GEN NZ, part of the Global Entrepreneurship Network which operates in 180+ countries is hosting its first annual Entrepreneur Ecosystem Awards.
The 5 September awards ceremony will be held in Auckland at Future Lab, GridAKL, Level 4,12 Madden Street and tickets are on sale now.
The awards aim to highlight exemplary leadership throughout the nation’s entrepreneurial networks, which includes startups, seasoned entrepreneurs, accelerator and support organisations, investors, academia, community builders, government, and NGOs.
“GEN NZ is all about connecting entrepreneurs to the people and resources they need to thrive locally and globally. Recognising and celebrating the stand-out performers in our ecosystem helps tell our collective story and strengthens our connections and ties so that we can achieve even greater things together,” explained GEN NZ Trustee and Founder Dave Moskovitz.
Managing Director and Trustee of GEN NZ, Katherine Blaney, stated: “A lot of the work of entrepreneurs and those in the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem happens without a lot of fanfare, so we wanted to take a moment to recognise the mahi that is going on behind the scenes.”
“Even the nomination and judging process, as well as the ceremony itself, gives us additional opportunities to further GEN NZ’s goals of introducing new or off-the-radar startups to a host of entrepreneurial enablers and support initiatives they may not have known were available to them,” remarked GEN NZ Trustee Marwan Jamal.
The finalists for 2022 include:
Academic Initiative of the Year
● STARlab
● Tech Futures Lab
Entrepreneur of the Year
● Michal Garvey – Foodprint
● Ben Gleisner – Cogo
● Tim Hawkey – Energybank
● Fia Jones – Astrix Astronautics
● Lauren Peate – Multitudes
Entrepreneur Support Organisation of the Year
● CreativeHQ
● Ministry of Awesome
GEN NZ Connector of the Year
● Richard Liew
● Gavin Lennox
● Pauli Sosa
Government Initiative of the Year
● Education NZ – Product Innovation Fund
● Start Me Up
● The Startup Advisors Council
Investor of the Year
● NZ Growth Capital Partners
● Outset Ventures
Māori Initiative of the Year
● Kōkiri
● Te Matarau
Social Entrepreneur of the Year
● Sara Colcord – Chooice
● Jacinta Gulasekharam and Miranda Hitchings – Dignity NZ
● Benjamin Howard – Vertus Energy
● Bobby Lloyd and Greg Low – Reusabowl
Tickets for the Monday, 5 September awards ceremony are available here.
