Innovation - Auckland; the world's first company to use natural biomass and smart chemistry to extract green metals from waste commercially, accelerating circular supply

Braemac Most Innovative Hi-Tech Hardware Product – 4 finalists (all manufacturers)
- Boxfish Robotics - Auckland; designs and manufactures industry-leading, actively stabilised underwater ROVs, AUVs and autonomous resident vehicles.
- IMMORTAL Camera Systems - Queenstown; a company driven by a passion for innovative design and the goal of creating shots and moments that last forever
- Kitea Health – Auckland; the world's most accurate implantable sensor for heart failure and hydrocephalus
- NovoLabs™️- Palmerston North

Aware Group Most Innovative Deep Tech Solution – 4 finalists (3 are manufacturers)
- EnPot - Southland; EnPot technology helps to reinvent smelters into virtual batteries capable of providing valuable storage and back-up power to the world’s electricity grids in times of high energy demand or lower than normal generations
- Kitea Health – Auckland
- NovoLabs™️- Palmerston North

PwC Hi-Tech Company of the Year – 5 finalists
- Rocket Lab – Auckland; an end-to-end space company delivering reliable launch services, spacecraft, satellite components, and on-orbit management.